''Nyugat'' ( Hungarian for ''West''; pronounced similar to ''New-Got''), was an important Hungarian literary journal in the first half of the 20th century. Writers and poets from that era are referred to as "1st/2nd/3rd generation of the NYUGAT".

History and profile

''Nyugat'' was founded in 1908 and initially edited by Ignotus (Hugo Veigelsberg),

Ernő Osvát Ernő Osvát (7 April 1877 – 28 October 1929) was a Hungarian writer and editor. His first article was published 1897 in the a Hungarian newspaper called ''Esti Újság''. He became the editor of the ''Magyar Géniusz'' in 1902, transforming i ...

, and

Miksa Fenyő Miksa Fenyő (December 8, 1877 – April 4, 1972) was a Hungarian writer and intellectual, served as a member of parliament (elected 1931) in the early 1930s, and was appointed as a Minister of Trade and Commerce under the short-lived (24 hours) ...

. The magazine was receptive and inspired by the styles and philosophies then current in Western Europe, including naturalism,

Symbolism Symbolism or symbolist may refer to: Arts * Symbolism (arts), a 19th-century movement rejecting Realism ** Symbolist movement in Romania, symbolist literature and visual arts in Romania during the late 19th and early 20th centuries ** Russian sy ...

, and

impressionism Impressionism was a 19th-century art movement characterized by relatively small, thin, yet visible brush strokes, open Composition (visual arts), composition, emphasis on accurate depiction of light in its changing qualities (often accentuating ...

. ''Nyugat'' published both poetry and prose writing. The first generation included the poets

Endre Ady Endre Ady (Hungarian: ''diósadi Ady András Endre,'' archaic English: Andrew Ady, 22 November 1877 – 27 January 1919) was a turn-of-the-century Hungarian poet and journalist. Regarded by many as the greatest Hungarian poet of the 20th century ...

Árpád Tóth Árpád Tóth (14 April 1886 – 7 November 1928) was a Hungary, Hungarian poet and translator. Tóth went to Gymnasium (high school) in Debrecen and then studied German and Hungarian at the Eötvös Loránd University, University of Budape ...

Mihály Babits Mihály Babits (; 26 November 1883 – 4 August 1941) was a Hungarian poet, writer and translator. His poems are well known for their intense religious themes. His novels such as “The Children of Death” (1927) explore psychological pro ...

Dezső Kosztolányi Dezső Kosztolányi (; March 29, 1885 – November 3, 1936) was a Hungarian writer, journalist, translator and also a speaker of Esperanto. He wrote in all literary genres, from poetry to essays to theatre plays. Building his own style, he used ...

, Gyula Juhász, Géza Gyóni and the novelists

Gyula Krúdy Gyula Krúdy (21 October 1878 – 12 May 1933) was a Hungarian writer and journalist. Biography Gyula Krúdy was born in Nyíregyháza, Austria-Hungary. His father was a lawyer and his mother was a maid working for the Krúdy family. His ...

and

Zsigmond Móricz Zsigmond Móricz (; 29 June 1879, Tiszacsécse – 4 September 1942) was a major Hungarian novelist and Social Realist. Biography Zsigmond Móricz was born in Tiszacsécse in 1879 to Bálint Móricz and Erzsébet Pallagi. On his mother's ...

. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, ''Nyugat'', was challenged by leftist literary circles, particularly the grouping around

Lajos Kassák Lajos Kassák (March 21, 1887 – July 22, 1967) was a Hungarian poet, novelist, painter, essayist, editor, theoretician of the avant-garde, and occasional translator. He was among the first genuine working-class writers in Hungarian litera ...

who published first '' A Tett'' and then '' MA''. This left ''Nyugat'' frustrated and depressed about the war. The second generation of ''Nyugat'' writers in the twenties - such as Lőrinc Szabó, József Fodor and György Sárközi - displayed post-expressionist tendencies. Poets of this generation included

Attila József Attila József (; 11 April 1905 – 3 December 1937) was one of the most famous Hungarian poets of the 20th century. Generally not recognized during his lifetime, József was hailed during the communist era of the 1950s as Hungary's great ...

Gyula Illyés Gyula Illyés born ''Gyula Illés'' (2 November 1902 – 15 April 1983) was a Hungarian poet and novelist. He was one of the so-called ''népi'' ("from the people") writers, named so because they aimed to show – propelled by strong so ...

Miklós Radnóti Miklós Radnóti (born Miklós Glatter; 5 May 1909 – November 1944) was a Hungarian poet and teacher. He was murdered in the Holocaust. Biography Miklós Glatter was the son of a vendor of the textile business company Brück & Grosz in Bu ...

and József Erdélyi. Prose writer

Sándor Márai (; Archaic English name: Alexander Márai; 11 April 1900 – 21 February 1989) was a Hungarian writer, poet, and journalist. Biography Márai was born on 11 April 1900 in the city of Kassa, Hungary (now Košice, Slovakia). Through his fat ...

wrote family sagas and about social change.

László Németh László Németh (18 April 1901 – 3 March 1975) was a Hungary, Hungarian dentist, writer, dramatist and essayist. He was born in Baia Mare, Nagybánya the son of József Németh (1873–1946) and Vilma Gaál (1879–1957). Over the Chr ...

and

Tibor Déry Tibor Déry (18 October 1894 in Budapest – 18 August 1977 in Budapest) was a Hungarian writer and poet. He also wrote under the names Tibor Dániel and Pál Verdes. György Lukács praised Dery as being "the greatest depicter of human b ...

were also important novelists of this era. The third generation in the thirties is sometimes referred to as the "essayist" generation and included Antal Szerb, László Szabó, and Gábor Halász as well as the poets Sándor Weöres, István Vas, Jenő Dsida, Zoltán Zelk,

Gábor Devecseri Gábor (sometimes written Gabor) may refer to: * Gábor (given name) * Gabor (surname) * Gabor sisters, the three famous actresses, Eva, Magda and Zsa Zsa * Several scientific terms named after Dennis Gabor ** Gabor atom ** Gabor filter, a linear ...

, György Rónay, Zoltán Jékely and László Kálnoky. ''Nyugat'', the first Hungarian language periodical to discuss philosophers such as Nietzsche and Kierkegaard, had a significant impact upon scientists and intellectuals who became well known outside Hungary.

References

External links

*
The entire contents of the NYUGAT literary and social review.NYUGAT Centenary (1908-2008) site in English/Hungarian.NYUGAT Centenary exhibition
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nyugat 1908 establishments in Austria-Hungary 1941 disestablishments in Hungary Defunct literary magazines published in Europe Defunct magazines published in Hungary Hungarian-language magazines Literary magazines published in Hungary Magazines established in 1908 Magazines disestablished in 1941 Poetry literary magazines