Leon Trotsky: Letter to Maurice Parijanine

(February 20, 1934)

[Writings of Leon Trotsky, Vol 6, 1933-1934, New York ²1975, p. 231, title: “The Responsibility of Translators”]

Dear Comrade Parijanine,

My work on Lenin has not emerged and will not emerge so soon from the preparatory stage. I will hardly be able to give even the first chapters for translation before July.

In no way do I think a translation by you of Bunin could compromise you politically. It's a question of artistic not political literature; and besides, in general, a translator is not responsible in any way for the content of the work he translates; otherwise we would have to make Lenin responsible for the opportunist tendencies of the Webbs.

Thank you very much for sending les Humbles.

With sincere comradely greetings,

Yours, L. Trotsky