Krónika, 1985 (11. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1985-11-01 / 11. szám
Lindsay, Ontario. In 1913 he entered Queen’s University in Kingston earning his B.A. and M.A. degrees in Classics. Following three years of war service and a prolonged illness, Kirkconnell entered Oxford University to earn a degree in Economics as preparation for a career in journalism. But a journalist he did not become. In 1922 he accepted a teaching post in Winnipeg’s Wesley College. The appointment turned out to be the beginning of a distinguished academic career, which included a stint as Head of Wesley College’s Department of Classics (1939 to 1940), as Professor of English and Department Head at McMaster University in Hamilton (1940 to 1948), and, finally, as President of Acadia University (1948 to 1964). What led to Kirkconnell’s life-long friendship with Canada’s European immigrants was involvement in verse translation. Kirkconnell turned to this type of scholarly activity for solace when his wife died after giving birth to twin sons. In the lonely, long months that followed, Kirkconnell made plans for translating samples of Europe’s best poetry into English “as a memorial” to his departed wife. This was a monumental plan, beset by many difficulties, not the least of which was the lack of suitable grammar books and dictionaries. Kirkconnell was also saddled with incredulous publishers who at first refused to believe that anyone could master scores of foreign languages, and translate the poetry of numerous European nations. Only after internationally recognized experts of European linguistics ascertained the quality of Kirkconnell’s translations was a publisher found. Kirkconnell’s first volume of verse translation, European Elegies, appeared in 1928. During the next several years, additional translations from Magyar Poetry followed. During and after the Second World War. Professor Kirkconnell became involved in a very different kind of literary activity. Realizing the importance of the burning issue of the age, he plunged into political controversies and produced a series of books dealing mainly with the menace of totalitarian ideologies. Kirkconnell’s war of words against Canada’s Communists did not start in earnest until the outbreak of the Second World War. From the fall of 1939 until the spring of 1941, he condemned the Communist Party’s attitude toward the Canadian war effort. This was the period of Nazi-Soviet collaboration, initiated by the Molotov-Ribbentrop Non-Aggression Pact of August 1939. During this time, the Communist Party of Canada refused to support Canada’s war effort, evidently on orders from Moscow, and, indeed, engaged in anti-war propaganda. Kirkconnell assailed the Communists in three of his wartime books: Canada, Europe and Hitler (1939), Twilight of Libery (1941) and Seven Pillars of Freedom (1944). He also warned about the Communists’ real aim: “Whatever the outcome” of the war in Europe, he predicted in 1941, the Communists will work “for the break-up of the present order in North America...” The Communists’ reactions to Kirkconnell’s wartime writings were emphatic and vociferous. Canada’s Moscow-controlled press, comprising nearly a dozen newspapers published in almost as many languages, denounced him as an agent of Nazi Propaganda Chief Goebbels, and ridiculed him in numerous tasteless cartoons. New Canadians in general, and Hungarian-Canadians in particular, were fortunate during the war to have had a spokesman like Kirkconnell. The achievements of many men are not appreciated during their lifetime. To some extent, this is true of Professor Kirkconnell’s work. True, he has been showered with honours and distinctions; but most of these expressions of thanks and appreciation were extended in recognition of his literary and scholarly activities. But the significance of Kirkconnell’s work exceeds the realm of literature and poetry. This is especially true as far as Hungarian-Canadians are concerned. He has served us not only as the translator of the Magyar nation’s soul to the English-speaking world; he has been one of the most dedicated and most effective benefactors of the Hungarian-Canadian community as well. Watson Kirkconnell 28 KRÓNIKA