Viktor Jerofejew's Novel 'Die neue Barbarei' Explores Russian Historical Guilt Through Literary Fantasy

Russian author Viktor Jerofejew, who relocated to Berlin following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has published a novel titled 'Die neue Barbarei' (The New Barbarism). The work, translated by Beate Rausch, presents a complex literary exploration of Russian historical guilt, personified as a character named Ruwi. Jerofejew critiques what he describes as a systemic inability among Russians to acknowledge responsibility for state crimes, drawing parallels to historical repression and contemporary warfare. The narrative employs various genres including essayistic passages, allegorical drama, and horror burlesque, with key scenes set in fictional spaces like the nightclub 'Folterkultur' and the Moscow Institute for World Literature. The novel engages with philosophical concepts from Karl Jaspers and Hannah Arendt while introducing terms like 'necrophilic hedonism' to describe destructive impulses. Jerofejew examines Russia's relationship with Europe, suggesting both regions face cultural decline, and reflects on figures including Alexei Navalny and historical repression under Soviet leaders. The work represents a significant literary response to current geopolitical tensions and historical memory debates within Russian intellectual circles.