'Eine Sprechmaschine bin Ich': Johannes R. Becher's version of Majakovskij's '150 000 000'

The German Communist poet Johannes R. Becher's version of Majakovskij's epic poem 150 000 000 appeared at the point where Becher was considering committing himself finally to membership of the KPD. This article argues that Becher's version is not an attempt to render the Soviet poet's work into German, but instead represents a more personal interpretation, influenced by his own preoccupations and obsessions. In his response to the work of this iconic Soviet writer, Becher's poem gives us an insight into the interaction between the discourses of artistic avant-gardism and totalitarianism in 1920s Germany.