Fritz Eichenberg (1901-1990) and William Hubben (1895-1974) were two Quakers who maintained a deep engagement with the writings of Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Dostoevsky was highly influential on Eichenberg's work as a book illustrator. He provided illustrations for six major Dostoevsky novels over the course of his career.
Hubben wrote extensively about Dostoevsky including in his book, Four Prophets of Our Destiny, later published as Dostoevsky, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and Kafka.
Eichenberg and Hubben maintained correspondence in the 1950s and 1960s. The fruits of their engagements with Dostoevsky are complementary as Hubben articulates in writing perspectives on Dostoevsky while Eichenberg's illustrations provide a sustained graphic meditation.
In this paper, I will elaborate on points of commonality between these two Quakers who were prominent readers and interpreters of Dostoevsky's work, particularly on his theme of suffering and resistance under an oppressive government.