The “Erdélyi Helikon” was a literary and critical journal published monthly in Kolozsvár/Cluj. The first number appeared in May 1928, and the last published in September 1944.
The Erdélyi Helikon was the publication of the Helikon Writers Group literary community. The plan for the creation of an independent journal first arised during the first Helikon meeting (1926) at Marosvécs, but its implementation took place only in 1928. When the editor informed the writers in a letter, about the appearance of the journal long dreamed of, the helikon writers welcomed the news. The letter says:
"We are pleased to inform You about the fact that the Board of Directors of the “Erdélyi Szépmíves Céh” made the decision to launch the long-planned Helikon journal in May 1928 under the name of “Erdélyi Helikon”. We’ve started the organization with the hope that this new magazine will be the collector for the best Transylnanian literary values. Until the appearance of more detailed news in the Transylvanian and Hungarian press, I kindly ask you to draw the attention of your friends about our new journal. Kind regards, Lajos Áprily "
After the release of the first edition, Károly Molter responded immediately to Áprily.
The answers selected in two sentences:
"... I express my sincere joy for the beautiful Erdélyi Helikon. In fact, it is according to our conceptions and it is representative of Transylvania / ... / I think, the Transylvanian Helikon unanimously will be approved by the Transylvanian literature. In our city it is really liked! "
In Romania, in the inter-war period, became the most prestigious Hungarian literary journal. Almost every major writer of that era was present with its works and new talents were encouraged through the possibility to appear in this journal with their works (Jenő Dsida, Benő Karácsony, Áron Tamási). The journal was indeed successful, and fulfilled its mission: the organization of Hungarian literary life in Romanian between the two wars. The journal tried to broaden its scope beyond the borders of literature, through history, literary studies, political communication and update their Transylvanian overly positivist and conservative-minded literary criticism.
Some numerical data about the journal. The Erdélyi Helikon writers monthly journal published between 1928 and 1940 in 80 to 100 pages, ten and later twelve issues per year.
In the poetry of the Erdélyi Helikon the most significant role played the poetic triassic of that time: Sándor Reményik with 99 poems, Lajos Áprily and László Tompa with their 45 poems. Followed by Dsida Jenő (66), Bartalis János (42), Kacsó Sándor (16), Ormos Iván (15) , Balázs Ferenc (14), Olosz Lajos (11), or later the new generation : Szemlér Ferenc (103), Kiss Jenő (107), Jékely Zoltán (35). We have to mention the ones not too often participating as: Kádár Imre, Szombati Szabó István, or some writers from Hungary: Illyés Gyula, József Attila, Kosztolányi Dezső, Sinka István etc. Between the participants we have to mention the reprezentance of the prosaic poets like: Balázs Ferenc, Berde Mária, Hunyady Sándor, Kacsó Sándor, Karácsony Benő, Kós Károly,Kuncz Aladár, Ligeti Ernő, Makkai Sándor, Molter Károly, Nyírő József, Szántó György, and some of the members which have joint the group later as Asztalos István, Wass Albert, Gagyi László, Szenczei László.
It is necessarily to mention, that, from the very rich literary material, the the world literature is very widely present. During its existence of 17 years, among the translations we can find literature belonging to 31 large and small nations, living and dead languages. The richest and most diverse is the Romanian one, followed by the German literary material.
The presence of minor literature is necessarily dispersed, yet we get a sight into the Finnish, Danish, Norwegian, Flemish, Hebrew, Czech, Greek, Dutch, Hindi, Japanese, Yiddish, Catalan, Polish, Portuguese, Swedish literature. Here we should definitely mention as well the sacrificial translator work of a Ferenc Szemlér, Albert Maksay, Imre Kádár, Jenő Dsida, Jékely Zoltán, Lajos Áprily, Szabédi Laszló, Szomabati-Szabó István, Kiss Jenő.
This journal is rich in high quality fine art, music, art and ethnography material, assured by artists and specialists. Here we mention some names: Amal Dóczyné Berde, György Buday, Nándor Gallas, Imre Nagy, Béla Szabó Gy, Szervátiusz Jenő, Vásárhelyi Z. Emil. The typographic work reported in the journal issue, a header, wrapping, reproductive material selection prints are the hand taste of Károly Kós. Another fertile, perhaps the most illustrative companion was Bánffy, editor in chief of the journal.