SPRÅK OCH LITTERAATURCENTRE
2023
Contemporary Ukrainian literature:
ORIGINS and NОWADAYS

Part one:
OrigIns
60 years оf the strict framework of
socialist realism
Contemporary Ukrainian literature refers to Ukrainian literature since 1991, the year of
both Ukrainian independence and the collapse of the Soviet Union. From that year
on, censorship in the Soviet Union ceased to exist . Writers liberated from the strict framework
of socialist realism and received such desired freedom of creativity that suffered over the years
of colonial dependence.
The term “socialist realism” was first proposed by the chairman of the organizing committee
of the SP of the USSR I. M. Gronsky in the Literary Gazeta on May 23, 1932 as a
manifestation of the policy of the Communist Party in literature and Culture and as a means of
with numerous areas of the 20-30. It arose in connection with the need to direct the and
representatives of avant-garde directions for the artistic development of Soviet culture.
For almost 60 years, Ukrainian literature found under the colonial nest, subordinate and
resistance to the requirements of the Communist Party and the Soviet government.
Writers often turn to previously forbidden topics (Holodomor, sexuality, drugs, deviant
behavior, etc.), using new styles (postmodernism, neo avant-garde, profanity, surzhyk),
diversity and mixing of genres, shocking effects and reflecting upon social problems and
historical memory.
”the so called Ukrainian language”
 Ukrainian culture in general, and literature in particular, has almost always been a struggle,
overcoming prohibitions, repressions, and colonial dependency.
 Over the centuries, prohibitions have taken different forms and had different purposes.
Obviously, among the historical examples, the most famous are two prohibitions.
 First, the Valuev Circular (1863) — a censorship ban on printing Ukrainian-language
spiritual and popular educational literature. With particularly remarkable theses, the echoes
of which we still hear: “There was no special little Russian language, there is not and can
not be, and that their dialect, used by the common people, is nothing but Russian, only
spoiled by the influence of Poland; that the Russian language is as understandable for
little Russians as for great Russians, and even much more understandable than the dialect
that some little Russians, and especially Poles, invent for them - the so called Ukrainian
language.”
 The second, and no less well-known document is the ukaz (decree) (1876) — a ban on
printing and importing any Ukrainian-language literature and translations from foreign
languages, as well as a ban on theatrical performances and music publications in the
Ukrainian language.
”the official language”
 It was during the time of the Central Rada that the term “Ukrainization” was first used. As
Yurii Sheveliov writes, “after a break of almost two hundred years, the Ukrainian language
becomes the official language for legislation, administration, army, and assemblies”.
 Ukrainian was introduced in schools. Ukrainian-language educational institutions were
opened including the Ukrainian People’s University, the Scientific-Pedagogical Academy, and
the Academy of Arts. Of course, there was a lack of textbooks, terminology, and specialists. So
in the summer of 1917, there were about a hundred courses in Ukrainian studies for teachers,
and a private “School Education Society” started publishing school textbooks. For educating
adults, the “Prosvit” network was created, which had its own libraries, organised lectures, etc.
 If in 1922 there were no Ukrainian-language newspapers, in 1933 there were 373 out of a
total of 426 titles, and 89 magazines out of 118. It is recorded that in 1933, 83% of books in the
USSR were published in Ukrainian. In 1931, 66 theatres out of 88 staged plays in Ukrainian.
There were 5,000 writers in the Ukrainian SSR)
 It became the base for readers in Ukrainian.
korenization/ukrainization/REPRESSION..?
KORENIZATION IS A POLICY OF THE USSR ON THE DISSEMINATION AND
DEVELOPMENT OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES. IN UKRAINE IT HAD FORM OF
UKRAINIZATION.
It was announced in 1923
 In 1932 (the beginning of the Holodomor) the policy of korenizatsiya began to be curtailed.
Ukrainization was declared “Petliurist” (after Symon Petliura, a Ukrainian politician who
actively opposed Bolsheviks and was on their wanted list). Many philologists, writers,
playwrights, directors, and scientists were imprisoned, sent to concentration camps, or
executed.
 Now the Soviet government began to interfere with the internal mechanisms of the
language: it was forbidden to use certain words, syntactic constructions, and grammatical
forms. Instead, they introduced the words that were closer to Russian or even calques. They
removed the vocative case, the use of the Ukrainian polite addresses: пані, добродійко (lady);
пане, добродію (sir). They even removed the letter ґ from the Ukrainian alphabet, although, for
example, this letter occurs in more than 300 words in Hrinchenko’s dictionary (1907-1909).
 There were also restrictions on the level of use of the Ukrainian language, for example, in
science. In 1970, the Ministry of Education of the USSR issued an order requiring that
dissertations be written and defended exclusively in Russian.
“Ukrainization”
не знаю яз будут
увол.docx
.
"Shot Renaissance"
[rozstriliane vidrodzchenia].
 Аll researchers of Modern Ukrainian literature on both sides of the border
unanimously assert that there would not have been Andrukhovych, O. Zabuzhko,
S. Zhadan and all those whom are called modern classics, without the literature of
the 20s and 30s, without artists, sientists and writers who entered the world culture
as a "Shot Renaissance" [rozstriliane vidrodzchenia].
 In an attempt to replace the Ukrainian Cyrillic alphabet with Latin, closer to the
time of the Valuev Circular in Eastern Halychyna and Bukovyna, which were under
the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1859, the Ukrainian Cyrillic alphabet was replaced
with Latin. At different times, different authorities were afraid of celebrating the
anniversaries of Ukrainian writers. For example, in 1914, it was forbidden to
celebrate the 100th anniversary of Taras Shevchenko’s birth.
 The Soviet system tirelessly and purposefully subjected Ukrainian artists to
repression. The bloody, cold- blooded, and consistent extermination of a generation
of incredible Ukrainian artists was especially egregious. They created Ukrainian
literature in the era of modernism and the avant-garde in the 1920s. They made a real
revolution in expanding genre diversity, poetic vocabulary, and stunning experiments
with form and style. Generations of dissidents and human rights activists were
subjected to relentless persecution almost daily
The peak of the Kremlin's love for Ukraine:
"nationally aggressive"
 IN FEBRUARY 1929, THE DAYS OF UKRAINIAN CULTURE WERE HELD IN
MOSCOW.
 It was unprecedented, as it took place in the form of a friendly dialogue. The guests allowed
themselves to argue with the leader and shout comments on his remarks from the spot.
 Inspired Ukrainian writers returned from Moscow. Only four years will pass, and all the
participants of the week of Ukrainian culture in Moscow will find themselves in the ranks of the
enemies of the people. Chauvinism, deviancy, national bourgeoisism, espionage are an incomplete list
of sins that the special services will accuse Ukrainian cultural figures of more than a thousand
Ukrainian writers, artists, and scientists fell under the repressions of the 1930s. Only a few managed to
escape execution or camps.
In February 1929, Valerian Pidmogilny met with Stalin as part of a delegation of writers. It was
about national literature and the Ukrainian nation. From archival evidence, it is known that Stalin
remembered Ukrainian writers as "nationally aggressive", in need of "prevention" and re-education.
Soon, various "re – education" measures were taken against them-arrests and shootings.
Пик кремлевской любви к Украине

In 1932 (the beginning of the Holodomor) the policy of
korenizatsiya began to be curtailed. Ukrainization was
declared “Petliurist” (after Symon Petliura, a Ukrainian
politician who actively opposed Bolsheviks and was on
their wanted list). Many philologists, writers, playwrights,
directors, and scientists were imprisoned, sent to
concentration camps, or executed.
I.