Mykhailo Hrushevsky

Vocabulary.

Use the words from the box to complete the sentences.

poetess

literary name

treatment

foreign

poems

1. Lesia Ukrainka’s mother was known by the.................... of Olena Pchilka.

2. Lesia Ukrainka knew seven...............languages.

3. The young................... was fond of the poetry of Taras Shevchenko.

4. She stayed for............... in Georgia.

5. Her book of....................”On the Wings of Songs” was published in 1893.

Comrehension: Are the statements true or false? (True, false or don’t know)

1. Lesia Ukrainka’s father was a writer.

2. At the age of ten Lesia wrote her first poem.

3. Lesia Ukrainka knew seven foreign languages.

4. Her favourite Ukrainian poet was T. Shevchenko.

5. “The Sylvan Song” is a poetic masterpiece of Lesia Ukrainka.

Discussion. Answer the questions.

1. What books did Lesia’s father read to her in her childhood?

2. What was her mother?

3. What languages did Lesia Ukrainka know?

4. What is the main idea of her poetic masterpiece “The Sylvan Song”?

5. Which of her poems was dedicated to Ivan Franko⁷ What is the idea of the poem?

Mykhailo Hrushevsky is the most distinguished Ukrainian historian, publicist and writer. He was the principal organizer of Ukrainian scholarship, prominent civil and political leader.

Mykhailo Hrushevsky was born on September 29, 1866 in Kholm /now Khelm in Poland/. His father was a Slavist and pedagogue. In 1869 the family moved to Georgia. While still a gymnasium student he began to write belle lettres in Ukrainian. In 1890 Mykhailo Hrushevsky graduated from Kyiv University.

He remained at Kyiv University to prepare his candidate’s thesis about history of Kyivan Land. In 1894 he received a master’s degree and was appointed professor of the chair of Ukrainian history at Lviv University.

In 1897 he was elected president of the Shevchenko Scientific Society. In 1898, together with I. Franko and V. Hnatyuk, he founded a Literary-Scientific Almanac, the forum for Ukrainian literature and political discussion of that time. In 1898 the first volume of his monumental “History of Ukraine-Rus” was published in Lviv.

In 1899 he became one of the organizers of the Ukrainian Publishing Association and the National Democratic Party. In 1904 Professor Hrushevsky was on of the founders of the Society of Friends of Ukrainian Scholarship, Literature and Art. He contributed much to the development of education in Halytsia.

In 1904 M. Hrushevsky published his “Survey of the History of the Ukrainian People” and an article on the “History of the Eastern Slavs”. The revolution of 1905 in Russia resulted in the easing of restrictions on Ukrainian life. Mass Ukrainian organizations and political parties emerged. From then on M. Hrushevsky spent most of time in Russian-ruled Ukraine. His articles appeared in Ukrainian and Russian publications.

M. Hrushevsky transferred his activities to Kyiv. In 1908 he became one of the founders of the Society of Ukrainian Progressives and leader of the Ukrainian movement. During the WWI in 1914, M. Hrushevsky was arrested and exiled to Simbirsk, then to Kazan and Moscow.

On March 17, 1917 he was elected chairman of the Central Rada. Under his direction the Central Rada became the parliament of Ukraine. M. Hrushevsky supported the Ukrainian Party of Socialist Revolutionaries.

On April 29, 1918 M. Hrushevsky was elected President of the Ukrainian National Republic. The coup d'etat on April 29, 1918 led by P. Skoropadskyi /1873-1945/ ended Hrushevsky’s involvement in government.

In 1919 M. Hrushevsky emigrated but continued his political activities. He traveled widely in Western Europe trying to rally support for the Ukrainian independence movement. He wanted to return to Ukraine to continue his scholarly and civil work. He left for Kyiv in 1924 and soon resumed his leading role in Ukrainian scholarship. He organized academic commissions to research Ukrainian History and folklore.

In 1924-30 M. Hrushevsky edited Ukraine, which became the main organ of Ukrainian studies. Despite his great achievements, opposition, to him grew in official circles. His historical scheme was rejected as “nationalistic”. In March 1931 he was exiled to Moscow. Most of his students and co-workers were arrested and deported. The school of history he had founded was destroyed.

Still M. Hrushevsky remained a productive scholar, working mostly on Ukrainian history of 17-18^th cc. By 1937 nine volumes, covering Ukrainian history to 1658 had appeared in Lviv and Kyiv.

The difficult conditions of life in semi-freedom abroad and persecutions ruined his health, Mykhailo Hrushevsky died on November 25, 1934 in Kyslovodsk and was buried in Kyiv in the Baikove cemetery.

In 1990 his “Essay on History of Ukrainian People” was published in Kyiv.

Comrehension: Complete the sentences.

1. In Lviv Professor Hrushevsky was elected p......... Shevchenko Scientific Society.

2. In 1899 he became one of the founders of the N............ Democratic Party.

3. After 1905 he transferred his a................to Kyiv.

4. In 1914 he was e..............to Simbirsk.

5. Opposition to him grew in o..............circles.

Discussion. Answer the questions.

1. What University did M. Hrushevsky graduate from?

2. What was his contribution into education in Halytsia?

3. What do you know about the political activity of M. Hrushevsky in 1917-18?

4. When was he elected president of the UNR?

5. What are the activities of M. Hrushevsky in Ukrainian historiography?

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