Dmytro Vasylyovych Pavlychko (Ukrainian: Дмитро Васильович Павличко; 28 September 1929 – 29 January 2023) was a Ukrainian poet, translator, scriptwriter, culturologist, and politician.
Born~Died Sep 28, 1929 ~ Jan 29, 2023Last edited Oct 15, 2026, 3:44 PM
Dmytro Vasylyovych Pavlychko (Ukrainian: Дмитро Васильович Павличко; 28 September 1929 – 29 January 2023)1 was a Ukrainian poet, translator, scriptwriter, culturologist, and politician.
Pavlychko published poetry and translations since the 1950s. His work came under censorship from the Soviet Government. Pavlychko, who had been imprisoned as a Ukrainian Nationalist following World War II, would work within the constraints of the Soviet state and become a well regarded author and William Shakespeare scholar in Russia and Ukraine.
Following the easing of censorship in the late 1980's, Pavlychko would help shape Ukrainian statehood. He entered politics and would co-create Ukraine's first independent political party. In 1990, he co-authored the "Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine," declaring Ukrainian law overruled Soviet law.
Pavlychko was also a member of the Verkhovna Rada for two terms in the 1990s. He served as Ukraine's Ambassador to Slovakia and later to Poland.
Biography
Dmytro Pavlychko, recognized as a hero of Ukraine,2 had a life reflective of many of his generation.3
This page is based on “Dmytro Pavlychko” from English Wikipedia, (r1370239284) CC BY-SA 4.0 used under the license. The original authors are listed in its page history.
According to his own memoirs, in April 1945 Pavlychko became a member of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), where he was known under the pseudonym "Doroshenko".4 Dmytro served with the UPA for three months.5 After his unit had been disbanded, he resumed his studies and wanted to enter the Komsomol, but in October, at the age of 16, was detained due to his previous UPA membership. Following an investigation, in summer 1946 Pavlychko was freed from imprisonment.46 Later Andriy Malyshko teasingly called Pavlychko a "Banderovite broth cook".7 In a collection of poetry, in his last published book “Poems from Maidan,” Pavylchko would call back to his time in the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.5
Education and career
Originally Pavlychko planned to enroll at Kyiv University, but his application was denied. In 1953 Pavlychko graduated from Lviv University (Department of Philology) and from 1956 worked as head of the poetry department at Zhovten (now Dzvin) magazine. In 1962 Pavlychko attended the all-Union congress of Young Communists in Moscow. After moving to Kyiv, in 1964-1966 he was employed as a screenwriter at the Dovzhenko Film Studios, and in 1966-1968 worked at the office of the National Writers' Union of Ukraine. In 1970–1978 Pavlychko served as chief editor at Vsesvit ("Universe") magazine.4
In 1986 Dmytro Pavlychko became secretary of the Writers' Union of the USSR. In 1988 he would become Secretary of the Writers' Union of Ukraine. Pavlychko led the Shevchenko Ukrainian Language Society in 1989-1990.8
A member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1990,4 Dmytro Pavlychko was active in Ukrainian politics during the Soviet era and after independence. In the late 1980s Dmytro Pavlychko was one of the founders of People's Movement of Ukraine (Rukh). Pavlychko noted that Rukh was formed by himself and other Communists such as Ivan Drach and Volodymyr Yavorivskyi when a membership in the Party remained desirable because Rukh united various political groups and forces, but was allowed to operate. Pavlychko officially left the Communist Party after Gorbachev and the rest of its leadership refused to recognize Lithuanian Independence.
Pavlychko participated in the renewal of the Prosvita Society, the Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian language society.9 Dmytro Pavlychko would help organize and lead the 500th anniversary of the Zaporozhian Sich10 celebrations in 1990. The previous year in June, Dr. Olena Apanovych led an expedition to the Zaporozhian Sich on behalf of the Ukrainian Society for the Preservation of Monuments. Apanovych approached Rukh about organizing the event. Pavlychko would lead the event and encourage Rukh's political Western Base to travel to Southeastern Ukraine to celebrate the Cossack as a universal National symbol.1112
Pavlychko co-authored the Act on Independence of Ukraine which declared the Independence of Ukraine.13 which was approved on 24 August 1991. On December 1 a referendum was held and the declaration was affirmed by a majority of Ukrainians in all regions of Ukraine by a Ukrainian independence led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
In 1994 Pavlychko ran for parliament as a candidate in Chyhyryn electoral district, but failed to gain enough votes. Between October 1995 and May 1998 he served as the ambassador of Ukraine to Slovakia. In 1998 Pavlychko was once again elected to the Verkhovna Rada, representing the People's Movement of Ukraine, and served as deputy until 17 March 1999. Between 26 February 1999 and 11 January 2002 he served as Ukraine's ambassador in Poland.4
In 2002 Pavlychko ran for parliament as a candidate of the Our Ukraine Bloc, but failed to get elected. In October 2005 he became a deputy of Verkhovna Rada as next in the party list. Pavlychko ran as a candidate from the Ukrainian People's Bloc in the 2006 Ukrainian parliamentary election, but didn't get enough votes. In August of the same year he headed the Ukrainian Worldwide Coordination Council. In 2012 Pavlychko ran for parliament as candidate from Batkivshchyna, but failed to win a seat. In 2014 he was a candidate from Petro Poroshenko Bloc in that year's election, but once again remained unelected.4
Death
Pavlychko died on 29 January 2023 in Kyiv at the age of 93, and was buried on 31 January in his native village Stopchativ.14
In his poetry works of Soviet period, first of which "Love and hatred" published in 1953, Pavlychko presented himself as publicist and civil activist. He is known for presenting paradoxes such as love and hate through antonymic pairs, unlike things in a metaphor. This created an opposition in the literary subject of many poems.15 Pavlychko would note for example, "Interwoven like my mother's sewing, My sad and joyful ways,".16 This use of opposites created a sense of irony and humor in much of his work. Critic Askold Melnyczuk noted that Pavlychko used direct and plain spoken language to combine themes of love and history as a poetic Statesmen.17
According to literary critic Ivan Dziuba, Dmytro Pavlychko started what would become the dissident movement in Ukraine.18 In 1957-58 Pavlychko's poetry collection “Pravda klyche” (The Truth Calls) was confiscated and banned for breaking political norms of the Stalin era.19 In later interviews Pavlychko would note that his experience with "Pravda klyche" leade him to abandon the Communist Party, and that he was a member in name only for political reasons to protect the Ukrainian Language. He would note in his younger years he had hoped the Party could be a path to an Independent Ukraine. Pavlychko said in 1992:
I would have much greater opportunities to work for the preservation of the Ukrainian language and the Ukrainian culture. And this was the basis of my Party membership.20
Through the 1960s Pavlychko's work remained controversial. His best known work in 1964 “Dva koliory,” or Two Colors. It was immediately censored as promoting Ukrainian Nationalism.19 Many of Pavlychko's poems were used for songs.21 In 1968 Dmytro Pavlychko wrote an article about poet Bohdan Ihor Antonych and the book "Hranoslov" that lead to calls for his ouster from the Communist party.20
On October 24, 2019, the National Museum of Literature of Ukraine hosted an anniversary evening dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Dmytro Pavlychko, where the fifth and sixth (last) volumes of his memoirs were presented.22
Pavlychko, Dmytro Pavlychko (20 November 2012). Two Colors of the Soul: The Selected Poetry of Dmytro Pavlychko (. Cervena Barva Press. ISBN 9780988371309. ↩
Dmytro Vasylyovych Pavlychko (Ukrainian: Дмитро Васильович Павличко; 28 September 1929 – 29 January 2023)1 was a Ukrainian poet, translator, scriptwriter, culturologist, and politician.
Pavlychko published poetry and translations since the 1950s. His work came under censorship from the Soviet Government. Pavlychko, who had been imprisoned as a Ukrainian Nationalist following World War II, would work within the constraints of the Soviet state and become a well regarded author and William Shakespeare scholar in Russia and Ukraine.
Following the easing of censorship in the late 1980's, Pavlychko would help shape Ukrainian statehood. He entered politics and would co-create Ukraine's first independent political party. In 1990, he co-authored the "Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine," declaring Ukrainian law overruled Soviet law.
Pavlychko was also a member of the Verkhovna Rada for two terms in the 1990s. He served as Ukraine's Ambassador to Slovakia and later to Poland.
Biography
Dmytro Pavlychko, recognized as a hero of Ukraine,2 had a life reflective of many of his generation.3
According to his own memoirs, in April 1945 Pavlychko became a member of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), where he was known under the pseudonym "Doroshenko".4 Dmytro served with the UPA for three months.5 After his unit had been disbanded, he resumed his studies and wanted to enter the Komsomol, but in October, at the age of 16, was detained due to his previous UPA membership. Following an investigation, in summer 1946 Pavlychko was freed from imprisonment.46 Later Andriy Malyshko teasingly called Pavlychko a "Banderovite broth cook".7 In a collection of poetry, in his last published book “Poems from Maidan,” Pavylchko would call back to his time in the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.5
Education and career
Originally Pavlychko planned to enroll at Kyiv University, but his application was denied. In 1953 Pavlychko graduated from Lviv University (Department of Philology) and from 1956 worked as head of the poetry department at Zhovten (now Dzvin) magazine. In 1962 Pavlychko attended the all-Union congress of Young Communists in Moscow. After moving to Kyiv, in 1964-1966 he was employed as a screenwriter at the Dovzhenko Film Studios, and in 1966-1968 worked at the office of the National Writers' Union of Ukraine. In 1970–1978 Pavlychko served as chief editor at Vsesvit ("Universe") magazine.4
In 1986 Dmytro Pavlychko became secretary of the Writers' Union of the USSR. In 1988 he would become Secretary of the Writers' Union of Ukraine. Pavlychko led the Shevchenko Ukrainian Language Society in 1989-1990.8
A member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1990,4 Dmytro Pavlychko was active in Ukrainian politics during the Soviet era and after independence. In the late 1980s Dmytro Pavlychko was one of the founders of People's Movement of Ukraine (Rukh). Pavlychko noted that Rukh was formed by himself and other Communists such as Ivan Drach and Volodymyr Yavorivskyi when a membership in the Party remained desirable because Rukh united various political groups and forces, but was allowed to operate. Pavlychko officially left the Communist Party after Gorbachev and the rest of its leadership refused to recognize Lithuanian Independence.
Pavlychko participated in the renewal of the Prosvita Society, the Taras Shevchenko Ukrainian language society.9 Dmytro Pavlychko would help organize and lead the 500th anniversary of the Zaporozhian Sich10 celebrations in 1990. The previous year in June, Dr. Olena Apanovych led an expedition to the Zaporozhian Sich on behalf of the Ukrainian Society for the Preservation of Monuments. Apanovych approached Rukh about organizing the event. Pavlychko would lead the event and encourage Rukh's political Western Base to travel to Southeastern Ukraine to celebrate the Cossack as a universal National symbol.1112
Pavlychko co-authored the Act on Independence of Ukraine which declared the Independence of Ukraine.13 which was approved on 24 August 1991. On December 1 a referendum was held and the declaration was affirmed by a majority of Ukrainians in all regions of Ukraine by a Ukrainian independence led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
In 1994 Pavlychko ran for parliament as a candidate in Chyhyryn electoral district, but failed to gain enough votes. Between October 1995 and May 1998 he served as the ambassador of Ukraine to Slovakia. In 1998 Pavlychko was once again elected to the Verkhovna Rada, representing the People's Movement of Ukraine, and served as deputy until 17 March 1999. Between 26 February 1999 and 11 January 2002 he served as Ukraine's ambassador in Poland.4
In 2002 Pavlychko ran for parliament as a candidate of the Our Ukraine Bloc, but failed to get elected. In October 2005 he became a deputy of Verkhovna Rada as next in the party list. Pavlychko ran as a candidate from the Ukrainian People's Bloc in the 2006 Ukrainian parliamentary election, but didn't get enough votes. In August of the same year he headed the Ukrainian Worldwide Coordination Council. In 2012 Pavlychko ran for parliament as candidate from Batkivshchyna, but failed to win a seat. In 2014 he was a candidate from Petro Poroshenko Bloc in that year's election, but once again remained unelected.4
Death
Pavlychko died on 29 January 2023 in Kyiv at the age of 93, and was buried on 31 January in his native village Stopchativ.14
In his poetry works of Soviet period, first of which "Love and hatred" published in 1953, Pavlychko presented himself as publicist and civil activist. He is known for presenting paradoxes such as love and hate through antonymic pairs, unlike things in a metaphor. This created an opposition in the literary subject of many poems.15 Pavlychko would note for example, "Interwoven like my mother's sewing, My sad and joyful ways,".16 This use of opposites created a sense of irony and humor in much of his work. Critic Askold Melnyczuk noted that Pavlychko used direct and plain spoken language to combine themes of love and history as a poetic Statesmen.17
According to literary critic Ivan Dziuba, Dmytro Pavlychko started what would become the dissident movement in Ukraine.18 In 1957-58 Pavlychko's poetry collection “Pravda klyche” (The Truth Calls) was confiscated and banned for breaking political norms of the Stalin era.19 In later interviews Pavlychko would note that his experience with "Pravda klyche" leade him to abandon the Communist Party, and that he was a member in name only for political reasons to protect the Ukrainian Language. He would note in his younger years he had hoped the Party could be a path to an Independent Ukraine. Pavlychko said in 1992:
I would have much greater opportunities to work for the preservation of the Ukrainian language and the Ukrainian culture. And this was the basis of my Party membership.20
Through the 1960s Pavlychko's work remained controversial. His best known work in 1964 “Dva koliory,” or Two Colors. It was immediately censored as promoting Ukrainian Nationalism.19 Many of Pavlychko's poems were used for songs.21 In 1968 Dmytro Pavlychko wrote an article about poet Bohdan Ihor Antonych and the book "Hranoslov" that lead to calls for his ouster from the Communist party.20
On October 24, 2019, the National Museum of Literature of Ukraine hosted an anniversary evening dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Dmytro Pavlychko, where the fifth and sixth (last) volumes of his memoirs were presented.22
Pavlychko, Dmytro Pavlychko (20 November 2012). Two Colors of the Soul: The Selected Poetry of Dmytro Pavlychko (. Cervena Barva Press. ISBN 9780988371309. ↩