Oleksa Dovbush
Encyclopedia
Oleksa Dovbush (born 1700, Pechenizhyn
Kolomyia
— died 24 August 1745) was a famous Ukrainian
outlaw, leader of opryshky, who became a folk hero
, often compared to Robin Hood
.
in the Carpathian Mountains
in the early 18th century. He became the leader of his own band that consisted of almost 50 members (leheni). The polular tradition portrays him as a protector to the poor people of the region. There are few or almost no written references left of him and his activities.
The many folk-songs and the few prose legends that still survive in Prykarpattia
portray him as a local hero who robbed the rich and helped the poor serfs
, like the mythical Robin Hood. His residence is believed to be located near the city of Bolekhiv
in Ivano-Frankivsk oblast
. It is a rock complex that is called the Rocks of Dovbush which was nominated in the seven historical and seven natural wonders of Ukraine. The Dovbush deeds became so admired that the tales of his acts spread beyond the Hutsul region to the neighboring Pokuttia and Podillya regions of western Ukraine. His portraits were sold at local market places. He was feared by Polish szlachta
(landowning nobility). Once, a military expedition of 2000 soldiers, headed by Polish magnate
Józef Potocki
, was sent to stop his activities. Nonetheless, he could not be captured. Dovbush was shot and mortally wounded by one Stefan, the husband of his lover Dzvinka, in 1745.
According to Hassidic legend Dovbush at one time hid in the house of Baal Shem Tov and gave him his pipe as a token of friendship.
that mentions of his execution), Maksym Karmalyuk, and many others.
His legend entered Ukrainian folklore, and was the subject of various artistic works, by, among others, the writers Ivan Franko
and Yuri Fedkovych. A film was made about him, and there are streets and locations named after him.
Pechenizhyn
Pechenizhyn — is a town in the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast of Ukraine, seven miles west of Kolomyya.Until World War I Pechenizhyn was in Kolomyja Powiat, Galicia . Between the two World Wars it was in Stanislawow Province, Poland...
Kolomyia
Kolomyia
Kolomyia or Kolomyya, formerly known as Kolomea , is a city located on the Prut River in the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast , in western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative centre of the Kolomyia Raion , the city is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast...
— died 24 August 1745) was a famous Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
outlaw, leader of opryshky, who became a folk hero
Folk hero
A folk hero is a type of hero, real, fictional, or mythological. The single salient characteristic which makes a character a folk hero is the imprinting of the name, personality and deeds of the character in the popular consciousness. This presence in the popular consciousness is evidenced by...
, often compared to Robin Hood
Robin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
.
Biography
Oleksa was born in the Hutsul village of PechenizhynPechenizhyn
Pechenizhyn — is a town in the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast of Ukraine, seven miles west of Kolomyya.Until World War I Pechenizhyn was in Kolomyja Powiat, Galicia . Between the two World Wars it was in Stanislawow Province, Poland...
in the Carpathian Mountains
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
in the early 18th century. He became the leader of his own band that consisted of almost 50 members (leheni). The polular tradition portrays him as a protector to the poor people of the region. There are few or almost no written references left of him and his activities.
The many folk-songs and the few prose legends that still survive in Prykarpattia
Prykarpattia
Prykarpattia is the Ukrainian geographical term for a historical area of Central Europe, at the foot of the Carpathian mountains, in modern Ukraine...
portray him as a local hero who robbed the rich and helped the poor serfs
Serfdom
Serfdom is the status of peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to Manorialism. It was a condition of bondage or modified slavery which developed primarily during the High Middle Ages in Europe and lasted to the mid-19th century...
, like the mythical Robin Hood. His residence is believed to be located near the city of Bolekhiv
Bolekhiv
Bolekhiv is a city in Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast of Ukraine. It is designated into a self-administrated city district of oblast subordination...
in Ivano-Frankivsk oblast
Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast
Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast is an oblast in western Ukraine. Its administrative center is the city of Ivano-Frankivsk. As is the case with most other oblasts of Ukraine this region has the same name as its administrative center – which was renamed by the Soviets after the Ukrainian writer, nationalist...
. It is a rock complex that is called the Rocks of Dovbush which was nominated in the seven historical and seven natural wonders of Ukraine. The Dovbush deeds became so admired that the tales of his acts spread beyond the Hutsul region to the neighboring Pokuttia and Podillya regions of western Ukraine. His portraits were sold at local market places. He was feared by Polish szlachta
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
(landowning nobility). Once, a military expedition of 2000 soldiers, headed by Polish magnate
Magnate
Magnate, from the Late Latin magnas, a great man, itself from Latin magnus 'great', designates a noble or other man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or other qualities...
Józef Potocki
Józef Potocki
Józef Potocki was a Polish nobleman , magnate, Great Hetman of the Crown.Józef was considered as the richest magnate at that time...
, was sent to stop his activities. Nonetheless, he could not be captured. Dovbush was shot and mortally wounded by one Stefan, the husband of his lover Dzvinka, in 1745.
According to Hassidic legend Dovbush at one time hid in the house of Baal Shem Tov and gave him his pipe as a token of friendship.
Legacy
After his death his legacy was extended by several of his companions and/or people that idolized him: Ivan Bayurak (a memorial plate is erected in Ivano-FrankivskIvano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk is a historic city located in the western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast, municipality....
that mentions of his execution), Maksym Karmalyuk, and many others.
His legend entered Ukrainian folklore, and was the subject of various artistic works, by, among others, the writers Ivan Franko
Ivan Franko
Ivan Yakovych Franko was a Ukrainian poet, writer, social and literary critic, journalist, interpreter, economist, political activist, doctor of philosophy, the author of the first detective novels and modern poetry in the Ukrainian language....
and Yuri Fedkovych. A film was made about him, and there are streets and locations named after him.
Further reading
- See references cited by Paul R. Magocsi in Galicia: A Historical Survey and Bibliographic Guide (University of Toronto Press, 1983), ISBN 0802024823, p. 91