Oleksandr Konysky
Encyclopedia
Oleksandr Yakovych Konysky (August 18, 1836 - December 12, 1900) — was a Ukrainian
interpreter, writer
, lexicograph
, pedagogue, poet
, and civil activist of liberal direction. He had several pen name
s О. Return-freedom , F. Gorovenko, V. Burkun, Perebendia, О. Khutor
ianyn, and others (around 150). He also was a professional lawyer and also is known as the author of the text of the Ukrainian spiritual anthem "Prayer for Ukraine
".
). He was of the old Chernihiv principality
heritage that had over 400 years. The future writer grew up in the city of Nizhyn
, about which he worded as such: "Nizhyn is a small city. At the same time it was the center of enlightenment of the Chernihiv lands and the north of the Poltava lands. Here was located the Bezborodko Lyceum. Beside that Nizhyn had a glorious historic past and especially in trade therefore among its people were plenty of distinguished one."
His first publication was in the Chernigovsky Listok in 1858. In Poltava
and Kiev
he formed Sunday's schools and written textbooks for them. Konysky also was the author of several church articles on local newspapers and was an active member of the Kievan Hromada
. As the member of the Kiev City Council worked to introduce the Ukrainian language
in city's schools. Among his books and textbooks were Ukrainian writing ( 1862), Arithmetics, or schotnytsia (1863), Grammar or first reading for beginning students ( 1882).
Konysky also kept ties with the Ukrainian activists of Halychyna for which he was charged as Little-Russian
propaganda activist and without trials in 1863 he was sent to Vologda
. His novel
Ne daruy zolotom i ne bytyi molotom in 1871 was confiscated and destroyed by a local police. From 1865 Konysky resided beyond the borders of the Russian Empire
where came in closer ties the Ukrainian activist of Halychyna. In 1872 after the release out of the police supervision he returned to Kiev
where he worked in the Kievskiy Telegraf. Konysky was one of the founders of the Shevchenko Scientific Society
in Lviv
in 1873 and later initiates its transformation into the society of without commercial activity.
Influenced by the Brotherhood of Tarasovs
in 1897 as member of Stara Hromada together with Volodymyr Antonovych
he initiated the creation of the All-Ukrainian Public Organization as the civil-political fellowship that had to unite all circles of the nationally conscious Ukrainians
. As the organization's publication source he found the Vik publication that existed for 15 years and released over 100 books in Ukrainian
. Konysky died in Kiev
.
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...
interpreter, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, lexicograph
Lexicography
Lexicography is divided into two related disciplines:*Practical lexicography is the art or craft of compiling, writing and editing dictionaries....
, pedagogue, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, and civil activist of liberal direction. He had several pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
s О. Return-freedom , F. Gorovenko, V. Burkun, Perebendia, О. Khutor
Khutor
Khutor or khutir is usually taken to refer to a single-homestead rural settlement of Eastern Europe.In Cossack-settled lands that encompassed today's Ukraine, Kuban, and the lower Don river basin the word khutor was used to describe new settlements which had detached themselves from stanitsas...
ianyn, and others (around 150). He also was a professional lawyer and also is known as the author of the text of the Ukrainian spiritual anthem "Prayer for Ukraine
Prayer for Ukraine
"Molitva za Ukrainu" is the main nominee for the spiritual anthem of Ukraine. There are several versions of the lyrics written by Oleksandr Konysky, although the main idea and rhyme does not change...
".
Biography
Konysky was born in the village Perekhodivka (today Nizhyn Raion Chernihiv OblastChernihiv Oblast
Chernihiv Oblast is an oblast of northern Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Chernihiv.-Geography:The total area of the province is around 31,900 km²....
). He was of the old Chernihiv principality
Chernihiv Principality
The Principality of Chernigov is one of the largest state formations of Kievan Rus'. For a time the principality was the second most important after Kiev.-Location:...
heritage that had over 400 years. The future writer grew up in the city of Nizhyn
Nizhyn
Nizhyn is a city located in the Chernihiv Oblast of northern Ukraine, along the Oster River, north-east of the nation's capital, Kiev. It is the administrative center of the Nizhynsky Raion, though the city itself is also designated as a district in the oblast...
, about which he worded as such: "Nizhyn is a small city. At the same time it was the center of enlightenment of the Chernihiv lands and the north of the Poltava lands. Here was located the Bezborodko Lyceum. Beside that Nizhyn had a glorious historic past and especially in trade therefore among its people were plenty of distinguished one."
His first publication was in the Chernigovsky Listok in 1858. In Poltava
Poltava
Poltava is a city in located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Poltava Oblast , as well as the surrounding Poltava Raion of the oblast. Poltava's estimated population is 298,652 ....
and Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
he formed Sunday's schools and written textbooks for them. Konysky also was the author of several church articles on local newspapers and was an active member of the Kievan Hromada
Hromada
Hromada - association of the people united by mutual interest, position or goal, widely known in Ukraine.In history of Ukraine and Belarus such associations appeared first as peasant communes, which gathered their meetings for discussing and resolving current issues.Hromada means not only social...
. As the member of the Kiev City Council worked to introduce the Ukrainian language
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
in city's schools. Among his books and textbooks were Ukrainian writing ( 1862), Arithmetics, or schotnytsia (1863), Grammar or first reading for beginning students ( 1882).
Konysky also kept ties with the Ukrainian activists of Halychyna for which he was charged as Little-Russian
Little Russia
Little Russia , sometimes Little or Lesser Rus’ , is a historical political and geographical term in the Russian language referring to most of the territory of modern-day Ukraine before the 20th century. It is similar to the Polish term Małopolska of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth...
propaganda activist and without trials in 1863 he was sent to Vologda
Vologda
Vologda is a city and the administrative, cultural, and scientific center of Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the Vologda River. The city is a major transport knot of the Northwest of Russia. Vologda is among the Russian cities possessing an especially valuable historical heritage...
. His novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
Ne daruy zolotom i ne bytyi molotom in 1871 was confiscated and destroyed by a local police. From 1865 Konysky resided beyond the borders of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
where came in closer ties the Ukrainian activist of Halychyna. In 1872 after the release out of the police supervision he returned to Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
where he worked in the Kievskiy Telegraf. Konysky was one of the founders of the Shevchenko Scientific Society
Shevchenko Scientific Society
The Shevchenko Scientific Society is a Ukrainian scientific society devoted to the promotion of scholarly research and publication. Unlike the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine the society is a public organization that was reestablished in Ukraine in 1989 after almost 50 years of exile...
in Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
in 1873 and later initiates its transformation into the society of without commercial activity.
Influenced by the Brotherhood of Tarasovs
Brotherhood of Tarasovs
Brotherhood of Tarasovs was an underground student organization. It was established in 1891 during a visit of Taras Shevchenko burial grounds near Kaniv.The founders included Vitaliy Borovyk, Borys Hrinchenko, Mykola Mikhnovsky, Ivan Lypa, and others...
in 1897 as member of Stara Hromada together with Volodymyr Antonovych
Volodymyr Antonovych
Volodymyr Antonovych , was a prominent Ukrainian historian and one of the leaders of the Ukrainian national awakening in the Russian Empire. As a historian, Antonovych, who was longtime Professor of History at the University of Kiev, represented a populist approach to Ukrainian history.This...
he initiated the creation of the All-Ukrainian Public Organization as the civil-political fellowship that had to unite all circles of the nationally conscious Ukrainians
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...
. As the organization's publication source he found the Vik publication that existed for 15 years and released over 100 books in Ukrainian
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
. Konysky died in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
.
See also
- Prayer for UkrainePrayer for Ukraine"Molitva za Ukrainu" is the main nominee for the spiritual anthem of Ukraine. There are several versions of the lyrics written by Oleksandr Konysky, although the main idea and rhyme does not change...