Oleksandr Yevdokymovych Korniychuk (russian: Алекса́ндр Евдоки́мович Корнейчу́к, uk, Олександр Євдокимович Корнійчук, 25 May 2 o.s. 1905 – 14 May 1972) was a

Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

, literary critic and state official (a Soviet Foreign Minister’s first deputy in 1943–1945). His most notable works were plays such as ''Zahybel eskadry'' (''The Death of the Squadron'') (1933), ''Platon Krechet'' (1934), ''Bohdan Khmelnytsky'' (1938), his pro-collectivization comedy ''In the Steppes of Ukraine'' (1940), and ''The Front'' (1942). Korniychuk was a five-time

Stalin Prize Stalin Prize may refer to: * The State Stalin Prize in science and engineering and in arts, awarded 1941 to 1954, later known as the USSR State Prize * The Stalin Peace Prize, awarded 1949 to 1955, later known as the Lenin Peace Prize The Int ...

laureate (1941, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1951) and is regarded as a major proponent of

Socialist Realism Socialist realism is a style of idealized realistic art that was developed in the Soviet Union and was the official style in that country between 1932 and 1988, as well as in other socialist countries after World War II. Socialist realism is ch ...

in Soviet drama. Korniychuk was the member of the Central Committee of the

Soviet Communist Party "Hymn of the Bolshevik Party" , headquarters = 4 Staraya Square, Moscow , general_secretary = Vladimir Lenin (first)Mikhail Gorbachev (last) , founded = , banned = , founder = Vladimir Lenin , newspaper ...

(1952–1972) and the Chairman of the

Supreme Soviet The Supreme Soviet (russian: Верховный Совет, Verkhovny Sovet, Supreme Council) was the common name for the legislative bodies (parliaments) of the Soviet socialist republics (SSR) in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) ...

of the

Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...

(1947–1953, 1959–1972).

Biography

Oleksandr Yevdokymovych Korniychuk was born in

Khrystynivka Khrystynivka ( uk, Христи́нівка, ; russian: Христи́новка, Khristínovka) is a city in Uman Raion of Cherkasy Oblast (province) of Ukraine. It hosts the administration of Khrystynivka urban hromada, one of the hromadas of U ...

Kiev Governorate Kiev Governorate, r=Kievskaya guberniya; uk, Київська губернія, Kyivska huberniia (, ) was an administrative division of the Russian Empire from 1796 to 1919 and the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic from 1919 to 1925. It wa ...

, into a family of a railroad worker. At the age of 15 he started working at a railroad carriage repair works. In 1924 Korniychuk enrolled into the

Kyiv University Kyiv University or Shevchenko University or officially the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv ( uk, Київський національний університет імені Тараса Шевченка), colloquially known as KNU ...

(then known as the Kiev Institute of People's Education). After the graduation in 1929 he went to work in the

Odessa Odesa (also spelled Odessa) is the third most populous city and municipality in Ukraine and a major seaport and transport hub located in the south-west of the country, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. The city is also the administrativ ...

and Kiev film studios, mainly as a script-writer. His debut play On the Edge (1929) examined the role of a man of arts in the new Socialist society. In the late 1920s - early 1930s Korniychuk was an active propagator of internationalism, strictly opposing the local

National Communist National communism represents various forms in which Marxism–Leninism and socialism has been adopted and/or implemented by leaders in different countries using aspects of nationalism or national identity to form a policy independent from comm ...

movement in the Ukrainian literature, led by

Mykola Khvylovy Mykola Khvylovy ( ; – May 13, 1933) (who also used the pseudonyms "Yuliya Umanets", "Stefan Karol", and "Dyadko Mykola") was a Ukrainian novelist, poet, publicist, and political activist, one of the founders of post-revolutionary Ukraini ...

. In 1933 came out the first significant play by Korniychuk, ''Death of the Squadron'', endorsing the heroic tale of a

Bolshevik The Bolsheviks (russian: Большевики́, from большинство́ ''bol'shinstvó'', 'majority'),; derived from ''bol'shinstvó'' (большинство́), "majority", literally meaning "one of the majority". also known in English ...

Black Sea Fleet Chernomorskiy flot , image = Great emblem of the Black Sea fleet.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Great emblem of the Black Sea fleet , dates = May 13, ...

unit who chose to sink their ships so as not to be taken by the Germans (later revealed to be nothing more than a romantic revolutionary myth). The play impressed

Pavel Postyshev Pavel Petrovich Postyshev (russian: Па́вел Петро́вич По́стышев; – 26 February 1939) was a Soviet politician, state and Communist Party official and party publicist. He was a member of Joseph Stalin's inner circle, befor ...

, who became the 'local prodigy's mentor. ''Platon Krechet'' followed in 1934, its central character representing the 'new Soviet intelligentsia', driven by "humanism and justice-seeking". The 1937 play ''Pravda'' is credited for being the first one to introduce the character of

Lenin Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 19 ...

to the Soviet theatre stage. Both

Nikita Khrushchev Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (– 11 September 1971) was the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 and chairman of the country's Council of Ministers from 1958 to 1964. During his rule, Khrushchev s ...

and

Lazar Kaganovich Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich, also Kahanovich (russian: Ла́зарь Моисе́евич Кагано́вич, Lázar' Moiséyevich Kaganóvich; – 25 July 1991), was a Soviet politician and administrator, and one of the main associates of ...

recommended the young author to Stalin and in 1938 the Soviet leader met the playwright at the

Kremlin The Kremlin ( rus, Московский Кремль, r=Moskovskiy Kreml', p=ˈmɐˈskofskʲɪj krʲemlʲ, t=Moscow Kremlin) is a fortified complex in the center of Moscow founded by the Rurik dynasty, Rurik dynasty. It is the best known of th ...

. Soon Korniychuk's plays were translated into most of the Soviet republics' languages and started to be produced by theatres all over the country. In 1939 came out what in retrospect is regarded by Russian critics as Korniychuk's strongest work, the 5-act drama ''Bogdan Khmelnitsky'', telling the story of the 17th-century

national movement Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a group of people), Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: The ...

in the Ukraine which resulted in the country's unification with Russia. His 1941 pro-

collectivisation Collective farming and communal farming are various types of, "agricultural production in which multiple farmers run their holdings as a joint enterprise". There are two broad types of communal farms: agricultural cooperatives, in which member- ...

farcical comedy ''In the Steppes of Ukraine'' became popular with both the general public and Stalin himself, who in a personal letter informed the author: "Comrade Korneychuk. Just read your play ''In the Steppes of Ukraine''. Laughed heartily. I.Stalin". Korniychuk continued in the same vein with ''Please Come to Zvonkovoye'' (1946), ''The Kalinov Grove'' (1950) and ''Over Dnieper'' (1960). In 1934, at the First Congress of the

Soviet Union of Writers The Union of Soviet Writers, USSR Union of Writers, or Soviet Union of Writers (russian: Союз писателей СССР, translit=Soyuz Sovetstikh Pisatelei) was a creative union of professional writers in the Soviet Union. It was founded i ...

Korniychuk was elected a member of its chairmanship board. The same year he became the leader of the Ukrainian SSR Union of Writers (1934-1941, 1946-1953). As

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

broke out in 1941, Korniychuk went to the frontline, first as a war correspondent, then a politruk. His 1942 play ''Frontline'', criticizing the 'old style' army generals caused outrage among the latter but was supported by Stalin ("Conduct the war in better ways and there won't be such plays," he reportedly told some of the disgruntled senior rank military men). For it the author received his third Stalin Prize, promptly donating the money to the needs of national defense. On 19 February 1943 the Ukrainian government newspaper ''Radyans'ka Ukraina'' in (briefly) liberated

Kharkov Kharkiv ( uk, Ха́рків, ), also known as Kharkov (russian: Харькoв, ), is the second-largest city and municipality in Ukraine.

published an article by Korniychuk making it clear Stalin had no intention of giving up most of the territory gained by the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact after the war: it was promptly reprinted in Russian by ''Pravda'' the following day.Alexander Werth, ''Russia at War'', Avon, New York, 1965, pp. 587-589. In 1944 Korniychuk became the first head ( People's Comissar) of the

Ukrainian SSR The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic ( uk, Украї́нська Радя́нська Соціалісти́чна Респу́бліка, ; russian: Украи́нская Сове́тская Социалисти́ческая Респ ...

's newly formed

Foreign Ministry In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...

(Narodny Comissariat, as it was then known). In 1943-1945 he was the first deputy of the Foreign Minister of the USSR. In the late 1940s Korniychuk joined the higher ranks of the Ukrainian and Soviet political nomenclature. He was a member of the Communist Party’s Central committees (USSR - 1949-1972, UkrSSR - 1952-1972), a

Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union The Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( rus, Верховный Совет Союза Советских Социалистических Республик, r=Verkhovnyy Sovet Soyuza Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respubl ...

deputy (1937-1972), the first deputy of the UkrSSR Prime Minister (1953-1954), the Chairman of the Ukrainian parliament (in 1947-1953, 1959-1972). Korniychuk received his share of ideological chastising too. In 1951 the libretto for Konstantyn Dankevych's opera ''Bogdan Khmelnitsky'' he'd written with his wife

Wanda Wasilewska ukr, Ванда Львівна Василевська rus, Ванда Львовна Василевская , native_name_lang = , birth_date = , birth_place = Kraków, Austria-Hungary , death_date = , death_place ...

met with harsh disapproval from Stalin, who demanded for a lot more of the Ukrainian people's fight against the "Polish oppression" to be shown. The pair added several scenes, making a point to emphasize the "historical roots of the Russian-Ukrainian friendship," and the opera was premiered in 1953. In 1954 Korniychuk's play ''Wings'', satirizing the style of local party officials' leadership, outraged some members of the USSR CP Central Committee.

Khrushchev Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev (– 11 September 1971) was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964 and Premier of the Soviet Union, chairm ...

had to intervene, allegedly saying: "The Tsar hadn't banned

Gogol Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol; uk, link=no, Мико́ла Васи́льович Го́голь, translit=Mykola Vasyliovych Hohol; (russian: Яновский; uk, Яновський, translit=Yanovskyi) ( – ) was a Russian novelist, ...

's ''

Revizor ''The Government Inspector'', also known as ''The Inspector General'' ( rus, links=no, Ревизор, Revizor, literally: "Inspector"), is a satirical play by Russian dramatist and novelist, Nikolai Gogol. Originally published in 1836, the pla ...

'', how can we then ban Korneychuk's ''Wings''?" Korniychuk's works of the 1960s showed less ideological fervour and more psychological depth, dealing with the Soviet people's moral dilemmas in the post-War Soviet Russia. Olexandr Korniychuk died on 14 May 1972 in Kiev. He was buried at the

Baikove Cemetery Baikove Cemetery ( uk, Байкове кладовище) is a historic cemetery memorial in Holosiiv Raion of Kyiv, Ukraine. It is a National Historic Landmark of Ukraine and is known as a necropolis of distinguished people. It was established in ...

Plays

* ''On the Edge'' (Na Grani, 1926) * ''The Stone Island'' (Kamenny ostrov, 1930) * ''The Assault'' (Shturm, 1930) * ''Violet Pike'' (Fioletovaya shchuka, 1932) * ''The Death of the Squadron'' (Gibel eskadry, 1933) * ''Platon Kretchet'' (1934) * ''The Banker'' (Bankir, 1936) * ''Pravda'' (1937) * ''Bogdan Khmelnitsky'' (1939) * ''In the Steppes of Ukraine'' (V stepyakh Ukrayiny, 1942) * ''Partisans in the Steppes of Ukraine'' (Partizany v stapyakh Ukrayiny, 1942) * ''Frontline'' (Front, 1942) * ''Mister Perkins’ Mission in the Bolshevik State'' (Missiya mistera Perkinsa v stranu bolshevikov, 1944) * ''Please Come to Zvonkovoye'' (Priezjayte v Zvonkovoye, 1946) * ''Makar Dubrava'' (1948) *''Kalinova Roshcha'' (1950) * ''Wings'' (Krylya, 1954) * ''Why Did Stars Smile'' (Potchemu ulybalis zvyozdy, 1957) * ''Over Dnieper'' (Nad Dneprom, 1960) * ''The Diary Page'' (Stranitsa dnevnika, 1964) * ''The Cost to Pay'' (Rasplata, 1965) * ''My Friends'' (Moyi druzyia, 1967) * ''Memory of the Heart'' (Pamyat serdtsa, 1969)

References

External links