25 December marks the 130th anniversary of the birth of Uladzislava Lucevich (1891–1960), teacher, literature critic, founder of preschool linguistics in Belarus, wife of Janka Kupala.
Uladzislava Lucevich (maiden name Stankievich) left a significant mark on the field of public education and culture, was the faithful muse of Janka Kupala (in Belarusian), was able to preserve the memory of the poet for descendants.
She was born in Vishnieva of the Ashmiany district of the Hrodna province (now the Valozhyn district of the Minsk region). Her father, Franc Stankievich, Belarusian, worked as a forester, her mother, Emilia Monet, French, was a teacher of French. In 1906, Uladzislava finished the Vishnieva Gymnasium as an external student, in 1908 – a two-year pedagogical course in Warsaw. There she met activists from Poland and Belarus.
The views of Lucevich were shaped by her close relationship with the writers Alaiza Pashkievich (Ciotka), Jadzvihin Sh., Z. Biadulia, S. Palujan (in Belarusian), etc., who lived in Vilnia. It was there in 1908, in the editorial office of Nasha Niva, that Stary Ulas (Uladzislau Sivy-Sivicki), a poet and volunteer, introduced her to Janka. Kupala.
This meeting was a turning point in their lives. They met at various literary parties, visited theaters and bookstores together. The poet dedicated three poems to her: "Remember!..", "Hey, Girl, Lily-Flower...", "It Must Have Been." Eight years after they met, the couple got married.
Uladzislava devoted thirty-four years (from 1908) to teaching: she worked in children's asylums and shelters (one of the main types of preschools in 1920–1930 in Belarus) in Vilnia, Moscow, Minsk, in the Palace of Pioneers, and as a methodologist in the People's Commissariat of Education. From 1919 to 1925 she held the post of pre-school inspector in the People's Commissariat for Education of the BSSR. She took an active part in the creation of orphanages and shelters for orphans and evacuated children, the opening of kindergartens and nurseries.
She devoted a lot of effort to publishing books for the children of Belarus. Since 1921 she published some materials for young readers in the first Belarusian children's magazine "Zorki". With the assistance of Ja. Kupala, fairy tales in her adaptation were published: "Of the Frog Who Defended Herselves from the Stork" (1928), "Puff" and "Of the Rooster Who Chased Away the Goat" (1934). In 1928, in co-authorship, she published "The Preschool Songbook", in 1939 she compiled and edited the collection "Folk Childrens' Songs"; in 1940, - "A Poem Collection for Preschool Institutions" and a book "For the Little Ones". Dynamic, musical and expressive poems by Ul. Lucevich “Kuju, Kuju nozhku (I'm Forging, forging a Leg)”, “Oj, biada (Oh, Trouble)”, “Vierabiej (Sparrow)”, “Busiel (Stork)”, “Apsik, apsik, katochak”, “Jahorachka”, “Pievunok (Rooster)”, “Zhabka (Frog)”, "Saroka (Magpie)" and others made it possible for young readers to feel all the charm of the artistic word, the beauty of the image and the richness of the native Belarusian language.
When the Great Patriotic War began, Ja. Kupala and U. Lucevich moved to Moscow. In the first days of the war, the poet's house in Minsk, a dacha in Liauki near Vorsha and all the cultural treasure acquired over the years: a large personal library, manuscripts, photographs and other valuable materials, burned down. In 1942, the national poet died. This was a heavy loss for Uladzislava.
She dedicated her entire life to honouring her husband's memory. The poet's widow is one of the compilers of collections about his life and work: "Janka Kupala" (1952, coauthor V. Tarasau), "Bibliography of Janka Kupala's writings" (part 1, 1955, coauthor N. Kudraucava” (1960), "Janka Kupala in Belarusian Art" (1958), "Favorite Poet of the Belarusian People" (1960); she was the author of articles and memories of Ja. Kupala, Z. Biadulia, Ja. Rajnis.
Uladzislava Lucevich was appointed executive secretary of the Commission for perpetuating the memory of YJnka Kupala at the Academy of Sciences of the BSSR (1943–1944), then – director of the Janka Kupala State Literary Museum (1944–1960). She was the initiator of the museification of Viazynka, Liauki. She devoted a lot of time, effort and energy to the collection of exhibits, the poet's memoirs, the publication of his works, the construction of a separate museum Kupala complex in the centre of the Belarusian capital.
Aliesia Alieksandrovich, employees Taulaj, Sudnik and others helped her in the creation of the museum. Writers from different parts of the Soviet Union eagerly responded to Lucevich's request for help in collecting materials. She managed to collect and preserve the most precious thing – the manuscripts of Ja. Kupala. For example, in the manuscript department of the library of the Academy of Sciences of the Lithuanian SSR, she found the poet's handwritten collection "Shliakham Zhytsia (On the Paths of Life)". The doors of the new museum, built on the site where in 1927–1941 Janka Kupala once lived, opened in May 1960. Uladzislava Lucevich died just two months before the event.
The Janka Kupala Museum has become a monument not only to the poet but also to her, to her selfless work. Materials related to her life and work are stored in various collections: "Uladzislava Lucevich" (includes personal belongings, documents, manuscripts, epistolary heritage and books); "Photos of Janka Kupala" (including joint portraits of Janka Kupala and Uladzislava Lucevich); "Photos of Uladzislava Lucevich and various people."
Uladzislava Lucevich went down in the history of our country not only as the wife and partner of Ja. Kupala, but also as an active public figure, a talented educator of children. She was awarded two Orders of the Badge of Honour, medals, diplomas, in 1959 she was awarded the honorary title "Honoured Worker of Culture of the BSSR". Poets dedicated poems to U. Lucevich (T. Masienka "To Belarusian Mother"; A. Jushchanka "Soul and Song"; V. Korban "Friendly Caricature"), composers wrote music to her (N. Churkin, romance "You, Come"). She inspired artists and sculptors (M. Savitski "Vilnia Meetings"; P. Sierhijevich "Janka Kupala and U. Lucevich", "Portrait of U. Lucevich", "Portrait of U. Stankievich"; Z. Azgur "U. Lucevich ", S. Humileuski ""Hey, Girl, Lily-Flower, Free Bird of a Sad Land").
Information about Uladzislava Lucevich can be found in the electronic information resources of the National Library of Belarus: electronic catalogue, online encyclopedia “Belarus in Persons and Events”; on the website of the Janka Kupala State Literary Museum. An exhibition "STANKIEWIČANKA" dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the birth of U Lucevich is running in the museum from 4 November 2021 to 25 January 2022.
Bibliology Research Department
