Friends!

Today expire 99 years from the birth of Oles Honchar, a prominent Ukrainian writer and public figure, author of novels "The Cathedral", "Flag bearers" and "Man and weapons." For the las one he received the State Shevchenko Prize.

The real name of prominent Ukrainian was Olexander Bilychenko. He was born in the village Lomivka (now - Dnepr) in 1918. His mother died when the boy was only three years old. Olexander was raised by the grandparents in Poltava.

When he was entering the school, Bilychenko was signed in as Honchar (mother's surname and the name was changed because there was another Alexander in the class). And the village council issued a new birth certificate, according to which he was born in the village Sukhiy.

First Oles finished journalist college, then entered the Kharkov State University. He worked in Kharkiv and Poltava newspapers.

In June 1941 Oles Gonchar joined the student battalion of volunteers. All that he experienced, the author highlighted in his novel "Man and weapons." In the summer of 1942 he was captured, he fled from it in 1943. From there - returned to arms.

In between battles, Honchar wrote poetry - in which were portrayed all the feelings and emotion of authors. After the war, he began to write "Bearers" - it took three years, but the author managed to portray the true Ukrainian, who can not only fight, but win.

Outstanding Ukrainian novel - "Cathedral" by Honchar was published in the journal "Fatherland" in 1968. First, it was embraced warmly, but then it was banned and subjected to withering criticism. Even before the publication of "Cathedral" Honchar came under suspicion of the party leadership, and after it he became its target. But the ban has given the "green light" a new wave of resistance. Representatives of patriotic intellectuals, including Ivan Sokulsky and Michael Skorik wrote a letter to the CC CPU support. Later, it was even published abroad, and its authors appeared upon the interest of KGB of the USSR.

This was a turning point for Honchar. Later, he began to perform with the requirements of the status of the Ukrainian language, he supported the fight for independence. And when independence was achieved, Ukraine became a separate state, Oles Honchar still was not reassured. He believed that the country was at the helm of "unscrupulous cohort," which will be followed by "invasion of pygmies." Blogs of writer are an invaluable treasure that is worth reading to understand that challenges faced by Ukrainian, are not new.

Oles Honchar died on the 14th of July, 1995. He was buried at the Baykove cemetery. Eyewitnesses told that funeral was made by the priests of several denominations - just out of respect for him, for his novel "The Cathedral". When the coffin was lowered into the grave, the rain poured from the sky, as if heaven cried for him.