Friends!

Friends! On this day in 1849 a great Ukrainian Olga Petrovna Kosach-Drahomanova was born, who we know under the pseudonym Elena Pchilka. She is a well-known writer, a true Ukrainian woman, an active public figure, mother of six children, two of whom played their part in Ukrainian literature.

Olga Petryvna was born in Gadyach town in the Poltava region in a noble family. The family respected the Ukrainian traditions - they spoke their native language, maintained their customs. Children studied at home. There were five of them in the family, and two – Olga and her brother Mikhail Drahomanov - left their mark in the history of Ukraine.

olgacontinued her studies at the Kyiv boarding house of the noble girls of Nelgovskaya. At age 17 she wrote her first humorous story, which was later published in the German-language magazine. This was the beginning of the literary path of a great Ukrainian writer.

Brother Mikhail brought his sister to active social life. She was Ukrainophilian - she promised to serve for the good of the country and the people until the end of her life. Wore wonderful Ukrainian clothes, participated in cultural events. There he got acquainted with Peter Kosach, a law student of Kyiv University, a member of the "Community". On July 22, 1868, they married in the Kreestovozdvizhensky church in the village Pirogovo, near Kiev.

Together, the couple moved to Novograd-Volynsky. There were born their first children: Mikhailo, Larisa and Olga. Olga Petrovna began to collect the history of Ukrainian embroidery and published them as a book "Ukrainian Ornament". She worked so much that a man called her a "penny". Subsequently, this appeal became her pseudonym.

In Volyn, Olena Pchilka opened a library of Ukrainian books. Later, the family moved to Kolodyazny, where three more children were born - Oksana, Nicholas and Isidora. The upbringing of children is a matter that Olga Petrivna gave no less than literature, because he knew, by his father's example, how much it meant. She taught the children herself and said this in the following way: "It then seemed to me that the school would now ruin my competition to raise children in the Ukrainian language. It was a futile path, because then I saw that when the children are well-tuned in the Ukrainian language, then the school of this language does not destroy. "

But Pchilka cared not only about his children, but also about all the little Ukrainians. She has released a collection of "Ukrainian Children", because she always believed that the future of Ukraine depends on how we educate our descendants.

Olena Pchilka wrote a great poetry. In 1883, in the almanac "Rada", a poem "Kozachka Olena" appeared in which the author portrayed a proud and freedom-loving woman who can stand for herself and for her people.

After the family moved to Kiev, Olga Petryvna actively participated in public life, was a real national educator, tried to awaken national consciousness in people.

In 1905, Olena Pchilka became part of a Ukrainian delegation to the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Empire to abolish the ban on the Ukrainian seal (the Ezsky Decree). After this visit in Poltava the magazine "Ridny kray" began to go out. Elena Pchilka was first to be its contributor, and later to the editor. She opened the reader the opportunity to read talented Ukrainian writers.

Subsequently, in the life of Olena Pchilka, a dark band began. In 1903, son Mikhail died, in 1909 -her husband , in 1913 - daughter Lesja Ukrainka. Then she moved from Kyiv to Gadyach, edited "Native land" and other editions.

After the revolution of 1917, Olena Pchilka, who at that time was 68 years old, again embarked on her cause - the education of nationally conscious citizens.

When in 1929 mass arrest of representatives of the Ukrainian intelligentsia, Olena Pchilka also came. But it was too late - a serious illness tucked her to bed. The arrest was not successful, and the great writer lived until October 4, 1930.

Because of the fear of a new government with this woman, who made an invaluable contribution to the development of Ukraine and all Ukrainians, people did not even say goodbye. Her coffin was surrounded only by a small circle of people.

Well, now Ukrainians have the opportunity to honor the memory of Olena Pchilka. Remember her story and verses on this day.