Za Ukrainu
1917 song by Sokoly
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Za Ukrainu" (Ukrainian: За Україну, lit. 'For Ukraine') is a Ukrainian patriotic song. In 1991 was a candidate to be adopted as the anthem of Ukraine.
| "Za Ukrainu" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Sokoly | |
| Language | Ukrainian |
| English title | "For Ukraine" |
| Released | 1917 |
| Genre | Patriotic song |
| Composer | Yaroslav Yaroslavenko |
| Lyricist | Mykola Voronyi |
Creation
| External videos | |
|---|---|
| "Za Ukrainu" song performed by Ukrainian musicians | |
 Chorea Kozacky | |
| Veryovka ensemble |
Text
The song was written by Mykola Voronyi, a prominent Ukrainian poet, civil activist, politician, and one of the founders of the Central Rada.[1] Voronyi was from a former serf-peasant family and was eventually murdered by the Soviet regime as a socially dangerous element.[2] He was posthumously rehabilitated by the Kirovohrad Oblast Court.[2]
Voronyi's text was first published in 1917 in the Kyiv newspaper Narodna Volia ("People's Freedom"), an organ of the Ukrainian Socialist-Revolutionary Party, which supported the course of achieving political autonomy for Ukraine taken by the Central Rada. The text contains revolutionary motives such as breaking of chains, struggle for popular freedom and brotherhood of nations. The latter one was especially actual for Ukrainians, who had to fight each other as parts of the Austro-Hungarian and Russian armies.[3]
Voronyi's poem soon crossed the frontline, and became popular among Ukrainian soldiers in Austria-Hungary. This could have been a result of fraternization between soldiers on both sides of the front, during the course of which servicemen from opposing sides would exchange newspapers. It is known that such occurrences were widespread during April 1917 in the vicinity of Berezhany, where positions of opposing armies were located especially close to each other. As a result, less than six months after the original publication, Voronyi's poem was printed in a calendar issued by the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen and in a newspaper published by the Union for the Liberation of Ukraine in Vienna.[3]
Music
In 1922 Voronyi's poem was for the first time published with notes, without mention of the composer, as part of a collection of songs performed by the 1st Galician Corps of the Ukrainian Galician Army, which had fought at the frontlines of the Polish-Ukrainian War.[3] Two similar melodies on a lyrics by Mykola Voronyi "For Ukraine!" were created by Lviv composers Bohdan Vakhnianyn (1886-1940) and Yaroslav Yaroslavenko (1880-1958). The melody performed nowadays slightly differs from both of them.[4]
Later history
The song was popular among soldiers of the Ukrainian Army in the struggle against the Soviets. During the early 1990s it was popularized by the Ukrainian folk-band Sokoly led by Ivan Matsyalko from Lviv Oblast. The song also is considered to be an unofficial alternative Ukrainian anthem. In 1991 it was included into the official school curriculum in Ukraine. It is traditionally performed during official events and on solemn occasions.[3]
Lyrics
Pre-2003 lyrics
| Ukrainian original | Ukrainian Latin alphabet | English translation |
|---|---|---|
|
За Україну Приспів: Ганебні пута Приспів О, Україно! Приспів Вперед же, браття! Приспів |
Za Ukrainu Pryspiv: Hanebni puta Pryspiv O, Ukraino! Pryspiv Vpered že, brattia! Pryspiv |
For Ukraine Chorus: The shameful bonds Chorus Oh, Ukraine, Chorus Then, charge, oh brothers! Chorus |