OBITUARY

Leonida Svitlychna, 79, wife of Ivan Svitlychny

"At a time characterized by a general lack of moral fortitude, supplanted by never ceasing complaints with regard to the difficulties of everyday life and life's material deprivations, as well as endless whimpering and general national self-debasement, she stands out as some legendary figure - illuminated once and for all with the light of sublime Christian joy and happiness."

- Yevhen Sverstiuk, in his eulogy for Leonida Svitlychna

KYIV - Leonida Svitlychna, a building engineer by profession and wife of the eminent Ukrainian poet, literary critic, human rights activist and political prisoner Ivan Svitlychny, died on February 18 at the age of 79.

Ms. Svitlychna, née Tereshchenko, was born in 1924 in Kyiv. She completed her studies in the department of engineering at the Institute for Mechanical Construction at the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, but her primary role was as partner and soul-mate to her husband, with whom she shared a life marked by disruptive KGB searches, provocations and arrests. Through these travails, she was a pillar of moral strength and a source of faith and conviction in the rightness of the cause of the Ukrainian dissidents in their struggle against the injustices of the Soviet regime.

The harsh reality of life did not afford the couple much time together, but their love and mutual respect enabled them to face the many difficult and trying moments that came to be an integral part of their life.

Tellingly, the couple's wedding anniversaries were noted down by Ms. Svitlychna in the following manner: "10th anniversary (1966) - Ivan in KGB custody in solitary confinement; 20th anniversary (1976) - Ivan in concentration camp; 25th, or 'silver', anniversary (1981) - Ivan in exile, at last we're together again; 30th anniversary (1986) - Ivan seriously ill, scant mention of an anniversary..."

In his eulogy the literary and social critic and former political prisoner Yevhen Sverstiuk, referred to Leonida Svitlychna, or as she was affectionately known, Lolia, as "the other half of Ivan Svitlychny," a woman whose life was marked by "an epoch of the destruction of churches and cathedrals, by famine and political arrests, terror, hard times and war. And all of this came as a prelude to her marriage to Ivan, whose fate and cause she came to share wholeheartedly."

"In her person," he continued "let us bow our heads before the wives of all political prisoners of the 60s Generation [Shestydesiatnyky] whose extraordinary patience, courage, steadfastness and fidelity sustained those who were driven by the quest for truth and justice."

Apart from her inordinate capacity to come to terms with suffering, Ms. Svitlychna provided for the family, was a sister of mercy, and ministered to her husband upon his release and subsequent illness. Upon his demise she undertook the preparation of his writings for publication.

Ms. Svitlychna's memoirs came out in 1998 in Kyiv as a publication of Chas. In them she refers to the love and esteem her husband inspired as a man of personal and moral integrity in difficult times and under harsh circumstances. Ms. Svitlychna equally inspired such love and esteem. Mr. Sverstiuk ended his eulogy, saying "We bow our heads in gratitude that two such people lived amongst us."

Ms. Svitlychna, who was predeceased by her husband, who died on October 25, 1992, was buried next to her husband during funeral services that took place on February 21 at the Baikove Cemetery in Kyiv.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, March 9, 2003, No. 10, Vol. LXXI

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