The image of a bleeding border does not serve only as a poetic metaphor. Abyssal essence of it has been demonstrated through the fate of thousands of sons of Belarus. In spite of the overall dramatic nature of historical events dealing with partition of the Belarusian lands and congruence of poetic interpretation with the historical fate of Belarus, works by L. Rodzevich and U. Zhylka sound in an optimistic way with the major key as the predominant one.

Applying the rhythm of the poem, varying from chapter to chapter, ranging from a bit slower and momentous one to the dashing and always excited one, Zhylka resumes the direction of the Belarusian movement in a poetically-generalized way. He depicts revival of the nation at the background of the global misfortunes, civil and Polish-soviet wars. The poet claims the fact that „a Belarusian has already stepped upon the map of Europe”.

U. Zylka’s dedication of his „Uyaulennie” (Imagination) poem to L. Rodzevich serves as another proof of their ideological affinity and mutual involvement in the liberation movement. Within the course of his stay in the rural area of Western Belarus, the poet spent longer time with his mother’s relatives residing in the suburbs of Baranavichy. Acting as a messenger between the local branch of BRA (Belarusian Revolutionary Organization) and the central office in Vilnia, i.e. prior to his to his studies in Prague, Zhylka created the number of poems that were later on published with assistance and help of A. Lutskevich, a literary critic and researcher19. U. A. Kalesnik, a researcher of creative work of U. Zhylka, noted that lyrics of the poet is distinguished by capability to convey the public ideas in a deep personal way as if they become the intimate movements of soul of a lyrical character”20.

Poems by I. Kancheuski, a prematurely deceased poet, that were signed with the „Hanna Halubianka” pseudonym, were full of romantic esthetics and high range of culture of feelings21.

Tragedy of the World War I with endless number of it victims, vast devastations, dramatic flood of refugees fell upon Europe. Western Belarus suffered from it to the maximal extent as the one that experienced severity of a three-year presence on its territory of the positional Russian-German front. Flash of hope to rebuild Belarusian nationhood, evoked by the war and revolution, resulted in rapid activation of creative thought in Western Belarus. The new sowers appeared in the field of Belarusian literature of that time. Makar Krautsou (1890-1941) and Stanislau Shymanouski (1893-1920) from Western Belarus and Mikas’ Charot (1896-1938), Uladzimir Dubouka (1900-1976), Yazep Pushcha (1902-1964) and Ales’ Dudar (1904-1937) from its eastern part joined the literature at the turning point of two epochs. Literature of Western Belarus of first half of 1920s was represented by most active literary activities of Kastus’ Stepovich, a clerical poet, who had already begun publishing his works in the „Belarus” newspaper in 1913. Muse of Kazimir Svayak, that was usually regretful because of the poet’s personal tragedy, i.e. his illness that caused his premature death, also begins to sound in a brighter way:

Here come the brighter times,
An light of apparition lightens our way.
Motherland-mother-Belarus,
You are alive!22

The poet believes in awoken force of the people and their capability to create deserving future and to command to the coming generations the idea of free Motherland:

A spark will definitely turn into the fire,
That will make the stars in the sky hide their faces away from it,
And the spirit of people will bravely arise,
That will even the valleys and the hills.
It will build on the ruins of Motherland
By its powerful hand with Prometheus fire in it,
And when it dies itself, it will relay the testament to the son
For the idea of Motherland not to vanish…23

Makar Krautsou, a participant of World War I and an activist of the Belarusian national movement of 1917-1920, wrote not only his famous „My viydzem shchylnymi radami” (We will go out in dense rows” poem-anthem that was influenced by the Slutsk rebellion. He also composed a „Bratom” (To brothers) poem that combines meditation on the tragic fate of Belarusian land and powerful belief in national freedom of its people:

The bane of Belarusian people is in the air,
The ones who expanded from the Nioman to the Dniapro.
Each century they loose their belongings
In the fire of wars and misfortunes
…………………………………………………
But we are the people who are alive, not slaves but masters of our life
And we deserve the equal destiny with other peoples
We will cover our way to freedom with our bodies
And let at least the 100th of us but see its face 24.

Natallia Arsen’yeva (1903-1997) stood apart from the rest of the writers of Western Belarus who were soaked with the national idea or idea of social freedom of working people and were often organizationally bound with the liberation movement. From early 1920s her poems began to be published in almost all periodicals. Having been blessed for her literary carrier by M. Haretski at the times of her studies at the Vilnia Belarusian gymnasium, Arsen’yeva concentrated her lyrics on the subjective beginning and experiences of intimate nature. Space and nature became the major source for her poetic inspiration. In spite of her indifference in treatment of social problems, her apparent talent was highly appreciated and valued by the representatives of literary society. Following publication of her „Pad sinim nebam” (Under the blue sky) collection of works (1927), creative work of N. Arsen’yeva had been highly valued by the leading literary critics, i.e. U. Samoila (Chemer) and A. Lutsevich25.

Early 1920s were marked by publications of Ales’ Smalenets (1893-1966), a poet and a writer whose true name was Ruzhantsou amd who worked for the „Belaruski zvon” and the „Belaruskiya vedamastsi” newspapers. At that time he was known to be a former participant in World War I and Civil War as well as the Commander of the Belarusian battalion in Lithuania that was formed by the emigration government of Vatslau Lastouski. He also edited the „Belarus-vaiskovy” (A military Belarusian) magazine. Poems of A. Smalenets were saturated with military themes. Figurative realities of war were depicted in the imaginable way. M. Haretski considered them to be ”strong in thought and pretty original in form”. Some time later A. Smalenets continued his literary carrier as a translator of Belarusian poetry into Lithuanian and the Lithuanian one into Belarusian26.

The initial publications of Ales’ Salahub (1906-1934), a poet, go back to 1923. Being a student of the Belarusian gymnasium in Vilnia, he has cast his lot with the communist underground movement and made friends with Arsen’ Kancheuski, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist party of western Belarus, as well as participated in organization of the circles of the Belarusian Hramada of Peasants and Workers in the area of his native Smarhonshchyna. A. Salahub had been twice arrested by the defenziva and spent two years at the so-called western Belarusian Bastille in Lukishki. That was the prison, in casemates of which there spent much time not the only generation of revolutionaries of Western Belarus. Ales’ Salahub enjoyed the role of a pioneer of the western Belarusian literature in discovering the prison-related themes and creation of images of political prisoners. Later on those themes had been developed by M. Tank and V. Taulai up to the level broad artistic generalizations. A lyrical hero of A. Salahub (an alter ego of the author) was of a purposeful and integral nature. His consciousness organically combined both social and national ideals. He is closely connected to the idea of liberation of the mankind on a planetary level („We are glad, very glad that are changing the course of history”), simultaneously continues his struggle, suffers in prison and dreams to witness „his Belarus to be a free country”. Intentions and emotions of the lyrical hero of the poet get stronger due to their emotional ties with the rural area. He flatters himself that he will leave in it „the fire of rebellion”. Being a revolutionary and a maximalist, A. Salahub depicts the ideal of a western Belarusian village as a rebellious one:

… I like you when you are full of rage:

Instead of sickles you beat the swords,
Instead of cutting ears of rye
You wake the Belavezha up at night27.

Fate of A. Salahub turned out to be the tragic one. Having escaped from the Polish prison he illegally crossed the border, graduated from the Minsk state university, published the collection of his poems, frequently published his materials in periodicals, took the course of post-graduate studies at the Belarusian Academy of Sciences. Having been involved in the second wave of repressions in the Soviet Byelorussia, he died in 193428.

Successful development of dramaturgy in literature of Western Belarus was favored by several circumstances. First of all, that was World War I, followed by the maelstrom of civil breakups, resulted in numerous deaths and forced flights, various other misfortunes and grief that fell upon Belarus in general and its western areas in particular, which provided the playwrights with the unique material. Fate of a nation, fate of a man under extreme conditions of war as well as tragedy of partition of the ethnos by borders of foreign countries comprised the realities of Belarusian being. Those were the topics that „begged themselves” to be included into the drama works of the Belarusian playwrights. Second of all, several deep, original and talented playwrights simultaneously happened to exist and create their works in the field of literature of Western Belarus. Besides M. Haretski, who had lived in Vilnia for several years and created number of excellent plays, dramaturgy of western Belarus was represented by plays of Frantsishak Aliakhnovich (1900-1944) and Leapold Rodzevich (1895-1938) who happened to be the playwrights by their natural call. The third reason of successful development of theatrical works in literature of Western Belarus was evoked by social demand. Having been awoken by revolution and changes in civil life from lethargic sleep, the people reached after education and were in the process of looking for the way to conscious life. Alert condition stimulated self-activity in all its forms, including the artistic one. Theatrical kinds of art, theatrical genres with their direct influence upon the consciousness of mass spectators and listeners tended to have adequately responded to the needs and demands of time. To expand Belarusian theatrical culture they have set up the Belarusian drama workshop in Vilnia in 1922. According to M. Haretski, L. Rodzevich displayed himself in his creative work to be the follower of modernism and expressionism. Creative practical experience of Franciszak Aliakhnovich did not miss the experience of Przybyszewski and Ibsen.

The „Dośvitki” (The Dawn) theatrical drama plays by L. Rodzevich, initially published in the „Belaruski zvon” and later on as a separate book, served as an example of philosophical and esthetic realization of edge-cutting issues as well as the problems of high humanistic sense in forms of dramaturgic art29. Based on the events, dramatic for the fate of the whole nation, the author creates a symbolic picture: he demonstrates how the fire of war and breakup waken the national consciousness, as the result of it, the people start searching for the way to go within the context of time and society. The only character of the play is called by his actual name – Yarmila. The rest of them acquired the collective social image and were named by the playwright in a generalized way, i.e. a host, a peasant, a teacher, a young woman, a lady. Such names as „A feeble man”, „An awoken person”, „A sick man” carry symbolic meaning and sense. The author also uses the „voice from the crowd” in a very perfect way.

The basis of another work by L. Rodzevich deals with the topic that was considered to be extremely important for all Belarusians at the turning point of 1910s and 1920s, i.e. protection of one’s home, ego, dignity and motherland. That name of this work is a P. S. Kh. (Pil’nui svayu khatu) abbreviation that stands for the Watch your Home one30. Through the comic of the situation, i.e. when the quarrel between the hostess and the host is suspended by a rather picturesque scene of a short stay of a Red Army soldier and a Chinese in their house, the author reaches the statement of an important idea.

Brilliant theatrical language and distinctive figurative coloring are characteristic for the „Na Kaliady” (On Christmas Eve) one-act play by L. Rodzevich31. Its genre was specified by the playwright as an extravaganza. The „Kavali” (Blacksmiths) by L. Rodzevich, a theatrical piece, has been totally composed in a romantic way with the use of revolutionary symbols. The main character of the play, a young blacksmith, starts using in his speech the ready-coined slogans: „To work until liberation and kingdom of labor comes… To work for the happiness of the humankind, for the beauty of life!”32 The fact is that starting with fall of 1923 L. Radzevich was forced by circumstances and specific nature of his character to gest involved in activities of the communist underground movement of Western Belarus. Out of the BRA leader he became the Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Western Belarus (KPZB) as well as the editor-in-chief of the „Chyrvony S’tsiah” (A Red Banner”, newspaper, the main printed organ of the party. Unfortunately, L. Rodzevich had never come back to the playwright activities anymore, in spite of him being a very gifted playwright. In mid 1930s the pioneer of literature of Western Belarus died in a tragic way, having gotten into the flyer of Stalin repressions in Minsk of that time.

Chronological frames of literature of Western Belarus, to be more precise, the first half of the 1920s, coincide with the most fruitful period of creative activities of F. Aliakhnovich, one of the greatest Belarusian playwrights of that time. From 1921 through 1926 (the year of departure of F. Aliakhnovich to the USSR) he wrote the „Ptushka shchas’tsia” (A bird of luck) and the „Zaruchyny Paulinki” (Engagement of Paulinka) plays as well as the „Shchaslivy muzh” (A happy husband) and the „Pan Ministar” (Mr. Minister) comedies and the „Dryhva” (The Swamp) and the „Niaskonchanaya drama” (An unfinished drama) drama works. In 1921 Aliakhnovich created one of his best ideologically and esthetically oriented play called the „Niaskonchanaya drama” (An unfinished drama)33. In an artistic way the author typed all hardships that the Belarusian intelligentsia had to go through during the World War I and revolution. He restores the events connected with the attempt of the democratic intellectuals to lay the foundation of the Belarusian nationhood. Vasil’, the main character of the „Niaskonchanaya drama” , carries some autobiographic traits of the author. The playwright displayed the most powerful aspects of his talent, specified by the nowadays literary critics that analyze his heritage, i.e. A. Sabaleuski and S. Laushuk. These aspects comprise dynamism of actions, picturesque nature of characters and expression of theatrical language.

Giving thorough consideration to the literary process in Western Belarus of 1920s enables to conclude that in spite of lack of the country’s own nationhood and being almost a colonial state, the said process tended to develop in a pretty normal way. It also reflected creative potential of the nation that woke up to live ahead. There existed all the genres of literature including literary criticism and literary science. Adequate attention was also paid by the writers to translation of the world classical literary works into Belarusian.

Creation of national culture was naturally to comprise such a component as translations of fiction works as well as materials of general educational nature. It was clearly understood by the architects of Western Belarus. Definite work on translations was conducted at the two leading institutions of Western Belarus, i.e. the Belarusian Scientific Society in Vilnia and the Belarusian Publishing Society where they concentrated the significant creative force34. That was the environment in which Belarusian terminology and concepts of translations had been worked out.

Initial translations made by literary workers of Western Belarus spoke in favor of their orientation towards high classical values and levels. It was already in March 0f 1922 when B. Tarashkevich had published his translation of Chapter I of the „Iliad” by Homer35. Some time later, N. Arsenyeva translated the second chapter of the „Dziady” poem by A. Mitskevich. M. Krautsou began his translations of the Russian classical works with the books by U. Korolenko, A. Kupryin, M. Lermontov36.

2.

The next stage in development of artistic creative work in Western Belarus is associated with the rapid increase of national and liberation movement, the latter becoming more and massive in its nature. Within the second half of the 1920s the legal branch of the Belarusian national movement reached its highest point… The Belarusian Hramada of Peasants and Workers (BSRH) developed from the parliamentary fraction with the group of radical deputies into the mass organization that within one and half year influenced upon the whole of Western Belarus. Its membership comprised more than one thousand members. Awakening social and political activities of the population, the Hramada movement gave a strong impulse primarily to all spiritual sphere of Belarusian life under the Polish rule. The Hramada contributed to mass character of Belarusian periodical publications. Thank to its efforts cultural and educational activities of the TBSh (Society of Belarusian School) circles reached the real flourishing point. Rather deep flow of publications in the „Zhytstsio Belarusa” (Life of a Belarusian), the „Belaruskaya niva”, the „Belaruskaya sprava” (Belarusian matters) and the „Narodnaya sprava” (People’s issues) gave birth to special poems and names of poets whose creative work highlighted further development of literature in Western Belarus. Those were primarily the names of Mikhas’ Mashara, Mikhas’ Vasiliok, Valiantsin Taulai and Khvedar Illiashevich. Following crushing defeat of the BSRH on the part of administration of Pilsudski-Meishtovich, numerous participants of the movement had been imprisoned by the polish authorities.

Representatives of the generation who joined literary life in the middle and the second half of 1920s failed to have gained similar political experience as their forebears did, the latter having participated in World War I, revolution and struggle for Belarusian nationhood. In some cases, like M. Vasiliok, they were the kids at that time and happened to have spent some time in Russia as refugees. As for the main adaptation to life, it happened at the background of realities of Western Belarus, i.e. under specific conditions of Polish occupation. Life and social experience were gained in their own specific way at the constantly changing political background of life of both the country and its people.

The new generation of literary workers of Western Belarus has still been recruited predominantly from the local peasantry. However, in spite of all the obstacles created by the Polish authorities on the way to education, the majority of them gained their knowledge and experience not only in prisons but also at the universities. Khvedar Illiashevich, Auhen Bartul, St. Stankevich graduated from the Vilnia university while Franuk Hryshkevich and Viktar Val’tar took the course of studies at the Prague university in Czechoslovakia. Both universities were known at that time to have had rather active cultural Belarusian environments that formed the public opinion and were involved in publishing activities. In Prague they published the „Peraviasla” (A sheaf-belt) magazine which was followed by the „Pramen’ ” (A beam). Belarusian students with the Vilnia university initially published the „Nash shliakh” (Our way) magazine and, starting with late 1924, the „Studentskaya dumka” (Students’ thought) appeared. Literary works comprised the bulk of all published materials in the said magazines. Many authors from Western Belarus published their first works in them. The Vilnia magazines and the rest of the periodicals in general, thank to their national idea, tended to have also united on their pages those Belarusian authors who resided and worked outside Western Belarus, i.e. primarily in Latvia and Lithuania, in spite of the fact that Belarusian minorities had their own periodicals and published books there as well. In 1920s they failed to have organized publishing of a specialized literary magazine notwithstanding the fact that the issue itself had been debated on by L. Rodzevich and other writers. In 1927 F. Umiastouski founded the „Belaruskaya kultura” (Belarusian culture) literary-and-social monthly magazine that favored publications of original and translated fiction works. Unfortunately, its life was very short. The „Rodniya honi” (Native fields) „monthly magazine on literature and culture of Western Belarus” (that was its definition) shared the same fate, i.e. it has been closed down having published only six issues on the wave of public activities in the country. Poetry, literary criticism and political journalism in the said magazine were represented by U. Samoila, A. Lutskevich, R. Ziamkevich (R. Sunitsa), I. Dvarchanin, N. Arsen’n’eva, M. Vasiliok, V. Valtar, F. Hryshkevich, M. Illyashevich. Zviastun (Pilip Pestrak) used the „Rodniya honi” pages to have published his first literary works as well.

The „Malanka” (Lightning) (1926-1928) magazine turned out to be the edition that stimulated humoristic and satirical potential in literature of Western Belarus. The „Malanka” magazine was known to have been actively supported by M. Krautsou (who published his works as „Zvonchyk”), M. Vasiliok, Ya. Marazovich (Yanka Malanka) as well as F. Aliakhnovich, H. Leuchyk, U. Pauliukouski (Uladnitski) and Ya. Pachopka (Ya. Bashkir).

At the background of mass poetry, that was published in the Hramada magazines, the poetic voices of Al. Salahub (whose pseudonym was „Liavon Chachotka”), Khvedar Illiashevich (whose pseudonyms were „Malady” and „Dal’ny”), M. Vasiliok, F. Hryshkevich and M. Mashara sounded in a more and more pronounced and clear way.

Khvedar Illiashevich (1910-1948) accompanied his first collections of works with some sort of ideological and poetic declaration. „My thoughts are based on images” – he wrote. „Therefore, my poems contain much unsaid. Their main tone deals with the anxiety of modern epoch… I am still searching for the proper poetic form. I do not like my previously created works. The predominant motives and ideals in Belarusian poetry (and it is quite clear) are sad and unclear. The new generation that grew up in the soil of Belarusian revival, is carrying along with them expression and lustiness. The newest Belarusian poetry sounds like a sunny march and it is high time for the new poets to create the „New Apocryph”37.

Struggle for the reform in agriculture and for the access of peasantry to the land served as the key elements in tactics of the leaders of the national liberation movement in Western Belarus. The struggle for land that had been initiated and continued by the Belarusian deputies in Seim as well as supported by the Ukrainian and a small representation of the Polish left fraction from 1924 through 1925, resulted in active liberation efforts of the Belarusian people. It also contributed to movement increase and benefited its organizational forms.

Social issues of struggle tended to go hand in hand with the national ones dealing with culture and education in general and struggle for the Belarusian school, in particular. The movement was getting stronger and stronger and acquired the radical nature.

Following crushing defeat of the BSRH on the part of administration of Pilsudski-Meishtovich, the key vector of the Belarusian liberation movement was oriented towards the cultural and educational activities. The main Belarusian creative forces got concentrated at the cultural front.

Literary movement of the second half of the 1920s also made some attempts to acquire some organizational forms. In May of 1927 the young writers and artists from Vilnia founded the „Vesnakhod” (A Debacle) organization that resembled the literary unions of the Soviet Byelorussia. In 1928 its members published the „Run’ Vesnakhodu) (Spring fields), a small almanac, that comprised poems by N. Arsennieva, A. Salahub, Khv. Illiashevich, P. Pestrak (Zvestun) and other poets. However, the Charter of the organization had not been approved by the Polish authorities and some time later the society had to terminate its activities.

In spite of prior publications of M. Vasiliok (1905-1960) in numerous periodicals that was mainly in the „Malanka”, a popular humoristic and satirical magazine, where he demonstrated his one of the most organic verges of his talent, i.e. the humoristic one. Precise poetic verbiage, formulated in the spirit of folk humor, was used by the author to mock at the Polish landowners, representatives of Polish administration, politicians as well as some of the drawbacks current among the native environment of peasants (poems „Yak ya trapiu u kamunisty” (How I happened to have joined the Communist party), „Perad vybarami” (On the eve of elections), „Harelka” (Vodka)).The poet knew how to skillfully outplay the „Dzed I s’merts’” (An old man and death) folk parable, i.e. to use the traditional folk motive and to fill it in with the current social essence („Ekh, kab hroshy” (If I had so money). As for the civic lyrics of M. Vasiliok of 1920s, it comprises motives and intonation that was typical for the rest of poetry of Western Belarus of that time. M. Vasiliok also proved himself to be very organic in creation of reflections dealing with description of labor, the latter being not symbolized but depicted in its natural essence and form.

Literature of Western Belarus of the middle and the second half of the 1920s proved the regularity, according to which the epochs of civil turmoils turned out to primarily be the times of most productive development of poetic genres. Epics with its demand of deeper analysis and more stable social basis failed to have developed further under the conditions of Western Belarus of that time. Achievements of western Belarusian literature in the field of small epics (forget about the novels and romances) seemed very simple as compared to the successes of prose of the Soviet Belarus of late 1920s and early 1930s, the latter being associated with the names of Yakub Kolas, Kuz’ma Chorny, Maksim Zaretski and A. Mriya. Belarusian nationhood in the form of the BSSR, although limited in form, served as a support for the development of science and artistic culture. The absence of nationhood notion in Western Belarus, to be more precise, the presence of the foreign nationhood played negative effect upon the status of spiritual life, artistic culture. The Belarusian ethnos had to waste monumental energy to overcome the obstacles of political, social and economic nature.

In spite of the objective difficulties of internal and external nature, termination of the Hramada activities and the decay of the united ideological and tactical platform along with the moral atmosphere, arising out it, artistic culture kept gradually developing in that area. Prosaic genres also contributed to the general development of literature. Stories of new authors tended to sporadically appear in the post-Hramada press as well as periodicals of the „Zmahan’nie” (Struggle) Belarusian Club of Workers and Peasants. The said periodicals went through constant arrests, changes of their names and new revivals. Ya. Marazovich (1885-1938), an editor-in-chief of the „Malanka” magazine advanced from the satirical articles, some of them being sometimes pretty smart and sharp, to writing stories that would deal with current edge-cutting issues. To put circumspection of censors to a stop, Ya. Marazovich applied literary mystification, i.e. transferred arena of his works to the colonial and dependent countries as well as used the Liao Dze pseudonym ( e.g. „U daline Hanha” (In the valley of the Gang river), „ Na berahakh Yan Tszy” (On the banks of the Yangtze river), „Chyrvoniya ruzhy” (Red roses) stories). Through that exotic external entourage of stories by Ya. Marazovich one could recognize the Polish reality of Western Belarus with its vexed problems. The stories actually disclosed Polish colonialism applied to the „Kresy Wsochodnie” (that was the official name for the lands of Western Belarus in the pre-war Poland).

V. Hryvich, the author of the „Mstsiviya niaboshchyki” (Revengeful Deceased), „Zhyvoye dreva” (A live tree) stories, mastered the art of epic and artistic reflex of life38. (It was impossible to have finally identified personality of V. Hryvich. According to L. F. Voitsik, that was the pseudonym which was used by Uladzislau Hrynevich). That was already in his first works, published in the „Studentskaya dumka” (Students’ thought) magazine, in which he demonstrated good esthetic feeling of nature and ability to convey its life in generalized plastic images. Also, the young author proved to be a good expert of style of life of ordinary peasants and their psychology. One could effect of ideas of M. Haretski on the mind of the young author. One specific detail should be drawn attention to, i.e. V. Hryvich was the only writer in literature of Western Belarus of that time who secured his copy (author’s) right. He would specify Vilnia as the place where he wrote his works.

At the height of the liberation movement V. Hryvich wrote some stories in which he depicted the rise of public consciousness among the representatives of the western Belarusian peasantry as well as true realization of their social national rights („I nas razbudzili”(We have finally been waken up as well))39.

Historical issues were also in the center of Hryvich’s attention. In one of his stories he depicted the events current within the times of Kreuskaya Uniya (Kreu Union), the latter having predetermined the historical destiny of Lithuania-Belarus for many centuries to come40.

Palachanka, one of the authors, who created her works in the second half of the 1920s, was known for her deep comprehension of philosophy of human entity. She hid her actual name behind the literary nickname, the latter bearing an associative and historical sense rather than simply the regional geographic one. Life of local inhabitants, presumably the intellectuals, i.e. the people capable of reflection and deep penetration into the eternal issues of human existence and being on earth. Creative works by Palachanka vividly displayed the author’s feeling of gusto , artistic standards and responsibility for each uttered word. Artistic level of her stories turned out to be rather high41.

Stanislau Hrynkevich (1902-1945), a graduate of the Poznan university, a doctor by diploma and calling, an extraordinary philosopher, a public and political figure as well as a literary worker, he won a pretty remarkable place and reputation within the whole process of spiritual revival and creative search of the generation of 1920s-1930s in Western Belarus. St. Hrynkevich was one of the leaders (vice-chairman) of the Belarusian Christian Democratic party that occupied its own place within in public, political and cultural life of poly-confessional Western Belarus. Within the cultural circles of Western Belarus St. Hrynkevich was known to be an active fighter for public education as well as the propagandist of the ideas of Belarusian public university and the author of the „Narod” (People), the „Ab teatry” (About theater) and the „Asveta” (Education) novels. The „Asveta” novel caused rage on the part of the Polish authorities and he became the victim of it. St. Hrynkevich published numerous articles on the current issues of public ethics, psychology and cultural science. In close cooperation with his wife (who was a doctor) he published several popular books. The second half of the 1920s meant for St. Hrynkevich active attempts to try his talent in literary creative work. He aspired to shape all his meditations, theoretical evaluation of problems of national mentality and effect of various religious confessions on the consciousness of people into some artistic forms. His most brilliant work, the „Tsarkva. Pomsta. Viaznitsa” (The Orthodox Church Revenge. Prison) novel clearly speaks in favor of the above idea42. The plot of the novel, being full of dramatic events, the author retraces the spiritual ascent of the rural guy who was the symbol of a virgin land for the spread of Belarusian idea.

The book also deals with such aspects of western Belarusian reality as return of refugees back to their settlement, which the events take place in, as well as the aggressive attack of the representatives of the Catholic clergy, local Polish administration and the teacher who forced the ideas of Polonization of the area on the rights of other confessions (to be more precise, the curacy of the Uniat church) and destructive moral affect of their deeds (like destruction of the Orthodox church building) upon the local Belarusian population.

The time from 1927 through 1930,which was marked by rapid increase of national liberation movement in Western Belarus and repressions against it, gave birth to not only poems, novels, stories but also numerous expanded sketches and impression that were published in periodical press. Some of their authors (like A. Matseichyk, Ya. Palyn et al.) could have developed into the mature literary workers. However, destiny of numerous young writers of Western Belarus is still unknown. Adverse conditions, which they had to live under, did not favor the development of their talent and sometimes even the essential things like preservation of their lives. Polish imprisonment or forced illegal emigration to the USSR (where the majority of western Belarusian intellectuals faced the Stalin repressions) served as the alternative for the existence of the whole generation of the Belarusian poets and writers.

In contrast to poetry and prose of Western Belarus of 1920s, which had progressed to at least some extent, the drama creative work suffered in late 1920s and 1930s complete stagnation? And that happened at the background of the fact that the mass theatrical activities reached their height at that time.

Literary science and literary criticism of Western Belarus of 1920s-1930s, in spite of being in charge of applied and educational function (that was very important for the making of national consciousness), failed to have reached the adequate theoretical height in its development. The range of problems, it dealt with, was very broad.

Literary activities of Ihnat Dvarchanin (1895-1937) looked very peculiar and rather perspective one in literary life of western Belarus of 1920s. Having graduated from the Prague university in 1926 as well as having defended his doctor dissertation dealing with activities of Frantsisk Skaryna, he returned back to Vilnia and actively participated in cultural and social life of the city. In 1927 he published several articles, including the one on poetic talent of M. Bahdanovich. He also took part in public discussion on what the actual year of birth of Skaryna was43.

The „Hrestamatiya novai belaruskai litaratury” (Reader in new Belarusian literature), compiled by Dvarchanin, served as the result of his literary and educational activities. As he included into the reader the samples of Belarusian artistic word of the first quarter of the 20th century, it played an outstanding and ethnos-preserving role in Western Belarus. Based on social and psychological criterion, the young literary worker came up with a pretty original classification of Belarusian literature of the new epoch as well as gave informative definitions of creative works of some of its representatives44.

At the dawn of the literary epoch of Western Belarus Uladzimir Samoila published his prophetic work in which he had given bright analysis of evolution of the Polish administration policy of the end of 1920s and the beginning of 1930s regarding Belarusians. The author first proved in an authoritative way correlation of the so-called newest course of that policy with the new national policy of the Soviets, i.e. the one aimed at the total annihilation of intelligentsia of the outskirts. The publication of a well-known Belarusian intellectual, issued in Vilnia, was actually aimed at making the European community aware of the tragedy of the Belarusian people and their intelligentsia who were left at mercy of the antidemocratic regimes of Poland and Soviet Russia. Analytics of Samoila has been processed in an excellent literary form and is known to be one of the organic assets of literature and public thought and opinion of Western Belarus45.

Translated by Ivan Ryhoravich BURLYKA, Ph.D.

SUMMARY

The article deals with thorough analysis of the processes that were current within the course of development of literature in Western Belarus under the Polish regime. The author specifies the names of most active writers and poets as well as literary critics who contributed to the development of the national literature and revival of the national Belarusian idea. The material contains unique information on all the periodicals current at that time in Belarus. He analyzes the impact of partition of Belarus on the minds of artistic creative intelligentsia. Besides, Arsen’ Lis compares various literary trends and works of their representatives and makes conclusions on what outcome of their activities was. The article presents a pioneer analysis of that scale and can serve as the basis for further fundamental research in literary criticism of Belarus.

ARSEN’ SIARHEYAVICH LIS was born on February 4, 1934 in the settlement of Viotkhava of the Smarhonski district, the Hrodzenskaya province, in the family of peasants.
In 1956 he graduated from the School of Linguistics at the Belarusian U. I. Lenin state university. He taught Belarusian and Belarusian literature at the Sharkaushchyna secondary school of the Vitsebskaya province. Simultaneously he was employed as the head of the pedagogical department with the Sharkaushchyna district department for public education. From 1957 through 1959 he had worked as an editor of the State Publishing House of the BSSR. He took the course of post-graduate studies at the Institute for Art, Ethnography and Folklore with the Academy of Sciences of the BSSR. In 1962 he was appointed to the position of as a research worker of the same Institute. He is a Candidate of Sciences (Linguistics) and since 1967 – the member of Union of Writers of the USSR.
He began publishing articles on the issues of Belarusian culture in 1955. He published the books named „Branislau Tarashkevich (1966), „Mikola Shchakatsikhin” (1968), „Piotra Serhiyevich” (1970), „Kupal’skiya pes’ni” (Kupala songs) (1974), „Piakuchai malanki s’led” (The trace of a hot lightning) (1981), „Vechny vandrounik (Eternal wonderer) (1984), „Pesniu – u spadchynu” (A song –to your heritage) (1989), „Valachobniya pesni” (Easter songs) (1989). He is known to be a researcher of national folklore and the author of one of the authors of the guide-book for students of higher educational institutions named „Belaruskaya narodna-paetychnaya tvorchas’ts’ „” (Belarusian folk and poetic creative work” (1979).
He compiled the following collections of national folk songs, i.e. „Belaruskiya narodniya pes’ni” (National Belarusian songs” (1970), „Zhniuniya pes’ni” (Harvesting songs) (1974), „Vosen’skiya I talochniya pes’ni” (Fall and team songs) (1981), „Kupalskiya I Piatrouskiya pes’ni” (Kupala and Piatro songs) (1985). Arsen’ Lis and Ya. Salamevich also wrote the book „Maksim Haretski: Uspaminy, artykuly, dakumenty” (Maksim Haretsky: Recollections, articles and documents) (1984).
He is also known to be the author of scripts of several documentary films named „Pes’nia na usio zhyts’ts’io” (A song for the rest of your life) (the film was finished in 1984) and „Prysady zhits’ts’a” (the film was finished in 1985).
Arsen’ Lis is the prizewinner of the State Award of the BSSR in 1986 for his contribution to preparation and publication of the academic collection of Belarusian folk creative works.

1 Khauratovich I. Zakhodniaya Belarus (Western Belarus) // Entsiklapediya historiyi Belarusi. T. 3. Mn., 1996. S. 421.
2 Taraszkiewicz B. Bialoruskie postulaty polityczne // Przymierze. 1920. # 3, 5; Also, his Ryzhski traktat I Belaruskaye pytannie (Riga Tractate and Belarusian Issue) // Belaruski zakon. 1921. # 3; Lutskevich A. Polskaya akupatsiya Belarusi (Polish occupation of Belarus). Vilnia, 1920; Also, his Ab dziarzhaunym budaunitstvie (On government structure)// Belaruski narod. 1919. # 2; L. B. (Smolich A.). Nezaleznas’ts’ (Independence) // Belaruski zvon. 1921. # 2.
3 Abdziralovich I. Advechnym shliakham: Dasledziny belaruskaha svetapohliadu (Along the eternal road: evaluation of Belarusian world-outlook – BIR). Vilnia, 1921. S. 4-23.
4 Same. S. 22.
5 Same. S. 11.
6 Same. S. 22.
7 Same. S. 53.
8 Same. S. 12-65.
9 Civis. Ne chakaitse miru (Do not wait for peace to come) // Nezalezhnaya dumka. 1920. July
10 Sulima. Hetym peramozhash! (You will win doing this!)…// Zakhodniaya Belarus. S. 68.
11 Same. S. 66-69.
12 Same. S. 68, 70.
13 Halynets A. Ab arhumentakh ad rozumu I arhumentakh ad sertsa (On arguments coming from mind and heart) // Studentskaya dumka. Vilnia, 1925. # 1, 2.
14 Halynets A. Vialikaye aprashchennie tsi vialikaye udaskanalennie? (Grand simplification or grand perfection?) Ryga, 1926
15 Haretski M. Historiya belaruskaye litaratury (History of Belarusian literature). Vilnia, 1920
16 Haretski M. Hrestamatiya belaruskaye litaratury. XI vek – 1905 hod. (Reader of Belarusian literary works. 11th century - 1905). Vilnia, 1923; Braty M. I H. Haretski. Belaruska-maskouski slounik. (Belarusian-Moscow dictionary) 2-ye vydannie. Vilnia, 1920; Haretski M. I H. Maskouska-belaruski slounik (Mscow-Belarusian Dictionary). Vilnia, 1921; Haretski M. Dekliamatar (A reciter). Vilnia, 1923.
17 Rodzevich L. Belarus. Vilnia, 1922. S.5
18 Zhylka U. „Uyaulennie” (Imagination), 1923. S.19
19 Zhylka U. Na rostani (At the cross-roads). Vilnia, 1924.
20 Zhylka U. Pozhni (Stubble). Mn. 1986. S.9.
21 Kancheuski I. Verasniovaye pano (A September panel) // Nasha buduchyna. 1923. # 4; Kancheuski I. My razam (We are together)// Zahodniaya Belarus. – S.8.
22 Svayak K. Maya lira (My cither). Vilnia, 1924. S. 21
23 Same. S. 25.
24 Krautsou M. „Bratom” (To brothers)// Nasha dumka. Vilnia, 1921. # 24.
25 Chemer M. Vernaya dachka sontsa I shchyrai ziamel’ki (A loyal daughter of the Sun and generous land)// Rodniya honi. Vilnia, 1927. # 5-6; Lutskevich A. Adbitaye zhytstsio: Lekciyi I statstsi z belaruskaye adradzenskaye litaratury (A win back life: Lectures and articles from the Belarusian revival literature). Vilnia, 1929. S. 108-114.
26 Ruzhantsou A. Belaruskiya pis’menniki: Bibliyahrafichny slounik. (Belarusian writers: Bibliographic dictionary). T. 5. Mn., 1995. S. 168.
27 Salahub A. Lukishki. Mn., 1929. S. 37
28 Tokarev N. V. Vozvrashchyonniye imena (Returned names). Mn., 1992. S. 102.
29 Rodzevich L. Dośvitki (The Dawn). Vilnia, 1922. The newspaper version of the publications has been signed by the Liavon Zhytsen’ pseudonym. At that time some of the author’s works have been signed by one more pseudonym, i.e. „Suchasny”.
30 Suchasny. P. S. Kh. Vilnia, 1923.
31 Rodzevich. Na Kaliady” (On Christmas Eve)// Nasha buduchyna. 1922. # 3.
32 Rodzevich L. Kavali (Blacksmiths)// Zahodniaya Belarus. 1924. S. 95
33 Aliakhnovich F. „Niaskonchanaya drama” (An unfinished drama). Vilnia, 1922.
34 Belaruski kaliandar na 1922 hod. (Belarusian calendar for 1922). Vilnia, 1921. S. 80-81.
35 Homer. Iliyada. Peraklad Br. Tarashkevicha (Iliad. Translatted by Br. Tarashkevich)//Belaruski zvon. 1922. # 7, 9.
36 Kupryn A. Alesia. (Alesia is a proper name of the girl). Vilnia, 1923; Lermantau M. Mtsyri, paema (Mtsiry poem). Perakl. z raseisk. Krautsou Makar. Vyd. haz. „Zmahannie”. Vilnia, 1924.
37 Illiashevich Khv. Vesnapeśni (Spring songs). Vilnia, 1929. S. 3.
38 Hryvich V. Studentskaya dumka. 1925. # 1, 3-5.
39 Hryvich V. I. I nas razbudzili (We have finally been waken up as well)// Nasha sprava. 1926. 15, 18, 24 snezhnia.
40 Hryvich. Na paroze 1386 hodu (On the eve of 1386)// Rodniya honi. Kn. 1. S. 2-7
41 Palachanka. Ne vylechyla (Failed to have cured)//Rodniya honi. 1927. Kn. 2. S. 6-10; Palachanka. Kazka parvalas’ (The fairy-tale failed)// Rodniya honi. 1927. Kn. 4. S. 4-7; Palachanka. Khvaravity (A bit sick person)// Rodniya honi. Kn. 5. S. 5-6.
42 Hrynkevic St. Carkwa. Pomsta. Wiaznica. Wilnia, 1928.
43 Dvarchanin I. Maksim Bahdanovich// Rodniya honi. 1927. Kn. 5. S. 9-18; Dvarchanin I. Ab hodzie naradzhennia F. Skariny (On the year of birth of F. Skaryna)// Rodniya honi. 1927. Kn. 1. S. 20-22.
44 Dvarchanin I. Hrestamatiya novai Belaruskai litaratury (ad 1905 hodu) (Reader in new Belarusian literature; from 1905 on). Vilnia, 1927.
45 Sulima. „Nowy i najnowszy” kurs polityki polskiej w sprawie bialoruskiej („New and newest course” of Polish policy concerning the Belarusian issue). Wilno, 1932.