Story of Slovo House

From 1919 to 1934 Kharkiv was the capital of Soviet Ukraine, and he was cultural life bustling. Communist party, trying to become closer to people, to win their favor, announced Ukrainization policy. This facilitated rise in literature and art. Writers had their works published in lots of new periodicals, actively participated in discussions and meetings, joined professional groups. In couple decades, 1920-s were called Red Renaissance. Executed Renaissance, to be true.

In the middle of 1920-s Ukrainian writers turned to Soviet government with a request to build cooperative building, where would be enough place for everyone. The government supported the project and provided finances. The idea to create such building was born in literary association "Plug" [meaning "Plow"]. Its members formed cooperative society, that was headed by Ostap Vyshnya, his right hand - Serhiy Pylypenko [head of "Plug" himself].

Construction of "Slovo" House started the very same year, on September 8-th, not far from center of the city, in the uphill region.

Architecture M.Dashkevych drafts were quite detailed, everything thougt out - stairs, inner and outer doors, territory around the house, fence. The house was built with best materials available at that time.

5 entrances. 5 floors. 1st, 4th and 5th entrances had also basement floor partly under the ground. 1st and 5th entrances were planned to be equiped with elevators, which were added later (after WW2). Habitants could sunbath at solarium located on the roof of the building. And on the basement floor of entrance 5 there was a kindergarten for writers' kids.

Total number of apartments - 66. Two apartments were meant for house administration - manager and janitor. All the rest belonged to men of letters and art.

Apartments had 3 or 4 rooms. High ceilings, big windows. Largest appartments, corner ones, are around 100 sq. meters. These are the ones taken by the head of cooperative (Vyshnya,Pylypenko).

But at some moment the construction works are delayed, gathered money is insufficient to finish all the works.

In February 1929, Moscow holds "Ukrainian week" event during which Ukrainian writers meet Russian colleagues and Josheph Stalin himself. Ostap Vyshnya decides to ask for money right there, he writes a note to leader and receives positive answer. According to fable retold by Stepan Kryzhanivskiy, Vyshnya gots a visit to his hotel room the very same evening and is given a suitcase of money. According to the transcript of meeting with Stalin, Lazar Kaganovych, Stalin's right hand, informs writers that they know about their need of money for the House and that it should be provided.

Despite the fact that not all utilities are properly set up, writers hurry up to move in before New Year 1930.

Head of cooperative and couple of those who took active part in construction process have an opportunity to choose apartments for themselves. All others draw lots. Thus 4-room apartment first goes to one of top writers, Mykola Hvyloviy, but due to quarrels he backs off and decides to go for a 3-room premises.

Most of people in the house had murky past. It has been kept secret lately that during Russian Civil War the whole elite of writers and poets of Soviet Ukraine fought against Bolsheviks under Ukrainian People's Republic flags. Petro Panch and Andriy Golovko were offices in Petlura army, Volodymyr Sosura and Borys Antonenko-Davydovych - reckless junkers, Oleksandr Kopilenko and even 16-year old Yuriy Yanovskiy - volunteer cavalry soldiers. Publc officials of UNR were Pavlo Gubenko(Ostap Vyshnya), Pavlo Tychyna and Yuriy Smolych… At the begining of 1920 part of them found themselves among Borotbists [left-nationalist party] and together with those converted to Bolsheviks. But some of them, for example, Ostapa Vyshnya and, according to some data, Yuriy Yanovskiy, the Reds took as hostages. Though Petlura leaven was still there in them» By historian Yaroslav Tinchenko.

No less was the number of communist ideas fans. One can name Mykola Hvyloviy, Myhailo Yaloviy, Serhiy Pylypenko, Oles' Dosvitniy. And there were purely pro-government writers.

Here agent Anton reports to the authorities in one go about three writers, who supposedly try to create anti-soviet center in Zaporizhya.

As former member of Central Rada [All-Ukrainian council of UNR] and one of founders of Ukrainian Socialist-Revolutionary Party, he probably felt that his position is quite precarious. Thus tried to use words carefully in his publications and wrote ideologically right articles. But having written some positive critiques on Hlyloviy's and Epik's writings, he draws attention of NKVD.

Arrested as a member of "Ukrainian National Center". Accused of belonging to this nonexistent organization were former members of Ukrainian communist party, Ukrainian social-revolutionary party and others, mostly Galicia-born [Western Ukrainian Region]. Sentenced to number of years in the colony. Died in one of Sevvostlag concentration camps.

Street doors are blocked under the pretense of residents' security. In the yard, NKVD guys are constantly watching who goes where. During next few years writers are arrested one after another. Cleared appartments are populated with new habitants, also becoming next victims soon afterwards. Great number of appartments have 2-3 repressed residents. Writers are frightened, stop writing or write denials on their previous works, start denounce each others.

The next day after Yaloviy's arrest, Hvyloviy invites Kulish and Dosvitniy [his closest allies] to his appartment. They talk about Yaloviy's case and try to find possible ways to solve the problem. In the middle to conversation, Hvyloviy goes to his work-room, and soon guests hear gun shot sound.

«Arest of Yaloviy is an execution of the whole generation. For what? For being the most sincere communists? I don't understand anything. Long live communism,... Long live commnunist party...», says his suicide note.

Was accused of "gloominess", distortion of optimistic Soviet reality, but stage director didn't back-pedal.

After arrest he was forced to write a statement in which admitted his guilt towards society. I declare my total and final disarming in regards to Soviet government and confess in being part of counterrevolutionary organization UVO [abbr. meaning Ukrainian Military Organization].

According to this statement, task of Les Kurbas was On theatrical front, to direct the course of the cultural-artistic process in Ukraine on bourgeois-nationalist rails. Sentenced to 5 years in prison, but in October 1937 sentence is changed to death penalty.

In May 1934, the capital of Ukraine moved from Kharkiv to Kyiv. By example of Kharkiv writers' house, Kyiv Rolit house was built. [Rolit - abbr., meaning "Workers of literature"]. A number of writers, who belong to the top, had a chance to move to Kyiv location with the hope to be more safe there. But actually it didn't help much.

In morning session, Ivan Kulik characterizes Mykola Kulish as an artist who represents nationalism manifestations in drama and "most of plays of which are explicitly nationalistic and hostile to us"

.Soon he is arrest and accused of affiliation to terrorist organization and connections with Ukrainian nationalists, sentenced to 10 years, executed same day as his workmate Les Kurbas.

In camps of Karelia, Sandarmokh, October 27 - November 4 1937, executed are 1111 prisoners to honor 20th anniversary of October revolution. 200+ were Ukrainians, among them "Slovo" writers: Les Kurbas, Mykola Kulish, Grygorih Epik, Andriy Paniv, Mykhailo Yaloviy, Antin Krushelnickiy, his sons Bogdan and Ostap, daughter Volodymyra, Valeryan Polishuk, Valeryan Pidmogylniy. Executed were mostly political prisoners, intellectuals.

Wave of repressions hit 40 out of 66 apartments Number of executed - 33, sentenced to long term and returned - 3, sentenced to long term and died in a colony - 2, suicide - 1, killed/died under unclear circumstances - 1.

After Kharkov's liberation, while Kyiv was still occupied, Kharkov becomes a place where war-time cultural life starts burst to again. Ukrainian writers return from evacuation, settle in almost empty house and are back to publishing work. But as soon as Kyiv is freed, most important figures head there.

After WW2, in 1945 house is empty again. Old residents recall that anybody could freely pick an apartment for oneself. During war the building wasn't damaged and stays in almost the same state as in the 1930-s. But later in 1950s-60s, due to arson solarium terraces burn down.

In 1950-s house is populated again with young writers of new generation. Also quite a few of painters and sculptors live here.

Most of repressed were rehabilitated in 1950s on request of relatives. For the sake of rehabilitation, investigation called in for questioning the same people who denounced in 1930s. New testimonies were completely opposite: convicts were never found to have anti-soviet views and were all in all honest communists, leave alone engaging in terrorism.

From the interrogation protocol of witness Pavel Gubenko (Ostap Vyshnya), 7/7/1955:

Question: Do you know Dosvitniy Oles Fedorovych?
Answer: Yes, I know him... I don't know about mistakes of Dosvitniy. I considered him to be good Communist party member, who was on the right tack.

Most of current habitants don't have any relation to families of writers. Now it is regular residential house.