English: Anthem of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
Державний гімн Української Радянської Соціалістичної Республіки(Ukrainian) Государственный гимн Украинской Советской Социалистической Республики(Russian)
The Ukrainian People's Republic had instituted "Shche ne vmerla Ukrainy i slava, i volia" as its anthem in 1917. It was banned when the Russian and Ukrainian Bolsheviks took control Ukraine in 1920 and created the USSR in 1922. But they did not see any need for a Ukrainian anthem until the 1940s.
The idea of creating the anthem arose in context with introduction of the Ukrainian SSR to the United Nations organization, the creation of which was discussed at the 1943 Teheran Conference.[1] In order to receive extra votes in the United Nations, Stalin came up with the idea to add two union republics – Ukraine and Belarus – which had to be portrayed as fully sovereign republics.[1] In relation to that about a month later on 28 January – 1 February 1944 in Moscow was convened the 10th session of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union which adapted laws about creation of key people's commissariats (ministries) in union republics such as defense and foreign affairs.[1] Already on 3 February 1944 the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet issued its Ukase "About state anthems of Soviet republics", according to which all union republics were obligated to adopt own anthems.[1]
In spring of 1944 in Kiev was established a commission in preparation of anthem draft, which was headed by director of the Agitation and Propaganda section of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (b) of UkraineKonstantin Litvin.[1][c] The Ukrainian poets who participated in contest were given quite responsible and "delicate" task to create such "main song of Ukraine" that in all and completely would "fit" into the politically ideological context of the All-Union anthem ("State Anthem of the Soviet Union") and at the same time reflect the Ukrainian national characteristics.[1]
The leitmotif or motto-theme of practically all variants of the Ukrainian anthem lyrics submitted at the contest became glorification of the "older brother – the Great Russian people"[d] and the "Vozhd of all nations Joseph Stalin".[1] Among such variants were examples that began with the following leading lines:[1]
"In fraternal unity of Slavic nations our first brother is the people of Russia"
"Russia is our freedom and glory that united our nation and our land bloomed"
"Be glorious in the heart of Ukraine, the great friend, our Russian brother"
The authors were offering to implement into the anthem lines that would call Ukrainians "to live under the sun of the Kremlin and Moscow", "follow the freedom road under the stars of friendship, the stars of Moscow",[e] to glorify "in the heart of Ukraine, the great friend, our Russian brother" and so on.[1] In regards to Joseph Stalin, the creative fantasy of anthem writers had no limits indeed.[1] The Vozhd was named as the Sun, the Dawn, the Father of Ukraine (e.g. "Two suns you have one in the Kremlin, another burns in the blue sky").[1] There were numerous versions that were submitted, but never adopted during the still ongoing war.[1] Finally in 1949 due to certain awkwardness in the United Nations, there arose the issue to make changes to the Ukrainian state symbols, so there was finally adopted the new State Emblem and State Flag of the Ukrainian SSR.[1]
The authors of lyrics of the State Anthem of the Ukrainian SSR became prominent Soviet Ukrainian poets Pavlo Tychyna and Mykola Bazhan,[f] while the music was written by a creative team led by Soviet composer Anton Lebedynets.[1] The text body of the "main Ukrainian patriotic song", completely "fitted" into the ideological context of the All-Union anthem by glorifying the Soviet Union, in which the united Ukraine "found its happiness", "as a flower has blossomed", the Russian people who "in struggle for the fate of our nation was always our friend and brother", as well as the vozhdes like Lenin who "illuminated us the path to freedom" and Stalin who "leads us to the illustrious heights".[1]
When Stalin died in 1953, during the De-Stalinization, the State Anthems were muted by Nikita Khrushchev along with the Ukrainian SSR.[citation needed] In 1977, the Soviet Union adopted a new constitution and lyrics of the National Anthem, all its Socialist Republics followed the same path.
The fact that in the Soviet Ukrainian anthem the manifestation of national patriotic sentiments was transmitted through demonstration of loyalty to another nation undoubtedly could be considered the most fascinating paradox of the Soviet Ukrainian authorship of anthem.[1] However that paradox was completely natural as the anthem of the UkrSSR was a real visiting card of the Ukrainian Soviet puppet statehood.[1] Such it remained and after the implemented respective corrections in it in 1958 following the All-Union parenting model.[1]
The music was composed by Anton Dmytrovych Lebedynets, and the words were written by Pavlo Tychyna. In 1958, the second stanza of the lyrics was changed by Mykola Bazhan to remove mentions of Joseph Stalin; the new third stanza omitted reference to the “people’s sword of righteous anger” and added a new reference to “Lenin’s party” (the Communist Party of the Soviet Union) while retaining the one to Communism itself. The anthem of the USSR was also played during nearly all official events in Ukraine.
In 2002 there was an attempt to reintroduce the Ukrainian Soviet anthem with a changed text edited by Mykhailo Tush.[3] Previously, the Soviet anthems were already revived in the Russian Federation and Belarus.[3] Another attempt took place in 2010, in which the Luhansk wing of the Communist Party of Ukraine held a competition for new lyrics, which was won by Igor Ortsev from Luhansk.[4]
Since 2015, performance of this song is prohibited in Ukraine and offenders may be subject to up to five years of imprisonment for "Propaganda of the Soviet totalitarian symbols".[5]
I
Живи, Україно, прекрасна і сильна,
В Радянськім Союзі ти щастя знайшла.
Між рівними рівна, між вільними вільна,
Під сонцем свободи, як цвіт, розцвіла.
Приспів:
Слава Союзу Радянському, слава!
Слава Вітчизні народів-братів!
Живи, Україно, радянська державо,
Возз’єднаний краю на віки-віків!
II
Нам завжди у битвах за долю народу
Був другом і братом російський народ,
І Ленін осяяв нам путь на свободу,
І Сталін веде нас до світлих висот.
Приспів
III
Розіб’ємо всі ми ворожі навали
Народного гніву священним мечем!
Під стягом радянським ми дужими стали
І в світ Комунізму велично ідем!
Приспів
I
Zhyvy, Ukraino, prekrasna i syl'na,
V Radyans'kim Soiuzi ty shchastia znaishla.
Mizh rivnymy rivna, mizh vil'nymy vil'na,
Pid sontsem svobody, yak tsvit, roztsvila.
II
Nam zavzhdy u bytvakh za doliu narodu
Buv druhom i bratom rosiis'kyi narod,
I Lenin osiaiav nam put' na svobodu,
I Stalin vede nas do svitlykh vysot.
Prispiv
III
Rozib'yemo vsi my vorozhi navaly
Narodnoho hnivu sviashchennym mechem!
Pid stiahom radians'kym my duzhymy staly
I v svit Komunizmu velychno idem!
I
Live, Ukraine, beautiful and strong,
You found happiness in the Soviet Union.
Equal amid the equal, free amid the free,
Under the sun of freedom, you bloomed like a flower.
Chorus:
Glory to the Soviet Union, glory!
Glory to the Fatherland of brotherly nations!
Live, Ukraine, a Soviet nation,
As a reunited country forever and ever!
II
Always in a battle for the fate of the people,
The Russian people were our brothers and friends.
And Lenin illuminated our path to freedom,
And Stalin leadeth us to bright heights.
Chorus
III
Our foes’ forays we shall expunge
With the sacred sword of our people's rage!
Under the Soviet flag potent, we’ve become,
And loyal we go in the world of Communism!
I
Живи, Україно, прекрасна і сильна,
В Радянськім Союзі ти щастя знайшла.
Між рівними рівна, між вільними вільна,
Під сонцем свободи, як цвіт розцвіла.
Приспів:
Слава Союзу Радянському, слава!
Слава Вітчизні на віки-віків!
Живи Україно, радянська державо,
В єдиній родині народів-братів!
II
Нам завжди у битвах за долю народу
Був другом і братом російський народ,
Нас Ленін повів переможним походом
Під прапором Жовтня до світлих висот.
Приспів
III
Ми славим трудом Батьківщину могутню,
Утверджуєм правду безсмертних ідей.
У світ комунізму – величне майбутнє
Нас Ленінська партія мудро веде.
Приспів
I
Zhyvy, Ukraino, prekrasna i syl'na,
V Radians'kim Soiuzi ty shchastia znaishla.
Mizh rivnymy rivna, mizh vil'nymy vil'na,
Pid sontsem svobody, yak tsvit roztsvila.
Pryspiv:
Slava Soiuzu Radians'komu, slava!
Slava Vitchyzni na viky-vikiv!
Zhyvy, Ukraino, radians'ka derzhavo,
V yedynii rodyni narodiv-brativ!
II
Nam zavzhdy u bytvakh za doliu narodu
Buv druhom i bratom rosiis'kyi narod.
Nas Lenin poviv peremozhnym pokhodom
Pid praporom zhovtnia do svitlykh vysot.
Pryspiv
III
My slavym trudom bat'kivshchynu mohutniu,
Utverdzhuiem pravdu bezsmertnykh idei.
U svit komunizmu – velychne maibutne
Nas Lenin'ska partiia mudro vede.
I
Live, Ukraine, beautiful and strong,
You found happiness in the Soviet Union.
Equal amid the equal, free amid the free,
Under the sun of freedom, you bloomed like a flower.
Chorus:
Glory to the Soviet Union, glory!
Glory to the Fatherland forever and ever
Live, Ukraine, a Soviet nation,
In a united family of brotherly nations!
II
Always in a battle for the fate of the people,
The Russian people were our brothers and friends.
Lenin led us on a victorious campaign
Under the flag of October to brilliant heights.
Chorus
III
We glorify the mighty Fatherland through labor,
Affirming the truth of our immortal idea.
In the world of communism there is a great future,
The Party of Lenin leads us wisely!
Chorus
2010 proposal
The following are the lyrics by Igor Ortsev chosen in the competition held by the Luhansk wing of the Communist Party of Ukraine in 2010.[8][9]
I
Живи Україно, прекрасна і сильна,
На віки-віків нам на щастя дана.
З народної волі ти стала єдина,
Під сонцем свободи, як цвіт розцвіла.
Приспів:
Слава народу великому, слава!
Господарю долі на рідній землі!
Живи незалежно, могутня Державо,
Живи Україно, ми діти твої!
ІІ
Ми разом назавжди від Чорного моря,
До сивих Карпат та Донбаських степів.
І наші серця заповняє любов'ю,
Величність святого Дніпра берегів.
Приспів
III
Ми працею славимо нашу країну,
За честь і свободу, життя віддамо!
І віримо свято в свою Батьківщину,
Цю віру нащадкам ми передамо!
Приспів
I
Zhyvy, Ukraino, prekrasna i syl'na
Na viky-vikiv nam na shchastia dana.
Z narodnoi voli ty stala yedyna,
Pid sontsem svobody, yak tsvit roztsvila.
Pryspiv:
Slava narodu velykomu, slava!
Hospodariu doli na ridnii zemli!
Zhyvy nezalezhno, mohutnia Derzhavo,
Zhyvy Ukraino, my dity tvoi!
II
My razom nazavzhdy vid Chornoho moria,
Do syvykh Karpat ta Donbas'kykh stepiv.
I nashi sertsia zapovniaie liubov'iu,
Velychnist' sviatoho Dnipra berehiv.
Pryspiv
III
My pratseiu slavymo nashu krainu,
Za chest' i svobodu, zhyttia viddamo!
I virymo sviato v svoiu Bat'kivshchynu,
Tsiu viru nashchadkam my peredamo!
Pryspiv
I
Live Ukraine, beautiful and strong,
Happiness has been given to us forever and ever.
From the people's will you became united,
Under the sun of freedom, you bloomed as a flower.
Chorus:
Glory to the great people, glory!
Master of destiny in his native land!
Live independently, mighty State,
Live, Ukraine, we are your children!
II
We are together forever from the Black Sea,
To the grey Carpathians and Donbas steppes.
And fills our hearts with love,
The majesty of the Holy Dnieper shores.
Chorus
III
We glorify our country with labour,
For honour and freedom, we will give our lives!
And we sacredly believe in our Homeland,
We will pass on this faith to our descendants!
Chorus
Russian version
The Communist Party of Ukraine has also released a version of the proposed anthem, in Russian.[10]
Russian original
English translation
I
Живи, Украина, прекрасной и сильной
Навеки веков ты нам Богом дана
По воле народа ты стала единой
Под солнцем свободы, как цвет расцвела.
Припев:
Слава народу великому, слава!
Трудолюбивой и крепкой семьи,
Живи Украина, родная держава,
В мире любви на мирной земле!
II
Мы долго шагали, дорогой истории
К светлой мечте, счастью мирных людей!
Пусть наши сердца, переполнит восторгом,
Победа святых и бессмертных идей!
Припев
III
Мы славим трудом дорогую отчизну
За честь и свободу ёй жизнь посвятим!
Пусть путь нам укажет, звезда гуманизма
И предков заветы, что в сердце храним!
Припев
I
Live Ukraine, beautiful and strong,
Forever and ever you are given to us by God.
From the people's will you became united,
Under the sun of freedom, you bloomed as a flower.
Chorus:
Glory to the great people, glory!
A hardworking and strong family,
Live, Ukraine, our native country
In a world of love in a peaceful land!
II
We walked for a long time on the path of history
To a bright dream, the happiness of a peaceful people!
May our hearts overflow with delight,
The victory of holy and immortal ideas!
Chorus
III
We glorify our dear homeland with labour,
For honour and freedom, we will devote our lives to her!
May the path be shown to us, by the star of humanism
And the ancestral covenants, that we keep in our hearts!
^A dated term for the today's Russians in the Russian Empire (until early 20th century) was Great Russian people, while Ukrainians were known as Little Russian people, and Belarusians were known as White Russian people.
^The main element of the Mossovet emblem is a big red star.
^Both Tychyna and Bazhan were members of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) and in 1952 were admitted to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine.
