Vasil Bykau

Vasil Uladzimiravich Bykau (Belarusian: Васі́ль Уладзі́міравіч Бы́каў; Russian: Васи́лий Влади́мирович Бы́ков) (June 19, 1924 - June 22, 2003) a prolific author of novels and novellas about World War II, is a monumental figure in Belarusian literature and civic thought. The writer's talent and the moral courage that permeates his writings earned him endorsements for the Nobel Prize nomination from, among others, Nobel Prize laureates Joseph Brodsky and Czeslaw Milosz.

Bykau's literary achievement lies in his sternly realistic, albeit touched by lyricism, depictions of World War II battles, typically with a small number of personages. In the ferociousness of encounter they face moral dilemmas both vis-a-vis their enemies and within their own Soviet world burdened by ideological and political constraints. Bykau's novellas that are available in English translation, such as "The Dead Feel No Pain" (1965), "The Ordeal" (1970), "Wolf Pack" (1975) and "Sign of Misfortune", challenged the official, ideologically doctored, version of the war. This daring brought upon the writer vicious accusations of "false humanism" from some Red Army generals and the Communist Party press. "Vasil Bykov is a very courageous and uncompromising writer, rather of the Solzhenitsyn stamp," wrote Michael Glenny in Partisan Review in 1972. Bykau was one of the most beleaguered writers in the Soviet Union, but nevertheless, he was openly admired by many. In 1980 he was awarded the honorific title of People's Writer of Belarus.

Outside of his native country, Vasil Bykau is the most widely read Belarusian writer. During the Soviet period, his works were translated into all major languages of the world. However, most of the translations were done on the basis of Russian rendering, and in numerous instances the Russian translation of his works was marred by ideological distortions. References in his works to Belarusian national pride or religious sentiments or the respect for German culture, were substituted by Russian values or omitted entirely. Bykau wrote all of his works in his native Belarusian language. He resisted enticements to write in Russian. It was a conscious choice in face of the Soviet regime's efforts to russify Belarus. Now, despite the continued Russification by the present autocratic regime of Alexander Lukashenka, Vasil Bykau's stature in the life of his country remains enormous. After several years in self-imposed exile to protest the regime's treatment of the national culture, and especially of the Belarusan language, he returned to his homeland just a month before his passing. The memory of his turbulent life and uncompromising stance will only enhance his impact on national life. His condemnation of Stalinist crimes and his endorsement of the Belarusian national renewal will continue to be a powerful catalyst in the ongoing process of Belarus road to recovery from historic trauma suffered under various occupations. From beyond his grave Vasil Bykau will contribute to Belarus' movement toward self-assertion as one of Europe's independent democratic nations.