Anthem of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic
The State Anthem of the Ukrainian SSR was the Soviet republican anthem of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic when it was one of the republics of the Soviet Union.
Since 2015, performance of this song is prohibited in Ukraine and offenders may be subject to up to five years imprisonment for "Propaganda of the Soviet and Communist symbols".
Background
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. 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. 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 in union republics such as defense and foreign affairs. 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.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 of Ukraine :ru:Литвин, Константин Захарович|Konstantin Litvin. 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 and at the same time reflect the Ukrainian national characteristics.
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" and the "Vozhd of all nations Joseph Stalin". Among such variants were examples that began with the following leading lines:
- "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 of lyrics of the State Anthem of the Ukrainian SSR became prominent Soviet Ukrainian poets Pavlo Tychyna and Mykola Bazhan, while the music was written by a creative team led by Soviet composer Anton Lebedynets. 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".
When Stalin died in 1953, during the De-Stalinization, the State Anthems were muted by Nikita Khrushchev alongside with the Ukrainian SSR. 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 Ukrainian Soviet anthem the manifestation of national patriotic sentiments was transmitted through demonstration of loyalty to other nation undoubtedly could be considered the most fascinating paradox of the Ukrainian Soviet authorship of anthem. However that paradox was completely natural as the anthem of the UkrSSR was a real visiting card of the Ukrainian Soviet puppet statehood. Such it remained and after the implemented respective corrections in it in 1978 following the All-Union parenting model.
The music was composed by Anton Dmytrovych Lebedynets, and the words were written by Pavlo Tychyna. In 1978, 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” while retaining the one to Communism itself. The anthem of the USSR was also played during nearly all official events in Ukraine.
On 15 January 1992, the Presidium of Verkhovna Rada issue its ukase stating that the Anthem of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic loses its status and starting with 16 January 1992 it is replaced with the Ukrainian anthem.
In 2002 there was an attempt to reintroduce the Ukrainian Soviet anthem with a changed text edited by Mykhailo Tush. Previously, the Soviet anthems were already revived in the Russian Federation and Belarus. Another attempt took place in 2010.
Lyrics
Original lyrics: 1949—78
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Live, Ukraine, the beautiful and mighty, You have found happiness in the Soviet Union. Equal among equals, free among the free ones, You have bloomed as a flower under the sunrays of freedom. Chorus: II Always in battles for our people's fate The Russian people were our brothers and friends. And Lenin illuminates our path to freedom, And Stalin leads us to the bright heights. III We shall destroy all our enemy invasions With sacred sword of our People's anger! Under the Soviet banner we became mighty And in the world of Communism we majestically go! Post-Stalinist version: 1978—91
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