Ivan Bahrianyi. In the First Person (To mark the 120th anniversary of his birth)

A review of the declassified documents relating to the renowned political figure and writer Ivan Bahrianyi (October 2, 1906–August 25, 1963), held in the archives of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, every time reveals little-known facets of this extraordinary individual. Particularly revealing are his personal testimonies, explanations, memoirs and comments on his own actions and surrounding events, which are recorded in interrogation transcripts, reports from the nkvd / mgb / kgb of the ussr, agent reports, handwritten explanations and journalistic sketches, which were meticulously collected by the chekists and added to the case file in an attempt to win him over to their side. But they never succeeded.

Even whilst under arrest and under investigation in the 1930s, Ivan Bahrianyi was not afraid to speak openly about his views and convictions. This is who he was in a nutshell – open, emotional, impassioned, unpredictable, straightforward, courageous, unyielding, uncompromising, sharp-tongued and free at heart.

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