Fabijan Šantyr

Fabijan Šantyr (also spelled Fabiyan Shantyr, ; 4 February 1887 - 29 May 1920) was a Belarusian poet, writer and public figure who has been regarded as “the first victim of [the Bolsheviks] in...Belarusian politics and literature”.

Early years Šantyr was born into the family of an artist in Slucak and lost his mother at a young age. In his youth he worked as a decorator and was engaged in self-education. "I grew up in an atmosphere of complete independence and never accepted any conditions that in one way or another would limit the will of the individual," he wrote in one of his letters.

He was imprisoned in Slucak between 1905-07 for participation in the events of the 1905 Revolution.

Involvement in the Belarusian independence movement Šantyr started writing in 1909 and his works were published in the Belarusian newspapers “Naša Niva" and Dzianica. In 1914 he was mobilised into the Russian Imperial Army and served as a supervisor of a field hospital in Babrujsk. From Babrujsk he travelled to Minsk to take part in the activities of Belarusian cultural and political organisations and became one of the leaders of the left wing of the Belarusian Socialist Assembly “Hramada”.

Зажынкі [Zažynki]

Zažynki is an ancient ritual associated with the beginning of the harvest.

Published in 1918 by a decision of Soviet Belarus’ government as "the first collection of works by Belarusian singers and writers who came from the family of the working people."

У час барацьбы [At the time of struggle], Krynica. 1988, № 11.