What is “The Fifth Kharkiv” and why does it need Yuriy Shevelyov

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“Fifth Kharkiv” is the name of the literary festival, which took place last year as well, almost underground, and now – under the constant threat of shelling. It was founded by Serhii Zhadan and the Kharkiv Literary Museum. “The Fifth Kharkiv” is the Kharkiv of the future. Dreamed, free from Russian provincialism and Sovietism, the city of Yury Shevelyov, an outstanding Ukrainian linguist, to whom the festival is dedicated. UP.Zhyttia attended a meeting of seven Kharkiv intellectuals who explained why Kharkiv can’t survive without Shevelyov. The meeting took place in the library of the Karazin University, where the linguist once studied. A conversation between Oleksandr Savchuk and Serhiy Zhadan. Photo: Ivan Samoilov In 1948, Yuriy Shevelyov published the essay “The Story of Kharkiv”, where he described four stages of the city’s development, starting from the 17th century and ending at the end of the 40s of the 20th century. The event took place in the Karazin University Library. Photo: Ivan Samoilov The first Kharkiv for Shevelyov is a city of free people, farms and craftsmen. The second is a provincial merchant city, in which the “hopelessly gray Russian empire” reigns. But the third Kharkiv is Khvylovy’s Kharkiv. The city of cultural renaissance, literary discussion, Ukrainian urbanism, and the “rebellious and rebellious Ukraine”. A prime time for bright intellectuals and exceptional artists, who will eventually be destroyed by the Soviet government. Conversation with linguists-researchers: Kateryna Karenuk and Serhiy Vakulenko. Photo: Ivan Samoilov The city of “old youth”, the standard and fear of the Soviet era – the fourth Kharkiv. And here Shevelyov writes that we need a fifth Kharkiv – a city of dreams and free people. Read also: “It feels like last spring’s Kyiv”: How Kharkiv comes to life despite everything Instigating Shevelyov’s return to his hometown, Serhiy Zhadan recalls that the idea of ​​the festival was born in conversations about what Kharkiv should be in the future. He also attends the current discussion in the library of the Karazyn University. Audience at the event. Photo: Ivan Samoilov “It was a few years ago. Even before the great war. I had a conversation with Yaroslav Markevich. At that time he was a people’s deputy. And I thought that we all lack such conversations about how we see the city of Kharkiv. How we understand it, how we know it and how we want to see it in the future. Then we started the first works and immediately contacted Kharkiv University. Yuliya Markovych and Oksana Zabuzhko and many other interesting people came to us. Then on there was a pause for some time. Later, the Kharkiv Litmuseum and I decided to renew this idea. It really seems to us to be relevant and in demand, actually for talking about and initiating various things,” says Serhiy Zhadan. A conversation about Shevelyov with Serhii Vakulenko. Photo: Ivan Samoilov During the current meeting in Kharkiv, historian Volodymyr Masliychuk, who researches the Slobozhanshchyna, reflects that the Fifth Kharkiv is the dream city of Yury Shevelyov himself. This Kharkiv should be beautiful, majestic and sovereign. It would be considered the center of the Ukrainian idea, the spiritual capital of the country. The ideal of an independent Ukraine could be realized in this city. The idea of ​​the fifth Kharkiv incredibly inspired Shevelyov – and not only him. “This is a good periodization, but let’s not forget that when Yury Volodymyrovych lived and wrote, it was the time of ideology, so we have images and symbols in front of us. The historian chooses the chronology of cultural processes,” says Volodymyr Masliychuk. Serhii Vakulenko at the discussion of the vision of the “new Kharkiv”. Photo: Ivan Samoilov As Kharkiv publisher Oleksandr Savchuk, who also takes part in the conversations, explains, Shevelyov has always had a unique and critical vision: “We often lack such an approach in essay writing and erudite professional specialties in general.” After the Second World War, Shevelyov went abroad and developed there as an outstanding Ukrainian linguist and activist of the Ukrainian diaspora. Read also: Pie, Whip and the sung poems of the Shot Renaissance in the de-occupied Kharkiv Region: “Happiness, that you cry from poetry” Shevelyov came from a German family, consciously accepted and defended Ukrainian identity, adds Savchuk. Therefore, he is interesting to the people of Kharkiv primarily not only as a linguist, but as a person who determined his nationality by himself – despite the difficult circumstances that did not contribute to this. Serhii Zhadan talked about the festival dedicated to Shevelyov. Photo: Ivan Samoilov Serhii Zhadan, who participated in the conversation with Savchuk, adds: “Interest in Yuriy Shevelyov is often connected not with what he did, but with the political or historical context in which he was included. That’s why we it’s interesting to talk about him more openly and impartially.” According to Zhadan, the conversation about the choice of Shevelyov allows the current residents of Kharkiv to understand themselves in the modern Ukrainian context and to understand their history and future. “Through the figure of Shevelyov, we are trying to show the complexity of Kharkiv’s experiences, identities, and historical path. But Kharkiv is clearly and indisputably a Ukrainian choice. His place is in the world of Ukrainian statehood and identity,” adds Zhadan. The library where the event was held. Photo: Ivan Samoilov Yuriy Sherekh is a pseudonym of Shevelyov, which he used when working on theater criticism. Tatiana Partola, another participant in the conversation, says that Shevelyov wrote a lot about Kurbas’s banned performances, and it is from his memories that scientists are researching the “Berezil” theater. Sherekh wrote not only about drama, but also about premises, actors, and acting. Last year, the almost underground festival “The Fifth Kharkiv” inspired many people in the city. “Many people gathered then – and we realized that we need to gather and meet like this more often”, – Tetyana Pylypchuk, director of the Kharkiv Lit Museum, shares her memories. “After all, we all want a greater understanding of the city in which we live. Extremely interesting people come to us, with whom we held various discussions on topical topics. That is, communication is born from painful topics for us.” The audience that was present at the event. Photo: Ivan Samoilov A year ago, the festival gained international status – Czech, Polish, and Lithuanian writers came. “And today’s event was actually created in order to update Shevelyov for the general public and try to answer the question of what he did and why,” adds Tetyana. “We are always happy to expand. Currently, we have colleagues from Dnipro who are interested in the event and want to implement a similar project in their city,” – notes Tetyana Pylypchuk. Serhii Zhadan is convinced that other cities can not only adopt such experience, but also find the same important figures for their regions, as for Kharkiv – this is Yuriy Shevelyov.

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