Olha Petliura Explained

Olha Petliura
Native Name Lang:uk
Birth Name:Olha Bilska
Birth Date:1885 12, df=y
Birth Place:Malaya Devitsa, Poltava Governorate, Russian Empire
(now Mala Divytsia, Chernihiv Oblast, Ukraine)
Death Place:Paris, France
Occupation:Former First Lady of Ukraine
Term Label1:In role
Order1:First Lady of Ukraine
Term Start1:1919
Term End1:1926
President1:Symon Petliura
Predecessor1:Rozalia Vynnychenko
Successor1:Mariya Livytska
Spouse:Symon Petliura

Olha Opanasivna Petliura (née: Bilska; 23 December 1885 – 23 November 1959) was a spouse of Ukrainian political leader Symon Petliura.[1] She graduated from the Higher Courses for Women, Kyiv.

Biography

Olha Bilska was born on 23 December 1885.In 1908, while she was in Kyiv, she met Symon Petliura. In 1910, they married and the couple took an active part in the life of the Ukrainian diaspora in Moscow, arranging concerts and literary evenings.In 1911, they had a daughter, Ukrainian poet, .[2]

In 1924, they settled in Paris. Olha did embroidery work in order to ensure a decent living for her family.

On 25 May 1926 Symon was shot dead by Sholom Schwartzbard.[3] [4] This greatly affected Olga's health: she fell ill and began to lose her hearing. In addition, her daughter fell ill and continued to live with this illness until 1941, after which she died at the age of under 30 years. Subsequently, her remains were transferred to the cemetery of Montparnasse and buried in the neighborhood with the grave of her father, Symon.

Olga Petliura died on 23 November 1959. She was buried in a family grave at the Montparnasse cemetery near her husband and daughter.

References

  1. http://www.brama.com/news/press/011022paris_ukrainians3.html Ukraine’s First President – Symon Petliura Ukrainians in Paris - Les Ukrainnienes de Paris: Part III
  2. Web site: Повернуто спадщину Лесі Петлюри. Олександр Москалець. 2 February 2012.
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20071030102658/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,731176-2,00.html Petlura Trial. TIME magazine of November 7, 1927
  4. Web site: FRANCE: Petlura Trial. https://web.archive.org/web/20071030102658/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,731176-2,00.html#ixzz0gBckOLa7. dead. October 30, 2007. November 7, 1927. TIME.com. April 17, 2015.