Shevchenko during the Great War: how the Kobzar's legacy resonates with modern Ukraine

Taras Shevchenko remains one of the key figures for the Ukrainian nation and statehood, both in the past and today. For many generations of Ukrainians, he has become not just a cultural symbol, but a moral compass, especially during the most difficult periods. Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine has only intensified the relevance of his words and ideas, UNN reports.

In conditions of colossal tension and the rise of national spirit, the literary heritage is once again being turned to as a source of meaning and inner support. That is why it is important to understand what place Shevchenko's figure occupies in contemporary wartime culture.

After the Revolution of Dignity (2013-2014) and the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, professional circles and society began to move away from outdated politicized notions of Taras Shevchenko from the Soviet era. According to the observations of the Institute of National Memory, in 2014 Shevchenko found himself on the Maidan barricades, and his anti-imperial themes, previously "cleaned up" by tsarist and Soviet censorship, acquired new meaning. The poet became ultra-fashionable among young people and middle-aged Ukrainians, and the image of the "living" Shevchenko began to interest contemporaries more and more.

The poet's literary heritage acquired direct political significance in the wartime context. Characteristic lines from his poems ("Fight – you will overcome! For God helps you...", "And with the enemy's evil blood, sprinkle freedom...") became slogans often quoted by politicians, activists, and military personnel. These lines are not only heard at rallies but are also visualized on posters and murals.

And in the spring of 2022, the nationwide campaign "Shevchenko calls, Ukraine wins!" was launched. During it, hundreds of famous people and public figures read Kobzar's poetry to boost morale and unite society.

How and why Russia has been fighting Taras Shevchenko for centuries

Shevchenko was always "under surveillance" by the Russian totalitarian regime (both during tsarism and in the Soviet era). The Institute of National Memory emphasizes that the poet, prose writer, and artist did not have a peaceful life. Initially, his work was subjected to harsh imperial censorship during his lifetime. And later, the USSR undertook to erase Shevchenko from the people's memory after his death.

With the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, the fate of the cultural memory of one of the leading Ukrainian artists caused particular concern.

For the Russian occupiers, Taras Shevchenko is inextricably linked with Ukrainian national identity. Therefore, they zealously destroy everything in their path that concerns the poet's cultural heritage and the honoring of him as a person. In libraries and schools of captured cities and villages, Russian Armed Forces soldiers spoil and burn Shevchenko's "Kobzar". And the artist's portraits are shot with small arms. Moreover, in Borodianka, which was under short-term occupation in 2022, the Russians deliberately disfigured the monument-bust of Shevchenko in the village square.

In addition, Russia's information wars include attempts to discredit or humiliate Ukrainian artists. Therefore, Taras Shevchenko periodically becomes a target of manipulation (in particular, myths about him are spread on the Russian internet).

And in the occupied territories, the Russian authorities deliberately "erase" the memory of Shevchenko and the significance of his work, either by completely prohibiting the artist from being included in the information and educational space, or by manipulatively emphasizing only his ties with Russian culture.

Taras Shevchenko as a diplomat on the cultural front during the war

Taras Shevchenko, in the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war, also becomes a powerful player in the cultural and diplomatic sphere. During cultural programs and international events, Shevchenko is positioned as a spiritual leader whose work transcends time. The Ukrainian Crisis Media Center noted in 2023:

"The figure of Shevchenko is iconic for the nation and state-building. The full-scale war is a stage of incredible tension of the national spirit, and the slogans of the Great Kobzar accompany this period."

Kobzar in a smartphone: how the war turned Shevchenko into part of digital folklore

It is worth mentioning separately non-standard initiatives that illustrate the folk culture of wartime. For example, in 2017–2018, the hashtag #DigitalShevchenko (created by the "Shchos Tam" community and Tvoe.Misto) was launched, where young artists made memes and collages with Shevchenko.

And in November 2023, the National Shevchenko Museum and Ravatar company launched the official Instagram page of virtual Shevchenko. There, artificial intelligence answers questions about Shevchenko and quotes the poet's poetry.

Also, powerful and creative theatrical initiatives related to the name of Taras Shevchenko are emerging in Ukraine: theater studios often stage readings of "Kobzar" or musicals based on his works.

Even memes about Shevchenko nowadays are more a manifestation of reinterpretation than commercial content or "hype" on the memory of the prominent poet and prose writer.