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Memoirs
Petro Hryhorenko, though born in Ukraine in 1907 in a small village in Zaporizhzhia region, had spent more than 30 years of his adult life living and working in Russia based out of Moscow. His life in Russia had a profound impact on him and ultimately made him not only a Ukrainian dissident, but also a Russian one.
As a young Ukrainian he witnessed the atrocities of both the Red and the White Russians as Russia attempted to re-occupy Ukraine in late 1910s once again - events recorded here with stunning authenticity.
Drawn to the ideals of communism, Hryhorenko became a Ukrainian Communist Party member in 1927, a loyal officer in the Red Army during the 1930s, and, as a general in World War II, a much decorated war hero.
It was after the death of Stalin that Hryhorenko found himself menacingly at odds with the Communist regime. Unable to remain silent about the injustices he saw around him, he moved into open opposition to many of Khrushchev's policies. That was more than a totalitarian state would permit. In 1964 he was stripped of his rank and imprisoned in a special psychiatric hospital. When Hryhorenko was released, he was kept under contact surveillance. In 1969 he was incarcerated again for five years until 1977.
That same year in 1977 while visiting the United States with his wife, Zinaida, his citizenship was revoked. Living in the US as an exile, Hryhorenko became an active member of Ukrainian diaspora in Canada & USA and in 1980 ultimately wrote this unique inside view of his life through the prism of Ukraine's history during long decades of Moscow's colonial rule over Ukraine.
As a young Ukrainian he witnessed the atrocities of both the Red and the White Russians as Russia attempted to re-occupy Ukraine in late 1910s once again - events recorded here with stunning authenticity.
Drawn to the ideals of communism, Hryhorenko became a Ukrainian Communist Party member in 1927, a loyal officer in the Red Army during the 1930s, and, as a general in World War II, a much decorated war hero.
It was after the death of Stalin that Hryhorenko found himself menacingly at odds with the Communist regime. Unable to remain silent about the injustices he saw around him, he moved into open opposition to many of Khrushchev's policies. That was more than a totalitarian state would permit. In 1964 he was stripped of his rank and imprisoned in a special psychiatric hospital. When Hryhorenko was released, he was kept under contact surveillance. In 1969 he was incarcerated again for five years until 1977.
That same year in 1977 while visiting the United States with his wife, Zinaida, his citizenship was revoked. Living in the US as an exile, Hryhorenko became an active member of Ukrainian diaspora in Canada & USA and in 1980 ultimately wrote this unique inside view of his life through the prism of Ukraine's history during long decades of Moscow's colonial rule over Ukraine.
- GenresNonfictionHistoryRussia
462 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 23, 2019
Another fat book of General Петро Григоренко’s memoirs. Loved it! Loved the personality of the general. I really do not understand why he is so little known among regular people. He was a beautiful and highly significant personality, especially for us, Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars. Although I think that Crimean Tatars remember, love, and respect him much more that we, Ukrainians.
However, he was an extremely important figure for all dissident and anti-Soviet movements whatsoever.
The memoirs are very interesting and detailed — he was also a really good writer that makes the atmosphere of any place and time he witnessed very lively and full of colors. I have already read part of the memoirs (about his dissident life in the later years) as they were repeated in the previous book “Генерал Петро Григоренко: Спогади, статті, матеріали” (2008). However, this book contains much more memoirs, starting from his early childhood.
Everything — including his childhood, his education, his participation in the war, his later pre-dissident life — is VERY interesting. I do recommend reading this book — it’s not only a good chance to learn about this amazing personality but also just a good memoir book, full of interesting personal and socially important stuff.
As I understand, it was originally written and published in Russian, but I have read a Ukrainian translation in paper. I have not seen such a full single book of Петро Григоренко’s memoirs in Russian, but I suppose that they are more or less covered by “В подполье можно встретить только крыс” — only watch for the edition that starts from his childhood (“Родился я 16 октября 1907 года на Украине – село Борисовка, Приморского района Запорожской области. Ребенком я себя не помню” etc.), not a shorter version that is only about his dissident activities.
I am very happy that I now have these two thick books about Петро Григоренко on my bookshelves!
However, he was an extremely important figure for all dissident and anti-Soviet movements whatsoever.
The memoirs are very interesting and detailed — he was also a really good writer that makes the atmosphere of any place and time he witnessed very lively and full of colors. I have already read part of the memoirs (about his dissident life in the later years) as they were repeated in the previous book “Генерал Петро Григоренко: Спогади, статті, матеріали” (2008). However, this book contains much more memoirs, starting from his early childhood.
Everything — including his childhood, his education, his participation in the war, his later pre-dissident life — is VERY interesting. I do recommend reading this book — it’s not only a good chance to learn about this amazing personality but also just a good memoir book, full of interesting personal and socially important stuff.
As I understand, it was originally written and published in Russian, but I have read a Ukrainian translation in paper. I have not seen such a full single book of Петро Григоренко’s memoirs in Russian, but I suppose that they are more or less covered by “В подполье можно встретить только крыс” — only watch for the edition that starts from his childhood (“Родился я 16 октября 1907 года на Украине – село Борисовка, Приморского района Запорожской области. Ребенком я себя не помню” etc.), not a shorter version that is only about his dissident activities.
I am very happy that I now have these two thick books about Петро Григоренко on my bookshelves!
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October 7, 2008Grigorenko Memoirs - Petro Grigorenko.
Brilliant man, amazing story. He just couldn't do anything other than tell the straight out truth. A man of will and strength.
Brilliant man, amazing story. He just couldn't do anything other than tell the straight out truth. A man of will and strength.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews