Nil Hilevich Passed Away

The National poet of Belarus Nil Hilevich passed away at the age of 85 in Minsk.

Radio Svaboda informs.

The editorial office of the charter97.org mourns the death of the poet .

Nil Hilevich was a poet, translator, author of tens of books, books on theory and history of literature and folklore.

He has been a member of the Union of Writers since 1954.

He graduated from Philology Department of the BSU in 1956, was a candidate of Philological Sciences, professor at the Belarusian Literature Department of the BSU.

In 1980-89 he used to be the first secretary of the Union of Writers of Belarus.

Laureate of state prize of Janka Kupala (1980), the national poet of Belarus (1991).

Since 60s he has actively supported belarusization, he used to be the deputy of the Supreme Council and was one of the initiators of the Law on Languages.

Then he headed the Commission on Education, Culture and heritage preservation.

In 1989-1997 he used to be a chairperson of the Frantsishak Skaryna Belarusian Language Society and one of the participators of the All-Belarusian Congress on Independence in July, 2000.

In the end of 2013 he published his last 23d book.

Viktar Kazko about Nil Hilevich: Passing Away Epoch

- What should I say? The epoch is passing away, Viktar Kazko says. - He was one of those people who are worth looking up to.

There is lack of such people now. We feel both mourning and loneliness. He defended our culture, people and language. And now it all passes away. And what is going to expect us? We suffer such losses...

Barys Pyatrovich: We were going to celebrate his birthday in September

The head of the Union of Writers Barys Pyatrovich told that the son of Mr. Hilevich had informed him about his death.

- He said that he passed away at 6.50 pm. Yesterday's morning he felt sick... He suffered from cancer. He spent a few months in Baraulyany. He hoped for the best. He was going to work. But it all failed. Nil Symonavich passed away.

Details are not specified. Perhaps, authorities will participate; he is the one and last national poet. If not, then relatives, friends and the union will be involved.

We were going to celebrate his birthday on September 30. It will be done, but, unfortunately, without him.