Vasyl Berezhny’s Anniversary
On June 26, 2026, the literary world commemorates 108 years since the birth of Vasyl Pavlovych Berezhny, a Ukrainian science fiction writer, journalist, and translator. Born on June 26, 1918, in the city of Bakhmach—now part of the Bakhmach district in Ukraine’s Chernihiv region—he passed away on March 19, 1988, in Kyiv. His career spanned decades, marking him as a key figure in Ukrainian speculative fiction.
Berezhny was a member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine and authored over 20 science fiction novellas and more than 50 short stories. His debut sci-fi work, “Into the Starry Worlds,” was published in 1956 with a print run of 65,000 copies, and a reprint followed in 1958 with 100,000 copies. Beyond fiction, he penned the essay “An Apology for Science Fiction,” underscoring his dedication to the genre. His works have been translated into English, Spanish, Latvian, Polish, Slovak, Hungarian, and French, highlighting his global reach and recognition.
Literary Legacy
Celebrating Vasyl Berezhny’s anniversary is a significant moment for Ukrainian literature, as he left a lasting imprint on the science fiction genre. His writing not only charts the evolution of speculative fiction in Ukraine but also demonstrates its influence on world literature, as evidenced by the many translations of his work.
This milestone invites a fresh look at his creative output and his role in Ukraine’s cultural landscape, while encouraging new generations of writers to explore and advance the field of science fiction.