Ivan Drach

Drach in January 2017

Ivan Fedorovych Drach (Ukrainian: Іва́н Фе́дорович Драч, 17 October 1936 – 19 June 2018) was a Ukrainian poet, screenwriter, literary critic, politician, and political activist.^[1][2] He was born in Kyiv Oblast. In the spring of 1990, Drach was elected to the Verkhovna Rada from Artemivsk (№ 259) constituency.

Drach took part in literary evenings where innovative poems were read. He made his debut in 1961, when his poem-tragedy "Knife in the Sun" was published in the Kyiv literary newspaper. Drach worked in the newspapers "Literary Ukraine" and "Fatherland".^[3]

Drach played an important role in the founding of Rukh – the People's Movement of Ukraine – and led the organisation from 1989 to 1992.^[1]

Drach died 19 June 2018 in Kyiv from a heart attack at the age of 81.^[3]

References

1. "Drach, Ivan". encyclopediaofukraine.com. Retrieved 2015-01-23.
2. "Kiev or Kyiv: language an issue in Ukraine - CSMonitor.com". csmonitor.com. Retrieved 2015-01-23.
3. "Помер Іван Драч" (in Ukrainian). Мистецький портал «Жінка-УКРАЇНКА». 2018-06-19.
   Ivan Drach, prominent Ukrainian poet, dies at 81, UNIAN (19 June 2018)