For the first time, the Ukrainian public can see one-hundred-year-old documents related to the Franko family

On March 5, a unique exhibition “The Ardent Franko’s Falcon” was opened in the Ivan Franko’s family Memorial Apartment in Kyiv. It is dedicated to the 130th anniversary of the birth of Ivan Franko’s son Taras.

130 years ago, namely on March 9, Ivan Franko’s second son was born, whose parents named him after Taras Shevchenko, because he was born just on the day of the 75th anniversary of the birth of Kobzar.

The exposition shows the unique exhibits kept in the apartment to which the family of Taras Franko was forcibly relocated from Lviv in the 50’s, and which is now the Ivan Franko’s family Memorial Apartment.

Among the exhibits are the original documents, in particular Taras Franko’s baptism certificate (1893), the original certificates of education (1900-1909), the student’s record books of the Lviv (1909) and the Vienna (1910) Universities, the original typescripts. Besides, the exhibition presents Taras Franko’s personal belongings, books, letters, photographs, periodicals and art works of that time. Many exhibits are shown to the general public for the first time.

Among other things, it presents documentary evidence demonstrating that Franko’s son was struggling to preserve the Ukrainian language in Soviet Kyiv.

Historical rarities are complemented by showcases that tell people about the talents of all Ivan Franko’s children. There is also a collection of letters that the sons of Franko addressed to their mother – Olha Khoruzhynska.

Taras Franko’s son Roland Franko opened the exhibition showing the collections of the Ivan Franko International Fund.

The opening of the updated exhibition was attended by the heads of the Franko museums from Kyiv, Lviv and Naguyevychi, as well as Franko scholars, research workers and admirers of Franko.



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