Olena Teliha

A Ukrainian poet, essayist, literary critic, and member of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN). Her life was short but incredibly intense and tragic. From childhood, she showed a keen interest in literature and public life. She studied in Ukraine and abroad, actively participating in the student movement. After getting married, the poet moved to Czechoslovakia, where she continued her literary work. Following the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, she returned to Ukraine, where she actively joined the struggle for independence. Her poems are filled with deep lyricism, philosophical reflections, and an unwavering belief in the future of her nation. Olena Teliha’s life was tragically cut short. On February 21, 1942, she was arrested by the Gestapo and executed in Babi Yar along with other figures of the Ukrainian national liberation movement.