For schools · Grades 7–9 · 15 min
Lesson: Prague edition of the Kobzar, 1876
The two-volume Prague edition of Taras Shevchenko's Kobzar bears the imprint year 1876, although its first volume was printed in late 1875.
Goal: To explain through «Prague edition of the Kobzar, 1876» how people, institutions and events link Czechia and Ukraine.
Lesson plan
- 3 min · Introduction. Show Prague and Ukraine on a map. Ask the class what they know about «Prague edition of the Kobzar, 1876».
- 4 min · Who is it. The two-volume Prague edition of Taras Shevchenko's Kobzar bears the imprint year 1876, although its first volume was printed in late 1875. Ukrainian editors and organizers including Sofiia and Oleksandr Rusov and Fedir Vovk worked with the Czech publishing and printing network associated with Eduard Grégr. The volumes differed in content and censorship strategy.
- 5 min · Facts from the dossier. Read the dossier facts aloud and ask pupils in pairs to put them in order of time.
- 3 min · Summary. Discuss what of this story can still be seen today and where to learn more about it.
Facts
- 1875-05: The Rusovs leave for Prague to carry out the publishing project. R0086
- 1875: According to the publishers’ memoirs, F. Vovk supplies manuscripts with different censorship statuses. R0086
- 1875-12: The first volume actually appears, with 1876 on its title page. R0086
- 1876: First volume in the catalogue: XXII + 414 pages, memoirs by Turgenev and Polonsky. R0086
Questions to discuss
- What links «Prague edition of the Kobzar, 1876» with Czechia and Ukraine?
- Which source supports the most important fact?
- What does the dossier mark as unverified, and why?
Task
Find one source in the dossier and describe what it says.