Item #135 Khochu zhyty!: Obrazky z nimetskykh kontsentratsiinykh taboriv [I want to live! Sketches of Nazi concentration camps]. Danylo Tchaikovsky, pseudonym: O. Danskyi.

Khochu zhyty!: Obrazky z nimetskykh kontsentratsiinykh taboriv [I want to live! Sketches of Nazi concentration camps]

Munich: Ukrainska Vydavnycha Spilka, 1946. Kozak, Edward (illustrator). Original pictorial wrappers. Item #135

This book, measuring 15 x 21 cm, comprises 163 pages and includes illustrations. The text is in Ukrainian, and the wrappers exhibit light wear.

The book is a first-hand account by Danylo Tchaikovsky, where the author narrates his experiences and those of his contemporaries through the protagonist, Hnat Tyrsky. The book delves into the profound patriotism that resonated within thousands of Tchaikovsky's fellow countrymen, capturing their despair for their homeland, along with their relentless yearning for victory and freedom. The illustrations within the book vividly depict the life of prisoners and the labor they were forced to undertake in the camp. This publication holds the distinction of being the first survivor’s account of Auschwitz published in Ukrainian and is among the earliest accounts detailing the atrocities of Nazi concentration camps.

Danylo Tchaikovsky, born into the family of priest Vasyl Tchaikovsky, was actively involved in youth nationalist movements, including Plast and the Union of Ukrainian Nationalist Youth. From 1929, he became a member of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and was imprisoned in Polish jails. On August 8, 1942, Tchaikovsky was detained in the German concentration camp Auschwitz.

Tchaikovsky also wrote "Our Days," a collection of short stories, and several children's stories. In 1958, he published "Kruty," a book about the heroic sacrifice of young Ukrainians in the battle against the Bolshevik invasion, which portrayed the valor of the Ukrainian people. Additionally, in 1965, he edited "Bandera's Moscow Murderers on Trial," a significant work in his literary career.

Price: $450.00