Dima (pseud. of Diamara Oleksiivna Khodymchuk)

Rosiani zori: poezii [Dewy stars: poems]

Munich: Suchasna Ukraina, 1952. Publisher's wrappers. Item #788

Book measures: 18.2 × 12.3 cm. 31 pages. Text in Ukrainian. Series: “Mala literaturna biblioteka”, ch. 3. The book bears the "Prolog Assoc Library No." stamps on several pages, including the title page. There are remnants from a torn spine label on the covers. Nevertheless, despite these minor imperfections, the book remains in good condition.

Dima, also recognized as Diamara Oleksiivna Khodymchuk, was born in 1925 and embarked on a remarkable life journey that profoundly influenced her literary works. As the daughter of acclaimed actors associated with the renowned Berezil Theatre in Kharkiv, she traversed a path filled with adversity during World War II, eventually leading to her deportation to Germany as an Ostarbeiter. Following the war's conclusion, she chose Paris as her initial place of residence, later establishing her home in New York. Diamara Khodymchuk exhibited a poignant and evocative poetic talent, often imbued with a sense of nostalgia, and her verses were frequently adapted into musical compositions, attesting to her ability to evoke powerful emotions through her writing.

Beyond her literary pursuits, Diamara Khodymchuk demonstrated remarkable versatility as a creative individual, adopting various pseudonyms, including Dima, Diamara Komilevska, and Karpo Kropyva. She not only distinguished herself as an accomplished Ukrainian author but also made significant contributions to the realms of playwriting and acting. Her personal life was intertwined with that of her husband, Leonid Poltava (1921 - 1990), known as Leonid Parhomovych. Leonid Poltava was a multifaceted figure, encompassing roles as a poet, playwright, and a prominent figure within the Reichskommissariat Ukraine (RKU) during the German occupation. Later in his life, he transitioned into journalism, lending his voice to radio stations like "Liberty" and "Voice of America."

The early chapters of Diamara Khodymchuk's life were marked by profound tragedy, as her father, Oleksa Khodimchuk, met his fate at the hands of Soviet authorities due to his involvement with the Ukrainian nationalist organization. This tragedy left behind his wife, Natalya Pilipenko, an actress and student of Les Kurbas, along with their 12-year-old daughter, Diamara Khodimchuk. The family underwent the hardships of forced labor in Germany during World War II before finding themselves in a camp designated for Ukrainian displaced persons. Ultimately, their journey led them to the Paris and later United States.

Although Dima hesitated to categorize herself as a modernist, her literary style unmistakably bore modernist traits. She masterfully crafted narratives featuring extraordinary situations, conveyed through an impressionistic narrative approach. Within her stories, Diamara Khodymchuk seamlessly intertwined external observations of the world with the profound inner experiences of her characters, thereby capturing the essence of existentialist philosophy. These multifaceted life experiences and literary talents converged to mold the distinctive voice and perspective that resonate within her written works.

Sold