We have often written about prominent individuals born in Toronto. However, it’s important to remember that Toronto is considered a multicultural city. Many immigrants arrived in our city in previous centuries and began to build their lives here. Today, we will talk about Roman Kolisnyk, an outstanding Ukrainian writer, satirist, journalist, and public and cultural figure. He lived in Toronto for many years and left a significant legacy. Read more about the writer’s life and work on the pages of torontoski.info.
Life in Ukraine: What We Know
The future writer was born in 1923 in Ukraine, in the Ternopil region. In 1943, Roman graduated from the gymnasium in Chortkiv and then joined the ranks of the “Galicia” Division, where he fought until the end of World War II. This was followed by captivity in a POW camp in Rimini, Italy. After his release, the Ukrainian did not return to his homeland. In 1947, Kolisnyk settled in Munich, where he studied at the Ukrainian Higher School of Economics. He began working for the weekly newspaper Ukrainska Trybuna (Ukrainian Tribune). Two years later, Roman moved to Australia, where he worked in forestry under a government contract.
The Ukrainian’s Life in Canada
In 1957, Roman Kolisnyk immigrated to Canada. Here, he earned a degree as a financial analyst from McMaster University (Ontario) and worked for the government of the province of Ontario. It was in Toronto that Roman Kolisnyk began his literary career. He published as a prose writer, satirist, translator, and publicist. Furthermore, Roman Kolisnyk served as the editor of the magazines Koordynator (Coordinator) and Visti Kombatanata (Combatant’s News).
It is worth noting that Kolisnyk was also the author of over 800 works published in Canada, the USA, Israel, and other countries. A special place in his creative output is occupied by his research into the history of the Ukrainian “Galicia” Division, particularly the translation and commentary on the memoirs of Wolf-Dietrich Heike.
It should be emphasized that Roman Kolisnyk became an important figure in Toronto’s Ukrainian community. He actively supported cultural and civic initiatives, assisted Ukrainian dissidents, and contributed to democratic transformations in Ukraine. While in Toronto, he even established an Eternal Fund in his and his wife’s name to support the translation and publication of Ukrainian diaspora literature into English and French.
The Writer’s Recognition in Canada and Ukraine
Since 1993, Kolisnyk was a member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine, as his heritage includes prose, satirical essays, translations, and historical research.
Roman Kolisnyk’s most famous works include: the collection of humorous stories and feuilletons Tiazhko buty politychnym emigrantom (It’s Hard to Be a Political Émigré), the book about the Ukrainian “Galicia” Division Ostanniy postril (The Last Shot), the collections of memoirs, essays, and observations Maizhe, ale ne zovsim (Almost, But Not Quite) and Marshuiut dobrovoltsi… (The Volunteers Are Marching…), the book of reportage-memoirs Dovkola svitu (Around the World), and the historical work Viyskova uprava ta Ukrainska dyviziya “Halychyna” (The Military Board and the Ukrainian Division ‘Galicia’).
Additionally, for his creative work, the writer received a number of important awards and distinctions: the Shevchenko Medal, the Triumph Literary Award, and the Oleksa Hirnyk Literary and Patriotic-Educational Award.
Roman Kolisnyk passed away in Toronto in 2016. The writer left behind a rich cultural heritage. Indeed, the life and work of Roman Kolisnyk serve as an example of an indomitable spirit, love for his native culture, and an active civic stance.
This is the life story of a renowned individual who was born in Ukraine but managed to realize his creative talent fully in Toronto. We hope our material was informative and that you learned more about the writer Roman Kolisnyk.