University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections Finding Aid - Irena Knysh fonds (MSS 270) Generated by Access to Memory (AtoM) 2.5.4 Printed: October 02, 2020 Language of description: English University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections 330 Elizabeth Dafoe Library Winnipeg Manitoba Canada R3T 2N2 Telephone: 204-474-9986 Fax: 204-474-7913 Email: [email protected] http://umanitoba.ca/libraries/archives/ http://umlarchives.lib.umanitoba.ca/index.php/irene-knysh-fonds-2 Irena Knysh fonds Table of contents Summary information ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Administrative history / Biographical sketch .................................................................................................. 3 Scope and content ........................................................................................................................................... 4 Notes ................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Access points ................................................................................................................................................... 5 Series descriptions ........................................................................................................................................... 5 - Page 2 - MSS 270 Irena Knysh fonds Summary information Repository: University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections Title: Irena Knysh fonds ID: MSS 270 PC [alternative]: 229 Date: 1920-1995, predominant 1950-1980 (date of creation) Physical description: 2.47 m of textual records. 159 photographs. Dates of creation, Finding aid (A2008-070) created and encoded by V. Zvonik (2008). revision and deletion: Finding aid (A2009-052) created (2009). Revised by N. Courrier (April 2020). Administrative history / Biographical sketch Note Irena Knysh was a feminist, journalist, and author of many books on the Ukrainian women’s movement. She is well known among the Ukrainian Diaspora in Canada and America, as well as in Ukraine. Irena Knysh was born on April 20, 1909 in Lviv, (then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, now Ukraine) to Dmytro and Anastazia Shkvarok. In 1933, she graduated from Lviv University with a Master’s degree in Philosophy. She was fluent in many languages including Ukrainian, Polish, French, German, and English. After her graduation, she became an instructor of linguistics and taught at various secondary schools in Lviv and Przemy#l (Peremyshl’). During the 1930s, she collaborated with the Ukrainian Military Organization (UVO) and Ukrainian Organization of Nationalists (OUN). In 1939, she married Zynovii Knysh, a political and community activist. Her son, George Knysh, was born in 1940. During the Second World War, the family lived in Cracow, Lviv, and Austria. After the war they moved to France, where Irena Knysh became the Head of the Ukrainian Women’s Alliance in France. In 1950, she immigrated to Winnipeg and worked as a journalist for various Ukrainian newspapers including Kanadiis’kyi Farmer, Novyi shliakh, Zhinochyi Svit, Promin, and Ukrains’kyi Holos in Canada; Svoboda, Samostiina Ukraina, and Nashe Zhyttia in the United States; and Ukrains’ke Slovo in France. She wrote extensively on the Ukrainian women’s movement. Her books are also well known in Ukraine. Her major works include Na sluzhbi ridnoho narodu: iuvileinyi zbirnyk Orhanizatsii Ukrainok Kanady im. Ol’hy Basarab (Jubilee Collection of the UWOC) (1955), Ivan Franko ta rivnopravnist’ zhinky (Ivan Franko and Equal Rights for Women) (1956), Smoloskyp u temriavi (Torch in the Darkness) (1957), Patriotyzm Anny Ionker (The Patriotism of Anna Jonker) (1964), Zhinka vchora i s’ohodni (Collection of articles published in various Ukrainian newspapers) (1964), Nezabutnia Ol’ha Basarab (Unforgettable Olha Basarab) (1976), and Try rovesnytsi, 1860-1960 (Three Ukrainian Contemporaries) (1966). Irena Knysh was one of the first Ukrainian-Canadian women to be included in the Ukrainian Literary Encyclopaedia (Kyiv, 1990). She visited Ukraine in 1970 and her book, Vich-na-vich iz Ukrainoiu (1970), was a reflection of her journey. After Ukrainian independence in 1991, she was elected a member of the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections Page 3 MSS 270 Irena Knysh fonds Ukrainian Women’s Alliance in Lviv, Ukraine (2005) and in her honour a scientific conference took place on June 4, 2005. Irena Knysh passed away on May 11, 2006. Custodial history The fonds was donated to University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections by George Knysh of the Department of Political Studies, University of Manitoba, in 2008 and 2009. Scope and content The fonds consists of Irena Knysh's biographical information, her articles and research material pertaining to her writings (Ukrainian women's movement in Canada and America), correspondence including correspondence with Vasyl Avramenko, Ukrainian dance teacher, and a photograph collection. Notes Title notes Restrictions on access There are no restrictions on this material. Finding aids A finding aid can be downloaded by clicking on the Download link under "Finding aid" on the right hand side of this page. Related material Digitized Material: [Irena Knysh Digital Collection](http://umanitoba.ca/libraries/units/archives/digital/knysh/index.html). Irena Knysh's books are held in the Slavic Collection, University of Manitoba. Accruals Further accruals are expected. A substantial collection of letters between George Knysh and Irena Knysh (1955-1995) regarding her publications is still in George Knysh’s possession. Other notes • Publication status: published • Level of detail: Partial • Status description: Draft University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections Page 4 MSS 270 Irena Knysh fonds Access points • Textual record (documentary form) • Graphic material (documentary form) Series descriptions Ref code Title Dates Access status Container Accession MSS 270-A2008-070 229: Irena Knysh fonds Creator: Knysh, Irena Date: 1980-1990s (date of creation) Scope and content: The fonds consists of Irena Knysh's biographical information, her articles and research material pertaining to her writings (Ukrainian women's movement in Canada and America); correspondence including correspondence with Vasyl Avramenko, Ukrainian dance teacher; and a photograph collection. Physical description: 2.22 m of textual records and 86 photographs. Access points: • Textual record (documentary form) • Graphic material (documentary form) Arrangement: This collection is arranged into seven series 1. Biographical info 2. Irena Knysh's Articles (Typescript Excerpts and Newspaper Copies), Research Material 3. Ukrainian Women's Movement - Articles, Research Material 4. Ukrainian Canadian Committee (KUK) 5. Correspondence addressed to I. Knysh 6. Distribution (Addresses) - Card Catalogue 7. PC 229 (A.2008-70) - Photograph Collection Restrictions on access: There are no restrictions on access. Finding aids: University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections Page 5 MSS 270 Irena Knysh fonds A finding aid can be downloaded by clicking on the “Download’ link under “Finding Aid” on the right hand side of the screen. Publication status: published File / item list Biographical Information Access points: • Multiple media (documentary form) Publication status: published File / item list Ref code Title Dates Access status Container File - "Literaturna ta hromads'ka 2006 A2008-070, diial'nist' Ireny Knysh" Box 0001 File 0001 File - Irena Knysh, 90th Birthday 1966, 1976, A2008-070, 1984, 1999 Box 0001 File 0002 File - Lidia Kovalenko "90 vesen Ireny 1999 A2008-070, Knysh" and "Khto vona I zvidkillia" Box 0001 File 0003 File - Olia Sudchak, Interview with I. 1973 A2008-070, Knysh for Radio-Canada International Box 0001 File 0004 Irena Knysh's Articles and Research Material Access points: • Textual record (documentary form) Publication status: published File / item list Ref code Title Dates Access status Container File - "Z galerii nashykh pionerok" parts [1981-1985] A2008-070, 1-60 Box 0001 File 0005 File - "Z galerii nashykh pionerok" parts [1981-1985] A2008-070, 61-110 Box 0001 File 0006 University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections Page 6 MSS 270 Irena Knysh fonds File - "Z galerii nashykh pionerok" parts [1981-1985] A2008-070, 111-116, 120, 125 Box 0001 File 0007 File - "Z galerii nashykh pionerok" parts [1981-1985] A2008-070, 39-121 Box 0001 File 0008 File - "Z galerii nashykh pionerok" [1981-1985] A2008-070, excerpts Box 0001 File 0009 File - "Z galerii nashykh pionerok" 1982-1989 A2008-070, correspondence concerning publication Box 0001 File 0010 File - Handwritten notes from n.d. A2008-070, newspapers on Ukrainian Women's Box 0001 File Movement 0011 File - Handwritten notes from newspaper n.d. A2008-070, "Rada" (Kyiv, 1908-1910) Box 0001 File 0012 File - Handwritten notes on Ukrainian n.d. A2008-070, Women Pioneers Box 0002 File 0001 File - Handwritten research notes, n.d. A2008-070, excerpts Box 0002 File 0002 File - Research notes, excerpts n.d. A2008-070, Box 0002 File 0003 File - Handwritten notes (French, English n.d. A2008-070, and Ukrainian) Box 0002 File 0004 File - Research notes and material on 1937-1955 A2008-070, Nataliia Kobryns'ka Box 0002 File 0005 File - Research material, notes, excerpts n.d. A2008-070, Box 0002 File 0006 File - Source material on Nataliia n.d. A2008-070,