THE DIARIES OF THE UKRAINIAN HETMAN IN FRANCE
Life | 01 March, 2026 at 10:18 | 595 | Author: Ukrainian Institute of National Memory
Collage by Olena Zelenina.
Oleksandr Alforov, Head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, recently visited the archives of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During this visit, he had the opportunity to study the original diary of Pylyp Orlyk, the Ukrainian Hetman and author of the first Ukrainian Constitution.
This diary is a unique historical monument. It consists of 5 volumes totaling 4,000 pages, covering daily entries from 1720 to 1734. The document contains a wealth of personal notes, including everyday affairs, memories of his studies at the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, and even gossip from royal courts. Crucially, it is also filled with reflections on Ukraine's future and its liberation from Moscow's occupation.
The Diary clearly highlights the political position of Ukraine at that time: an independent country of free people that is an integral part of the European space.
The Diary was written in a mix of Polish, Latin, French, and Ukrainian.
While there have been several previous attempts to publish it, the time has finally come! This is a significant step toward the preservation and promotion of Ukrainian national memory and identity.
The Ukrainian Institute of National Memory expresses its profound gratitude to the French archivists who have preserved this historical treasure for three centuries.
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