Ales BACHYLA, a poet and a playwright, was born into a peasant family on March 2, 1918, in Minsk region of Belarus. He started schooling early because of his eagerness to read. As a boy, he liked schooling so much that his parents took him to Minsk to study, where he lived with his aunt. After his graduation, at the age of 16, from Minsk Pedagogical Community College (1934) he was sent to teach the Belarusian language and literature to a village school. He graduated from Minsk Teacher's Institute in 1939 (having done the course by correspondence). In the fall of 1939 Bachyla was summoned to join the Red Army. He took part in World War II, worked there at various H.Q.s as well as for a newspaper. After the war he worked for a variety of literary newspapers and journals.

His first poems were published in 1934. The main themes of his verses are the memories of the front, daily work of common people, love towards his country and the duty of a citizen, patriotism and portraying nature. Many of his verses have close ties with folklore and have a 'story' within them. Due to the last two features many of his poems were set to music. He also authored scripts for several operas; wrote a biographical book about Maxim Bahdanovich Taking Maxim's Roads; and completed many translations from Russian, Ukrainian, and other languages into Belarusian.

He was awarded the 'Patriotic War' (2 Grade) Order, 'Friendship of Nations', 'Red Star' and 'Sign of Honour' Orders and medals. A street in Maryina Gorka, Minsk region, bears his name.

Maksim BAHDANOVICH, one of the founders of modern Belarusian poetry, was born in Minsk in 1891, in the family of an ethnographer and a schoolmaster, Adam Bahdanovich. Soon after Maxim's birth, the family moved to Hrodna, then later to Russia where M. Bahdanovich lived most of his life. Living with his family in Russia (Nizhnyi Novgorod, Yaroslavl), Bahdanovich developed a love for Belarus and its past, which became his poetic inspiration. In addition to original poetry, Bahdanovich produced a considerable number of translations into Belarusian and Russian, from Latin, French, German, Finnish, Ukrainian, et al. The purpose of the translations was to acquaint the Belarusian reader with the world's masterpieces. During his life Bahdanovich published a single volume of poems, The Garland (1913). In 1916 he graduated from the Juridical Lyceum at Yaroslavl' and returned to Belarus. Shortly afterwards, he became seriously ill with tuberculosis. As a result he had to leave Belarus once again and go to the Black Sea resort of Yalta, where he died in 1917.

Bahdanovich's main influence in Belarusian literature lies in the area of various classical forms and patriotic themes. His verses speak of the past being intertwined with the contemporary life of Belarus.

Bahdanovich is one of the most well-known and loved Belarusian poets, who is read and quoted by many people. His untimely death at the age of 25 often draws expressions of sympathy. His passionate, yet very lyrical and melodic, verses have been made into many songs, which are sung all over Belarus.

Pauliuk BAHRYM, a poet, was born in November 2(14), 1812 in the village of Kroshyn (now in Brest region). He was educated in the village school, and worked on a farm. In 1828, he began to write poetry. Shortly afterwards, serf-riots occurred in Kroshyn. For his participation in these, and for the sentiments expressed in his poetry, he was conscripted into the army as a convict-soldier for a term of twenty-five years. He was not heard of thereafter as a poet and died in 1891.

His one surviving poem was first published in Count Leon Potocki's Powiescz Czasu mojego, czyli Litewskie przygody (My Times, or Lithuanian Adventures) together with a Polish translation and a some what fictionized account of Bahrym. The first edition of My Times appeared in London in 1854.

Frantsishak Benedykt BAHUSHEVICH (pen names Matsei Burachok, Symon Reuka z-pad Barysava, Husich, A.D., Demos, Ten), Belarusian poet, writer and journalist, who wrote in Belarusian and Polish, is often termed the 'father of the Belarusian nationalism' and the 'father of modern Belarusian literature'. He was born on April 9, 1840 (other source 9/21 March) of minor gentry parents on a farmstead not far from Vilnia (now the district of Smarhon, Belarus; other source: the estate of Svirany of the district of Vilnia, now Lithuanian Republic). In 1850s he studied Vilna gymnasium, and already at the age of 15 (1856) was known to contribute to the establishment of the Vilnia museum of antiquities. Upon his graduation in 1861 he entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of St. Petersburg University. Shortly after his enrolment, he was expelled for taking part in student uprisings. Having returned home in 1863 he began teaching in Dotsishki, in the Lida district (now Voranauski district, Belarus). He took part in the 1863-64 uprising, he was wounded in action, had to hide from repressions and finally moved to Ukraine. In 1865 he entered the Juridical College of Nizhyn, Ukraine, graduating in 1868. He worked for many years as Court Investigator in Ukraine, finally returning to Vilnia in 1884 where he became an advocate in the district court.

Bahusevich apparently began writing poetry in 1878. His first collection of poems, Belarusian Flute (Krakow, 1891) as well as his second, Belarusian Bow (Poznan, 1894) novel Tralalonacka (Krakow, 1892) had to be produced abroad (in the Austrian and Prussian zones of Poland) and were issued under the pseudonyms of Matsiei Burachok and Symon Reuka spad Barysava, owing to the strict censorship conditions within the Russian Empire. The fate of the manuscript of his final collection of poems (Belarusian violin, on which he was working at the time of his death), and of his collection of short stories (Belarusian Tales, publication of which was forbidden by the censor) is unknown. Much of his literary work, in Belarusian and Polish, remained unpublished for a long time. In 1898 Bahushevich moved to the estate of Kushlany, where he lived until April 15/28, 1900.

Ryhor BARADULIN, a poet and a translator, was born February 24, 1935, in Vitebsk region, Belarus. During World War II his father, who was taking part in guerrilla movement, died (1944) and their hut was burned. Later, after graduating from high school, he entered Belarusian State University. Among his fellow students there were many future Belarusian poets (M. Straltsou, H. Buraukin, V. Zuyonak, Y. Svirka, etc), which provided them with great opportunities to discuss their works and learn more techniques in poetry writing. After graduation (1959) Baradulin started working for many journals and newspapers as well as at a publishing company, Mastatskaya Litaratura. He has taken an active role in social life - taking part in a UN Session (1984) and in various political events.

His first verses were published in 1953. Baradulin has authored many poetical books, speaking of the main events of the time: war through perception of a child, life after the war and the worries of today's global issues. His verses are both humorous and witty and he has even written some poetry for children. He is a noted translator who has translated into Belarusian some verses of W. Shakespeare; G. Byron; Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian, Ukrainian, Moldavian, Georgian, Uzbek, Hungarian, Bulgarian, and Russian writers; as well as some Biblical texts. Many of his poems were set to music.

He has been awarded several orders: 'Friendship of Nations Order'; 'Honorary Sign Order'; the Kupala Literary Prize (for the collection of poems Room and a book of translations from F. Garcia Lorka Blue Dong of Granada [1976]); and the Prize of Comsomol of Belarus (for the book Ballad of Brest Fortress [1976]).

Zmitrok BIADULIA (real name Samuil Plaunik), a poet, prose writer, cultural worker, and political activist of the movement for the independence of Belarus, was born in 1886. His family was Jewish and lived in the small town of Pasadzets (Vilna Province, now Minsk region). His father worked as a forester and tenant farmer but was literate and taught his son to read. He sent him to study at the local Yeshiva (Talmudic school), from which he was later expelled for writing poetry. He began writing poems in Hebrew at the age of 13. Later he was introduced by his cousin, Mera Gordon, to the possibilities of Belarusian as a literary language. He began writing in Belarusian in 1910 contributing to Nasha Niva and joined its Editorial staff in 1912. He was one of the founders of the Uzvyssha (Excelsior) literary movement of the twenties. Biadulia died in 1941, in the general evacuation eastwards from Belarus, during the Nazi invasion.

His poems are to be found in two collections Under our Native Sky (1922) and Poems (1927). In his later years, he turned almost entirely to prose; in this field he published a number of novels and stories and also an autobiography. Biadulia's verses are romantic with a strong introspective, philosophical strain and little social content. His verse helped to deepen the general emotional and psychological level of Belarusian poetry in the 1920s. In his fiction Biadulia depicted the everyday life of small town people and their struggle for social justice. He extolled revolutionary activity and appealed to Jews to help in the Belarusian Revival Movement. He is noted for his lyricism, his attention to phrase and sentence structure and his use of a wealth of synonyms and metaphors, all of which contributed to the formation of the literary style of modern Belarusian literature.

Anton BIALEVICH, a poet, a prose writer, and a translator, was born May 14, 1914, in Minsk region, Belarus, into a family of a poor peasant. His father was a poet in heart and, as a boy, he was greatly influenced by him. In school he was encouraged by his teacher of language and literature to write his own poetry. Bialevich graduated from the Mahilyou Pegagogical Community College (1935) and then worked for several newspapers. During World War II he took part in the resistance movement and was sent as a spy into enemy territory. He knew many of the Belarusian and Russian authors personally, including Yanka Kupala, Yakub Kolas, Arkadz Kuliashou, and others.

His first verses were published in 1938 in a national literary newspaper. He authored more than 20 books of poetry, including satirical ones. Bialevich also wrote for children and authored various memories, essays, etc., translated from Russian. His main theme was praising the heroic deed of the people during the World War II and portraying country life. Many of his verses bear the signs of folklore and traditional musical style. That is why many of them were set to music.

He was awarded with 'Sign of Honour Order', various medals. A street in Uzda, Minsk region, bears his name.

Danuta BICHEL-ZAHNETAVA (maiden name Bichel, married - Zahnetava), a poet, was born in Hrodna region, Belarus, into a peasant's family. She studied in Lida and Havahrudak's Teaching Community Colleges (1953-1957), later she studied Belarusian language and literature in Hrodna Pedagogical Institute. After graduation she worked as a teacher of Belarusian. Since 1982 she has worked in Hrodna regional museum of history and archaeology. She also worked at Maksim Bahdanovich's Home, the place where Bahdanovich lived as a child.

She started to write verses at an early age. At elementary school, since the 5th grade, she started writing 'on a regular basis'. When at college, she read out her verses at various events. The first verse was published in 1958. Since then, she has authored several books of poetry. Her main themes are the feeling of duty; the self-worth of a Belarusian citizen; love and pride of her country, and of her history and today; current global problems and moral absolutes - love, friendship, faithfulness, etc. She has also published several books for children. Many of her verses were turned into songs.

She has been awarded the Honorary Address of Supreme Council of Belarus and Kupala Belarusian National Prize for her collection of verses Where They Walk Barefoot (1984).

Piatrus BROUKA, a poet, prose writer, children's writer, translator, and a political figure, was born into a peasant family on June 12, 1905, in the Vitsebsk region. He started working in 1918 as a book binder, then later worked in collective farms. Brouka graduated from the Belarusian State University, majoring in literature and linguistics, after which he worked for several newspapers and journals. During World War II he volunteered to go to the front, where he worked for a newspaper and helped to publish various proclamations for resistance. After the war he worked for the Union of Belarusian Writers and continued writing for various journals. He took part in UN Assembly (1959). Several times Brouka was elected deputy to the Supreme Council of Belarus and of the USSR. He was also elected Academician of the National Academy of Sciences. He was the editor-in-chief, from 1967, of many editions of the Belarusian Soviet Encyclopaedia volume.

Brouka started publishing his poems in 1926. He authored about 30 books of poetry, also a few books of prose, and wrote scripts for two operas. He translated into Belarusian, Ukrainian and Russian poets, and some poems by G. Byron. His early poems are full of romantic and lofty praise of new life and the hopes that a Revolution would bring. During WWII the contents of his works deepened and became more patriotic. In the 1960-1970s he wrote more of moral and philosophical issues. His poetry has very a clear and active social tone, full of zeal for his country. However, some of his verses didn't survive his time, being not truly artistic.

He was awarded four orders of 'Lenin', orders of 'October Revolution', 'Red Star Order', 'Friendship of Nations', 'Sign of Honour Order', and medals. He was given the title of 'Hero of Socialist Work' (1972), 'Honorary Scientist of Belarus' (1975), chosen 'Honorary Citizen of Minsk' (1980), 'Academician of Academy of Sciences' (1966), and many various State Prizes. In Minsk there is P. Brouka museum, and in other towns where he lived there are some memorable plaques and small exhibitions devoted to him. Streets in six Belarusian towns bear his name, as well as the Belarusian Encyclopaedia Publishing Company. There is also a special Brouka Grant in the Belarusian State University.

Yanka BRYL, a prose writer, translator, publicist, was born into the family of a railway worker in Odessa, Ukraine, on July 22/August 4, 1917. In 1922 his family returned to their native village in Western Belarus. There Yanka Bryl graduated from a seven-year Polish school. In his village he created a drama workshop, for which he translated plays of Polish and Russian writers, himself being a stage manager as well as an actor in those plays. In 1939 he was inducted into the Polish army, where he served as a marine. In September 1939, he was taken prisoner by the Germans, and in the fall of 1941, he escaped from captivity and made a daring journey back to his homeland. Once back in his homeland he took an active part in the guerrilla movement, which was involved in a heated struggle against the Nazis. He worked in communications, reconnaissance, and journalism - as the editor of the underground partisan newspaper. After the war ended he continued to work as a journalist for the magazines Maladost, Polymia, and others; was an editor of Belarusian State publishing house; was the head of the Belarusian department of USSR-Canada association; and became a deputy of the Supreme Council of Belarus.

His first publications appeared in 1938, first collection of poems in 1946. Bryl was the first to introduce into a Belarusian war prose the theme of spiritual values. His most successful books are Birds and Nests, A Handful of Sunbeams, Windows of Coloured Glass, A Hunk of Bread, The Distant Dawn, Out of the Fire (which he wrote together with Ales Adamovich and Uladimir Kalesnik), as well as his works of literary criticism Words and Ruminations and A Bit About Eternity. He is known for his translations from Russian (Lev Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov, Maxim Gorky), Ukrainian, Polish and other languages into Belarusian.

Bryl was given the title of the 'People's Writer', elected a deputy to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and was a Laureate of the Belarusian State Prize for Literature (1982), as well as the Yakub Kolas Prize for Literature (1963). He was also awarded numerous other medal and orders.

Kanstantsia BUILO, a poet, was born January 2, 1893, in Vilnia, into a peasant family with seven other children. In 1914 she studied a short term course for teachers in Vilnia. This enabled her to go on to teach in the Lida's district, Hrodna region, Belarus. Later she worked at Polatsk publishing company. In 1917 she became a runaway. After the 1917 Revolution, Builo worked as an accountant in a collective farm. In 1923 she became a house wife in Moscow. In 1933, after her husband was falsely accused, she moved from job to job working for various institutions. After her death Builo she was first buried in Moscow, but then the urn with her ashes was taken to Vishniovo, the place she spent her childhood years, and a monument was erected on her grave.

Her first verses were published in 1909 with help (and under the name) of her brother E. Builo. Her first book Mound Flower was edited by Y. Kupala. After that she authored several books of poetry for adults and for children. The main themes of her poetry were the life of a peasant before 1917; inspiration; work enthusiasm; the life of common people and their relationships; heroic deeds of World War II; and current daily life. She used a lot of folk motives and myths. Her openness and lyrical character made the verses very melodic, with many of them having been set to music. The poem I Love Our Land has become very popular and is perceived now as a folk song. Builo also authored several plays.

She was awarded with an order 'Sign of Honour', Honorary Addresses of Supreme Council of Belarus and medals. A school in Vishniovo (Valozhinki district, Minsk region, Belarus) bears her name and a memorial plaque is placed there. She was awarded a title 'Honorary of Worker of Letters'.

Henadz BURAUKIN, a poet, translator, and a political figure of Belarus, was born August 28, 1936, in Vitebsk region, into a family of an office worker of a flax factory. His father joined the guerrilla movement during World War II, then later joined the regular troops. Buraukin studied in Polatsk, later graduating from the Belarusian State University, majoring in journalism (1959). He has worked for various newspapers and journals. In 1978-1990 he was the Chairperson of State Committee of TV and Radio. In 1978 he took part in a UN Session. In 1990 he became a full representative of Belarus at the UN. Buraukin was a Deputy of the Supreme Council of Belarus in 1980-1990s.

His first verses were published in 1952 in Polatsk local paper. He has authored several books of poetry. In many ways his verses are a chronicle of his generation. The generation that survived World War II, rebuilt all the burned settlements, and refused to give up. In his poems about current life, he often brings in his experiences of war. His verses are a successful mix of patriotic zeal and intimate feelings. Many of them are filled with images of his native country, his mother and his beloved and have become popular songs. He has written pieces of prose, critical reviews, and some plays. Buraukin has translated from Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, Moldovian, Georgian, Bulgarian.

Buraukin was awarded several orders, Honorary Addresses of Supreme Council of Belarus, Ukraine, and Lithuania. Awarded Belarus Comsomol's Prize (1972), Kupala Belarus National Prize for the collection of verses Guard of Faithfulness (1980).

Vasil BYKAU, a prose writer, playwright and political figure, was born June 19, 1924 in Vitsebsk region, into a peasant family who worked for the collective farm for all of their lives. He went to an art school in Vitsebsk and majored in sculpture till WWII began, at which time, at the age of 17, he volunteered to join the Soviet Army. He served on the front until the last day of the war (by which time he was not even 21). He fought in the Army in Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, and Austria, and was wounded twice. After war he worked as an artist in Hrodna, then joined the military again (1949 - 1955, left as major). He began his literary career in writing as a reporter and worked for many years in the Hrodna daily Hrodnenskaya Prauda. From 1978 he was a full-time writer. Bukau was elected deputy of the Supreme Council of Belarus and deputy of the USSR. He was also a member of Republican Friendship Fund. From late 1998 until his death Bykau resided in Finland.

Bykau is one of Belarus' greatest writers, and certainly one of the best known. His first short stories appeared in 1956. Dedicating his talent to the war theme, Vasil Bykau earned renown and popularity for his stories The Third Flare, One Night, Sotnikau, Take Council with Your Pillow, The Alpine Ballad, Obelisk, To Live Till Dawn, To Go and Not to Return, The Wolf Pack, Sign of Misfortune and others. His books have been translated into hundred languages. Bykau's style is realistic, marked by physical details and psychological insights as well as by a touch of lyricism. Courage and cowardice, loyalty and treason are the moral fabric of the writer's stories.

He received many orders and international prizes, including the Soviet and Belarusian: 'Yakub Kolas Literary Prize' (1964), 'State Prize for Literature' (1974), 'Order of the Red Labour Banner' (1974), Y. Kolas Belarusian State prize (1978), 'People's Writer'(1980), 'Hero of Soviet Labour' (1984), 'Order of the Patriotic War (1st Degree)' (1985), Lenin's prize (1986), 'Order of the Friendship of Nations' (1994), Russia's 'Order of Friendship' (1997), Italy's 'San-Valentino International Golden Prize' (1998), and Russia's top independent literary prize, Triumph (1999), etc. Bykau was often mentioned among the Nobel Prize nominees.

Many of his novels were filmed and staged. Some of them were used to stage ballets and in operas.