“Live in harmony”

The reconstruction of the Andriivsky uzviz is in a full sweep, therefore it is impossible to hold traditional readings in different languages near the monument to the writer. The employees of the Bulgakov Museum have received a gift on the occasion of the writer’s birth anniversary (on May 15) and International Museum Day (May 19): a collection of the Bulgakovs’ family archives returned to the native walls.

The writer’s sister Nadia Bulgakova-Zemska (1983-1971) called herself a “family chronicler.” She kept a diary since childhood, preserved the correspondence starting from the 1890s till the Soviet time, collected letters, billboards, and newspaper publications. Her daughter, Olena Zemska (1926-2012), a linguist, preserved this documentation, published the works which were important for research on Bulgakov, and wrote a book Mikhail Bulgakov and his Family. A Family Portrait. Ms. Zemska was friends with the Bulgakov Museum; being thankful for revival of the Bulgakovs-Turbins family hearth, she transferred the family archives to the museum.

At the presentation one could see the most precious items, the originals of the letters, photos with autographs, and the edition of The White Guard which was published during the writer’s lifetime and bears his autograph to Ms. Zemska’s husband, Andrii Zemsky.

“The volume of the archive is of huge value, because we have never had previously the originals of Bulgakov’s letters,” the head of the museum Liudmyla GUBIANURI explained, “A special contribution to replenishing of the collection was made by the senior researcher of the museum Tetiana Rohozovska. It was largely owing to her that the archives came back to the house, she has been even awarded with the honorary title ‘Person of the Year’ in our museum. We are sincerely thankful to the Charity Foundation of the Bulgakov Museum in Kyiv (the chairperson of the Foundation board is Iryna Vorobiova) and all the sponsors.”

Gubianuri read loud one of Bulgakov’s letters, addressed to his family, where the writer asks: “Live in harmony in memory of our mother.” Apart from 14 letters of the Moscow period, the exhibit shows 9 photos depicting Bulgakov as a gymnasium graduate, Mikhail and his younger sisters, Varvara Mikhailovna at the living room of the house No. 13, Bulgakovs at a Bucha summer cottage, Olena Bulgakova (1961) et al. One of the latest autographs of the writer is on his photo portrait of 1940, a deed of grant to his nieces Olia and Olena Zemsky.

Now laborious and joyful work awaits the researchers, to sort, inventory, and include in the exposition the items, and the visitors of the museum can already see some of them.