44 years have passed since death of legendary Volodymyr Ivasyuk

At the end of April, worldwide Ukrainians honor the memory of the legendary Ukrainian composer, author of “Chervona Ruta,” “Vodohrai,” “Invite Me Into Your Dreams” and other famous songs, Volodymyr Ivasyuk, who fell victim to the Soviet communist regime.  

Volodymyr Ivasyuk died at the age of 30, but even during his short life, the brilliant composer created more than 100 songs, 53 instrumental pieces, and music for several plays. He played the violin, piano, cello, and guitar himself, wrote poetry, and sang.  

On April 24, 1979, the composer left home to work at the conservatory and never returned. His body was found in the Bryukhovets forest in Lviv Oblast in May. According to the prosecutor’s office, the cause of death was suicide. 

 

Even then, fans of Volodymyr Ivasyuk’s work, relatives, and friends, who were optimistic and bright, could not believe this version. According to eyewitnesses, the entire Lviv gathered for his funeral. 

“…Perhaps the KGB was trying to persuade Volodymyr to cooperate. But he was not one of those who did things that were not worthy of him and that he would be ashamed of. The KGB was skillful at interrogation, and he may have been thrown into the basement of the detention center, tortured, and taken to the forest to stage suicide. But the third version – that he took his own life – cannot be true. Volodya, full of strength, fame, life, and plans, could not have done this,” Ukrainian songwriter Bohdan Stelmakh, quoted by Radio Liberty, recalls the composer. 

In 2019, the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise concluded that the composer-performer Volodymyr Ivasyuk could not have physically committed suicide. 

The death of the Ukrainian musical genius is at the hands of the same terrorist regime whose goal is to eliminate the Ukrainian national identity via genocide of the Ukrainian people today. May the great composer’s memory be eternal and bright!