Andriy Malyshko’s work in frontline and special newspapers during World War II (1941-1945)

Abstract

The aim of the work is to analyze the specifics of the press and war correspondents’ activities in the USSR during World War II, using the example of Andriy Malyshko’s publications in frontline newspapers (1941-1945) and to examine the influence of his creative work as a poet and publicist on the partisan movement and Red Army soldiers.

The author of the article analyzes the features of the special and frontline newspapers of the Soviet Union, drawing on archival materials and wartime periodicals, based on the creative works and professional experience of Andriy Malyshko, a prominent Ukrainian Soviet writer and war correspondent for the newspaper ‘Za Radiansku Ukrainu!’ (‘For Soviet Ukraine!’). The influence of these newspaper publications on patriotic sentiments among soldiers, underground fighters, partisans, and the civilian population in the rear and occupied territories is thoroughly traced.

Propaganda in the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, particularly through newspapers, played a significant role in informing citizens and boosting patriotic morale among soldiers. The Soviet authorities established frontline newspapers (intended for servicemen) and special newspapers to disseminate information among the population in occupied and frontline zones, Red Army soldiers, underground fighters, and partisans.

The Ukrainian Soviet poet Andriy Malyshko made every effort to contribute to the victory over Nazism. His articles, essays, stories, and poems were published in numerous newspapers, including ‘Krasnaya Armiya’ (‘Red Army’), ‘Za Radiansku Ukrainu!’ (‘For Soviet Ukraine!’), and ‘Za chest Rodiny’ (‘For the Honor of the Motherland’), uplifting the spirit of the soldiers and encouraging them to fight the enemy. Andriy Malyshko’s poetry, like that of other writers, became widely popular, with his songs based on his poems sung by partisans and Red Army soldiers.