Leonid Glebov Ukrainian writer, poet, publisher Date of Birth: 05.03.1827 Country: Ukraine

Biography of Leonid Hlebov

Leonid Hlebov was a Ukrainian writer, poet, and publisher. He was born into a family of estate managers for the Rodzyanko magnates. He received his primary education at home, with his mother's guidance, and in 1840, he enrolled in the Poltava Gymnasium, where he began writing poetry. His first collection of poetry in Russian, titled "Poems by Leonid Hlebov," was published in 1847.

During his studies at the Nezhin Gymnasium of Higher Sciences, Hlebov became interested in the genre of fables. He adapted and translated Aesop's and Lafontaine's fables into Ukrainian and published some of them in the newspaper "Chernigov Provincial Gazette." He adopted the literary pseudonym "Leonid Hlibov," using the Russian spelling of his name as "Hlebov" instead of the traditional Ukrainian spelling "Hlibov," as a way to bridge the gap between the two languages.

After graduating from the gymnasium in 1855, Hlebov worked as a teacher of history and geography in Chernyi Ostrov in Podolia. In 1858, he moved to the Chernigov Boys Gymnasium, where he advocated for progressive teaching methods. The Chernigov intellectual community formed around Hlebov's family.

In 1861, Hlebov became the publisher and editor of the newly established newspaper "Chernigov Leaf." The weekly publication often featured socially critical materials targeting local officials, landlords, and abuses of the judicial system. In 1863, Hlebov's connection with a member of the underground organization "Land and Freedom," I. Andrushchenko, led to him being stripped of his teaching rights and placed under police supervision. He spent two years in Nezhin before returning to Chernigov in 1865, where he worked as a minor official in the governor's office.

In 1867, Hlebov became the manager of the regional printing press and continued his active creative work. He prepared collections of his fables, published feuilletons, theatrical reviews, articles, poems in Russian, and works for children. Hlebov gained widespread recognition in Ukrainian literature as a fable writer. He wrote several hundred fables, and his first collection, "Fables by Leonid Hlebov," containing 36 works, was published in Kiev in 1863. However, most of the print run was destroyed due to censorship. The second, expanded edition of his fables was published in 1872, followed by a reprint in 1882.

Hlebov's attempts to publish other collections were unsuccessful due to censorship. He passed away on November 10, 1893, in Chernigov, where he was buried near the right wall of the Trinity Cathedral, which now houses the Chernigov Diocese and Chernigov Theological School.