Michael Komarov Ukrainian ethnographer, lawyer, attorney Date of Birth: 04.02.1844 Country: Ukraine

1. Early Life and Education
2. Legal and Notary Career
3. Folklorist and Bibliographer
4. Russko-Ukrainskyi Slovnyk (1893-1898)
5. Literary Contributions
6. Ties to Home

Early Life and Education

Mykhailo Komarov was born in Ukraine and earned his law degree from Kharkiv University in 1867.

Legal and Notary Career

Komarov served as a public attorney in Ostrogozhsk and Kyiv before becoming a notary in Uman and later in Odessa.

Folklorist and Bibliographer

Komarov had a passion for Ukrainian folklore and collected folk songs. He published a collection of proverbs and incantations titled "Nova Zbirka" in 1891. In 1883, he compiled a bibliographic index of contemporary Ukrainian literature called "Pokazchyk."

Russko-Ukrainskyi Slovnyk (1893-1898)

Komarov's most significant contribution was his collaboration on the four-volume "Russko-Ukrainskyi Slovnyk." Published under the pseudonyms M. Umanets and A. Spilka, the dictionary was funded by Ukrainian philanthropist Yevhen Chykalenko. Spilka represented a collective of authors who provided Komarov with vocabulary.

Literary Contributions

Komarov's brief articles on Ukrainian literature appeared in "Kyivska Starina" and Galician publications such as "Dilo," "Zorya," and "Pravda." In 1874-1875, he published several educational booklets in Ukrainian.

Ties to Home

Komarov maintained connections with his native region, becoming a member of the "Prosvita" society in Yekaterinoslav. The local Ukrainian journal "Dniprovi Khvyli" reviewed his books. Six letters from Komarov to historian Dmytro Yavornytsky are preserved. Upon his death in Odessa, a telegram of sympathy was sent from the "Prosvita" society in Manuilivka near Yekaterinoslav.