On 23 October 2026, the Austrian-Ukrainian Society and the Embassy of Ukraine in Austria invite guests to a special literary evening featuring the presentation of three publications on Ukrainian literature and the ceremonial presentation of the Honorary Certificate of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to Professor Alois Woldan.

Three publications offer different perspectives on Ukraine’s literary heritage:

• “Die befreite Sphinx. Ukrainica in Wien nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg” (The Liberated Sphinx: Ukrainian Writings in Vienna after the First World War) – an anthology of Ukrainian prose and poetry written in Vienna following the First World War. Compiled by Alois Woldan in cooperation with Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, it brings previously overlooked or forgotten literary voices to German-speaking readers.

• Taras Shevchenko: “Nun gut, es waren scheinbar Worte nur …” – a selection of poetry by Ukraine’s national poet, edited by Alla Paslawska and Alois Woldan. Featuring German translations, including alternative versions of selected poems, the publication introduces readers to the richness and diversity of Shevchenko’s work.

• Mykola Khvylovy: “Wahnsinnig liebe ich das Leben” (I Love Life Madly) – a German-language publication introducing readers to one of the central figures of Ukrainian literary modernism and the Executed Renaissance, whose legacy remains essential to understanding Ukrainian cultural history.

A special highlight of the evening will be the recognition of Professor Alois Woldan, an Austrian literary scholar, Slavist and translator who has dedicated decades to researching and promoting Ukrainian literature internationally.

Professor Emeritus of Slavic Literatures at the University of Vienna, Woldan has contributed extensively to research on Ukrainian literature, the literary heritage of Galicia and cultural relations across Central and Eastern Europe.

Through his translations, publications and long-standing academic partnerships with Ukrainian universities, he has helped introduce Ukrainian authors and their works to German-speaking audiences. In 2016, he received an honorary doctorate from Ivan Franko National University of Lviv in recognition of his contributions to Ukrainian studies.

The Honorary Certificate of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine will recognise his long-standing contribution to Ukrainian culture and Austrian-Ukrainian academic cooperation.

The evening will be moderated by Professor Zoryana Kushpler and will include a discussion and musical performances.

Registration is mandatory: event_emb_at@mfa.gov.ua