For International Children’s Day: Warm Words of Evdokia Los in the Collections of the Belarusian State Archives and Museum of Literature and Art (BSAMLI)

June 1st marks International Children’s Day worldwide. To mark this occasion, the Belarusian State Archives and Museum of Literature and Art (hereinafter referred to as BSAMLI) presents documentary materials from the collection of the renowned Belarusian poetess Evdokia Los (1929-1977), whose writing talent was also evident in her works for children.

Evdokia Los was not only a talented author but also a person who genuinely loved children and understood their psychology. From 1975 to 1977, she edited the republic’s leading children’s magazine, Vyasyolka. Early in her career, Vasily Vitka noticed her special gift for writing for children and encouraged her to pursue this passion. Her books «Aboutaya Elachka» (1961), «Kazka pra Lasku» (1963), «Vyasel’iki» (1964), «Zaychyk-vykhvalyaychyk» (1970), «Dvanatstsats’ zagadak» (1974) and «Smachnyya Litary» (1979) taught children kindness, developed their imagination, and revealed the beauty of their native language without tedious adult moralizing. The poet knew how to speak to young readers as equals, spontaneously, and engagingly. Such works for children as «Black Children», «Rubbers», «Dzyauchynka-Pacinka», «Voyage», «Zhuzha», «Kazka prapaku», «U gastsyakh», «Dazhdzhynka», and others were written with brilliant poetic mastery.

It’s noteworthy that Evdokiya Los’s love for children was not only a professional theme but also a part of her personal life, as she was a caring mother. Together with her son, Dmitry, she created a joint family newspaper and wrote poems specifically for it. As part of the Children’s Day celebrations, BGAMLI offers an opportunity to explore archival documents from the poet’s collection: typescripts of Evdokiya Los’s children’s poems with her own edits, as well as poems from that very same family newspaper, including the poem «Son, son, white father!».

1. Poem by E.Los’ «Son, son, white fathers..». from the home newspaper «On the good way, son!». Typescript. [1968-1970] F. 141. Op. 3. D. 86. L. 2.

2. Poem by E.Los’ son Dmitry «Spring». Autograph. [1968-1970] F. 141. Op. 3. D. 86. L. 4.

3. E.Los’. Title page of the collection of poems for children «The Tale of Laska». Mn. 1963. F. 141. Op. 1. D. 6. L. 1.

4. E.Los’. Cover of the collection of poems for children «Delicious Litars». Mn. 1978. Library, No.5722.

5. Poem by E. Los’ «A Tale of Affection». Typescript with author’s corrections. 1963. Fund 141. Op. 1. D. 8. L. 9.

6. Poem by E. Los’ «All What Kind of Brothers We Are!» Typescript with author’s corrections. 1963. Fund 141. Op. 1. D. 8. L. 5.