Uladzimir KaratkevichUladzimir Karatkevich (1930-1984) was a Belarusian writer, poet, playwright, journalist and screenwriter, known as the creator of the Belarusian historical novel.He was a teenager during World War II, when he was evacuated from Belarus to the Perm reion in Russia. Only in 1944 was he able to return home, where, having concluded his high school education, he was accepted at the Kyiv State University in Ukraine where he achieved graduate and postgraduate degrees in Philology. Karatkevich also studied at the Institute of Cinematography and Higher Literature, worked as a school teacher and only later became a professional writer.Beginning as a poet, after he had published several anthologies Karatkevich switched to prose, creating several works of classic Belorussian literature. His works almost entirely centre on the history of the Belarusian people, and specifically on the January Uprising of 1863-1965 and the Second World War.Karatkevich was actively involved in historical research and archaeological excavations, reflecting his search for historical truth in his literary works, andin his lifetime he brought many interesting characters to life through his writing. One of the most famous metaphors about Belarus, describing it as "the land under white wings", belongs to him. Read More Read Less