Background

Danuta Bichelʹ-Zahnetava was born on December 3, 1937 in the village of Biskuptsy, Lida region, Hrodzyenskaya Voblasts', at that time Belarusian SSR, into a peasant family.

Education

In 1957, she graduated from the Novogrugok teacher training college, and in 1962 – from the Yanka Kupala Pedagogical Institute of Grodno, Department of Belarusian language, literature and history.

Career

She began writing poems at school. Since 1962, Bichelʹ-Zahnetava taught Belarusian language and literature in Grodno schools. She became member of the Writers' Union in 1964. In 1982, she became the Head of the House-Museum of Maxim Bogdanovich in Grodno. Since 1989, she has been a member of the Belarusian PEN Center.

Bichelʹ-Zahnetava is a well-known public figure, one of the organizers and active participants of the Maxim Bogdanovich’s society, from September 1988 - member of the Belarusian Popular Front. She participated in the meetings of the BPF held in Grodno. She coordinated activities of the Grodno regional BPF offices. She was one of the initiators of the newspaper "Reanimova."

Danuta Bichelʹ-Zahnetava published her first poems in 1958 at the newspaper “Literature and art.” She writes about her motherland, life of rural workers, beauty of the native land. She is the author of many collections of poems: “Girl’s heart” (1961), “The Nieman is coming” (1964), “Zapalyanki” (1967), “The fait” (1972), “You are you” (1976), “Brothers” (1979), “Where barefoot” (19830, "Zagastsinets" (1985), "The old sun" (1987), "At Polesie" (1990), "My God, my God" (1992), "Nedeljko" (1998) "Snopok" (1999), "On the white clouds of dreams" (2002), "Daisy to the wreath of Mother of God" (2004), "The Birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior" (2005), "Our Father..." (2008), "Walking the path of God" (2012), "Selected works "(2016), "Reaching Kolozha" (2017).

She wrote poems and a book of poems for children "Quail" (1968), "Mushroom-umbrella" (1969), "Wildings" (1971), "Red glade" (1971), "Catch up on the horse" (1973), "Seeds" (1982), "Gabrynka and Gabri" (1985), "Gorodnichanka" (1993). She wrote many essays and memoirs "Come to my voice" (Wroclaw, 2008), published several books "Bridge of St. Francis" (2010), "Province of St. Francis" (2013).

Achievements

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  Danuta Bichelʹ-Zahnetava is a well-known Belarusian poet and public figure. She founded House-Museum of Maxim Bogdanovich in Grodno, wrote many collections of poems, essays, and books.

Works

• book

  • “Girl’s heart”

    1961

  • “The Nieman is coming”

    1964

  • “Zapalyanki”

    1967

  • “The fait”

    1972

  • “You are you”

    1976

  • "The old sun"

    1987

  • "At Polesie"

    1990

  • "My God, my God"

    1992

  • "Nedeljko"

    1998

  • "Snopok"

    1999

  • "On the white clouds of dreams"

    2002

  • "Daisy to the wreath of Mother of God"

    2004

  • "The Birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior"

    2005

  • "Our Father,..."

    2008

  • "Walking the path of God"

    2008

  • "Reaching Kolozha"

    2017

  • "Quail"

    1968

  • "Mushroom-umbrella"

    1969

Politics

Danuta Bichelʹ-Zahnetava has been a member of the Belarusian Popular Front since 1988. She participated in the meetings of the BPF held in Grodno. She coordinated activities of the Grodno regional BPF offices. She was one of the initiators of the newspaper "Reanimova."

Membership

• Writers' Union , Belarus

  1964

• Belarusian PEN Center , Belarus

  1989

• Belarusian Popular Front , Belarus

  1988

Connections

She was married to Erik Zagnetov. He died in 1985.

husband:

Erik Zagnetov