110th Anniversary of the Birth of Hero of Ukraine, Academician Petro Tronko: Karazin University Commemorates

On July 12, we commemorate the 110th anniversary of the birth of the renowned historian and local history scholar, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Hero of Ukraine, and the first Chair of the Supervisory Board of Karazin University — Petro Tymofiiovych Tronko (1915–2011).
This jubilee has been included in the Resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine “On Commemorative Dates and Anniversaries for 2024–2025.”

An outstanding scholar and public figure, Petro Tronko devoted his entire life to the advancement of historical and cultural heritage studies. He was the founder and first chairman of the Ukrainian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments and played a key role in reviving the National Union of Local Historians of Ukraine. His efforts united hundreds of thousands of dedicated individuals in the noble mission of studying, preserving, and promoting Ukraine’s historical and cultural legacy.

Academician Petro Tronko directly contributed to the creation of several major national museums. Thanks to his initiative, the following institutions were established:

• the National Museum of Folk Architecture and Life of Ukraine in Pyrohiv,

• the National Reserve “Khortytsia” (dedicated to the Zaporizhzhian Cossacks),

• the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War.

Tronko was also a member of the anniversary committee marking the 250th anniversary of Hryhorii Skovoroda in 1972, which led to the founding of the National Literary and Memorial Museum of the "wandering philosopher" in the village of Skovorodynivka in Kharkiv region.
In Kyiv, he initiated the reconstruction of historic monuments such as the Golden Gate, St. Michael's Golden-Domed Monastery, the Assumption Cathedral of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, and others.

Under his leadership, work was carried out on several monumental publishing projects, including:

• the 26-volume “History of Cities and Villages of the Ukrainian SSR”, a one-of-a-kind and globally unparalleled work,

• Ukraine’s first encyclopedic register of all known immovable cultural monuments, “Register of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Ukraine”,

• and the scholarly-documentary series “Rehabilitated by History”, which serves as a martyrology of victims of Soviet-era political repressions — among many other significant contributions.

Petro Tronko’s distinguished and accomplished life began in the Kharkiv region, where he was born in the village of Zabrody, Bohodukhiv District. He received his education and began his career there as a rural schoolteacher. Symbolically, the very first volume in the History of Cities and Villages series — published in 1966 — was the Kharkiv volume.
Grateful communities of Bohodukhiv, the Bohodukhiv District, the city of Kharkiv, and the Kharkiv region honored him with the title of Honorary Citizen.

Karazin University held a special place in Petro Tronko’s life. In 1997, he was awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of the university, and from 2003 until his death, he served as Chair of the Supervisory Board, actively supporting numerous university initiatives.

Since 2012, his name has been borne by the University Center for Ukrainian Studies and Local History, which he helped establish. In his honor, the university has also installed a memorial plaque, opened a dedicated lecture hall, and established a student award for the best academic presentation in the field of local history.

Karazin University honors the memory of Petro Tymofiiovych Tronko. We are deeply proud to recognize that the life and legacy of this outstanding individual are closely interwoven with the history of our university.