Orest Levytsky

Orest Ivanovych Levytsky (Ukrainian: О́рест Іва́нович Леви́цький; 25 December [O.S. 13 December] 1848 – 9 May 1922) was a Ukrainian historian, ethnographer, and writer. He was a member of Kiev Hromada (Hromada), an editor of Kievan Past and a Russian language philologist.

Born near Poltava, in Mayachka village, into the family of a priest, Levytsky graduated the Poltava Divinity School and Seminary in 1869. In 1869-70 he worked as a private teacher in village Vepryk (near Hadiach). As the best student, Levytsky was referred to be studied at a theological academy, but unexpectedly enrolled into the Law faculty of Kiev University. Later he transferred to the History and Philology faculty, from which he graduated in 1874. Led by Volodymyr Antonovych, in 1874 Levytsky defended his dissertation "Overview of internal history of Little Russia in the second half of 17th century".

In 1874-1921 Levytsky was a secretary of the Provisional Commission in reviewing of old acts while teaching Russian language (1874-1909) in the Fourth Kiev Gymnasium and geography (1876-1877) in a music school. In 1879-87 he was a chief deputy of the Kiev Central Archive. He was one of founders of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine where he worked as a secretary in 1918-1920 and head of department on Social and Economical Sciences.