When We Are United – We Are Unbeatable: How to Overcome Fear? – Camp Stories by Myroslav Marynovych

“Today, Europe is astonished by the bravery with which Ukrainians are defending themselves in the face of war. This heroism is evident even in everyday acts. Fear mobilizes us to act: to walk barehanded against a column of Russian armored vehicles, to carry a mine from the road to a forest strip to protect others, and there are many such cases,” said Myroslav Marynovych.

On March 3rd, the UCU Business School, in collaboration with the UCU Leadership Center, hosted a webinar on fear with Myroslav Marynovych, co-founder of the Ukrainian Helsinki Group, dissident, publicist, human rights defender, and Vice-Rector of UCU. Recalling his years in imprisonment, Marynovych shared how dissidents overcame fear and transformed difficult situations into acts of courage despite harsh conditions. The conversation was moderated by Andriy Rozhdestvensky, Executive Director of the UCU Leadership Center.

You can watch the full video via the link provided.

Myroslav Marynovych spent ten years in prison for “anti-Soviet agitation and propaganda.” In those conditions of despair, fear, and disregard for human dignity, he found the strength to create. In 1982, during exile, he wrote his most outstanding work, The Gospel According to a Fool. It remains a treasured piece of his work to this day. He is convinced that fear can not only be overcome but that it’s possible to create in such situations.

According to Myroslav Marynovych, fear has three options: for some, it mobilizes them, for others, it paralyzes, and for others, it leads to panic. He also noted the opposite reaction – when fear takes control of a person. Naturally, such individuals are not captured on camera. But as Mr. Marynovych points out, in those moments, one starts to convince themselves that the threat is enormous and inevitable. Giving in to fear, a person can no longer shape their destiny because they are controlled by the one creating the threat. However, panic is a natural reaction, but in a state of panic, it’s impossible to neutralize the threats.

“I’m sure you’ve witnessed people falling into panic during rocket shellings or when they board evacuation trains at the station. Just the thought that there are no free seats on the bus and that you won’t be able to leave throws people into panic. I assume the level of reaction depends on whether we are masters of our emotions and can control ourselves,” Marynovych continued.

Camp Experience

I recall a moment when, in imprisonment, I was being transported in a so-called “cup” – a metal-enclosed space for one prisoner, with only three holes for fresh air. There’s hardly any room inside.

One time, they placed me and two other political prisoners in such a cup – we weren’t standing beside each other but rather on top of one another. There weren’t enough air holes. It was a terrifying journey. I understood I could die, but because I was a believer, I told myself: “This must be my end. I’m ready for the consequences because I voluntarily stepped onto this path.” I surrendered to God’s will, and God saved me.

Reference Group of Friends

It’s important to have a “reference group of friends” – a term used by political prisoners. When the prison doors close behind you, you are left alone. In moments when fear creeps in, it’s essential to keep in mind your friends, in front of whom you would be ashamed to act oppositely. Even though these friends won’t be physically around you, they remain in your head and heart. This will help you overcome fear. And while it’s not too late, find friends who have strong moral principles. Crimean Tatar political prisoner Server Mustafayev rightly said: “It’s easy to break a finger. But it’s impossible to break a fist.” So, when we are united, we are unbeatable.

Follow Christ!

Once, the KGB informed political prisoner Oles Shevchenko that his wife was terminally ill. If she were to die, he would need to think about their two children. He was told that the children would be placed in an orphanage, but to prevent this, he had to write a “letter of repentance.” I remember Oles came out of that conversation as if he had been taken down from the cross. He wandered around the camp for a long time, trying to make the right decision. In the end, Oles did not write that letter, saying he had nothing to repent for. So, for the sake of truth, he renounced his children. Some time later, letters from his wife started arriving, revealing that the illness had been minor, and the KGB had used this fact to break him.

In the Gospel, there’s a notion that one must follow Christ, and if this leads you into a situation of danger, accept it – then your path will be justified under any circumstances. This is exactly what happened with Oles. So remember that even in the worst conditions, a person is never alone. God is always reaching out to us, but we often fail to see it.

Fear Does Not Leave Us Without a Choice

At a conference, I was told about an incident in a Nazi camp. The Nazis wanted to punish three prisoners but not with their own hands. To do this, they summoned three other prisoners and ordered them to dig a pit, place the others in it, and bury them alive. Out of fear, they began to do this, but when they saw the heads looking at them with terror-filled eyes, they refused to continue. The Nazis then decided to switch prisoners, and those who had just been spared didn’t do the same to others.

Thus, we see how fear influences emotions and moral principles. The first trio perished but found themselves at the right hand of the Father. I believe such actions are rewarded. I don’t know how the fate of the other three turned out, but I am convinced that those three buried heads will haunt them for the rest of their lives. Their actions condemned them to great torment. That’s why I want us to remember that, in moments of fear, people are drawn to either moral courage or moral downfall. It’s not an easy choice, but it always exists.

Liberation from Fear

In my life, I have experienced not only fear but also the luxury of liberation from it. I was in my third year at Lviv Polytechnic and lived in a dormitory. One day, I was summoned by the KGB, where I was informed that I was being expelled from the institute for anti-Soviet talks. I was terrified. They offered me a way to avoid expulsion – to become an informant, betraying others, just as someone had done to me. At that moment, I didn’t have the strength to say “no,” so I thought I could lie, say I didn’t hear anything, and maybe I’d manage to get by…

I finally freed myself from fear when I joined the dissident circle. We went to Kyiv to Taras Shevchenko’s monument, where we laid flowers. Shortly after, I was arrested, and interrogations began. One of the KGB officers said to me: “Whoever is not with us is against us.” And I finally dared to reply: “Fine, I will be against you.” I found the strength to oppose fear, and it was an incredible luxury. The struggle against fear in a person is eternal, but when that instinct becomes stronger, you become the subject of your own fate.

This webinar series was made possible thanks to the support of the Ignatovich family and Marta Viter.

Recorded by Diana Motruk.