Українська еміграція в країнах Південно-Східної Європи і Всеукраїнський національний конгрес

Abstract

У статті охарактеризовано участь українських емігрантів з країн Південно-Східної Європи в об’єднавчому емігрантському русі. Визначена роль провідних діячів еміграції у створенні Всеукраїнського національного центру. Проаналізована діяльність лідера української еміграції в Румунії К. Мацієвича з підготовки Всеукраїнського національного конгресу.

В статье охарактеризована деятельность украинских эмигрантов в странах Юго- Восточной Европы. Определена роль ведущих деятелей эмиграции в создании Всеукраинского национального центра. Проанализирована деятельность лидера украинской эмиграции в Румынии К. Мациевича по подготовке Всеукраинского национального конгресса.

After the failing Second Winter Campaign of the Ukrainian People’s Army in November 1921, Ukrainian emigration understood the illusoriness of its quick return to the homeland. The leaders of emigration attempted to define their further condition. The question about unification of all emigrations under a slogan of creation of the independent Ukraine has arisen. The leader of Ukrainian emigration in Romania, the Head of the Extraordinary diplomatic mission of UNR in this country Kostiantyn Matsiyevych was one of the first, who favored reorganization of the Government and the State Center of the Ukrainian People’s Republic. He proposed to the President of the Directory UNR Symon Petliura to shorten the Government’s structure, reorganize it in accordance with the new matters, and to create the All-Ukrainian National Center, which will include the representatives of different political movements and parties. First of all, this center should solve the general emigration questions, for example, of cultural and educational character, and after to cope with political tasks. K. Matsiyevych discussed openly the question about convocation of the All-Ukrainian Congress and election there the All-Ukrainian National Center. He reported on this topic at several conferences of the Ukrainian emigration in Romania, addressed to Ukrainian organizations in Berlin, Warsaw, Vienna, Kalisz, Lviv, Paris, Prague and other centers of the Ukrainian emigration calling to create the public interest groups; he proposed the statute’s project of the All-Ukrainian National Center. The question of the Center’s residence - Bucharest, Warsaw, Prague and Paris was discussed together with S. Petliura. The President of the Directory UNR was considering Paris as the best place of stay for the All-Ukrainian National Center. But after the kill of S. Petliura in May 1926, the process of unity of the Ukrainian emigration became a little bit slower. In late 1920th, the unities of emigrations have been created on site. In June 1929, in Prague, the followers of the Government of the UNR in emigration convened the First Conference of Ukrainian emigration that contained the Ukrainian emigrants from 7 countries, including Bulgaria, Romania, and Yugoslavia. The main Ukrainian emigration board was elected. During its existence (till 1939) the senior executives were included D. Herodot, K. Matsiyevych, V. Trepke (Romania), V. Filonovych (the representative of the Minister for War of UNR in the Balkans). Early 1930th, the idea of convening of the All-Ukrainian National Congress began to broaden among the emigrants and western Ukrainians again. On August 5, 1933, in Prague, the initiative group of convene of the All-Ukrainian National Congress was created. The idea of convening of the All-Ukrainian National Congress was discussed in press and on forums of political parties, civil and cultural organizations. But it was postponed because of different points of view between organizations, which laid claim to the leading role in the Ukrainian movement. In December 1934, the crossparty conference was held in Lviv. Four political parties of the Western Ukraine (Ukrainian National Democratic Alliance, Ukrainian SocialistRadical Party, Ukrainian Social Democratic Party, and Ukrainian National Revival) and three parties of Greater Ukraine (Ukrainian Radical Democratic Party, Ukrainian SocialistRevolutionary Party, and Ukrainian Social Democratic Labour Party) took part in the conference. The URDP was represented by its leader K. Matsiyevych. The conference approved the decision to convene the All-Ukrainian National Congress. The object and the task of the Congress were defined, as well as its structure body was determined. The Preparatory Congress Committee (PCC) was created and included two departments - Lviv and Foreign. K. Matsiyevych was the member of the Foreign department of PCC; he participated all its conferences, as well as published in “Newsletter of the Ukrainian National Congress.” As per May 1936, V. Filonovych was chosen to the structure body of the Foreign committee of PCC. Some countries have established interorganizational congressional committees, including Romania. Such representatives as V. Trepke (the Head), H. Vlasiuk, D. Herodot, A. Ivapshyna and H. Porokhivskyi were a part of the Congress. Despite the numerous events for support, the All-Ukrainian National Congress was never taken place. The ambitions of some political parties and organizations outweighed the feasibility of holding a nationwide forum. In May 1938, the Foreign department of the PCC announced about temporary stay of its activity.