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| {{Short description|1941 act declaring a Ukrainian state}} | |||
| {{cleanup-rewrite}} | |||
| {{Distinguish|Declaration of Independence of Ukraine}} | |||
| {{context}} | |||
| {{Multiple issues| | |||
| ] | |||
| {{more citations needed|date=November 2020}} | |||
| '''Proclamation of Ukrainian Statehood''' | |||
| {{more footnotes needed|date=November 2020}} | |||
| }} | |||
| ] | |||
| The '''act of restoration of the Ukrainian state''' ({{langx|uk|Акт відновлення Української Держави}}) or '''proclamation of the Ukrainian state''' of June 30, 1941, was announced by the ] (OUN) under the leadership of ], who declared an ] in ]. The self-proclaimed prime minister was ], and the head of the Council of Seniors was ]. | |||
| On June 22, 1941 ] attacked the ]. At 29 June, 1941 at night, in abandoned by Soviet troops city ] entered ]. ] troops entered into the city only at morning Monday June 30, 1941<ref> ''Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army'' Chapter 1 </ref>. On Monday June 30, 1941 after the German troops occupied ], a meeting was held in Lviv where members of the ] proclaimed Ukrainian independence. The proclamation, despite reflecting the aspirations of the Ukrainian people, did not reflect the views of the German regime and was quashed within a few days and the interim Ukrainian administration was arrested.{{Facts|date=August 2008}} | |||
| The OUN intended to take advantage of the retreat of Soviet forces from ] during the ] that began on June 22. Their leaders thought that their movement had found a new powerful ally in ] to aid them in their struggle against the ]. The Ukrainian nationalists began a ] against Jews, with many murdered and assaulted. Days after the German ], however, the leadership of the newly formed government was arrested and sent to ]s in ]. | |||
| ==Nazi’s plans about “Ukrainian state” == | |||
| Hitler on September 7 , 1939 mentioned to his army Commander in Chief, General von | |||
| ], the possibility of founding an independent Ukraine. Hitler’s notion was to mark the ultimate frontier between Asia and the West by gathering together the racial German remnants scattered about the Balkans, Russia, and the Baltic states to populate an eastern frontier strip along either the River Bug or the Vistula. With this independent rump Poland, Hitler planned to negotiate a peace settlement that had some semblance of legality and thereby spike the guns of Britain and France. If however this rump Poland fell apart, the Vilna area could be offered to Lithuania, and the Galician and Polish Ukraine could be granted independence – in which case, as Canaris noted, Keitel’s instructions were that his ] were to provoke an uprising in the Galician Ukraine with the destruction of the Polish and Jewish element as its aim. <ref> Martin Broszat’s Nationalsozialistische Polenpolitik 1939–1945 (Stuttgart, 1961). IMT vol 3. p. 21 http://www.holocaust-history.org/works/imt/03/htm/t021.htm IMT vol 2. p. 448 and 478 http://www.holocaust-history.org/works/imt/02/htm/t478.htm http://www.holocaust-history.org/works/imt/02/htm/t448.htm </ref> Bandera’s ] had at least 2 unsuccessfully attempts to start an uprising in 1940 supported by ]. Due the fault of both such plan was postponed to the time of German invasion. | |||
| ] | |||
| <ref> [http://history.org.ua/oun_upa/oun/index.htm ''Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army'' Chapter 1 p.17-30</ref>. | |||
| ] | |||
| ] finally abandoned an idea about founding an independent Ukraine by mid of September 1941, when German troops penetrated soviet defence of Kiev's Citadel. <ref> V.Kosyk Ukraine and Germany in WWII. 1993" </ref> | |||
| ==Background== | |||
| ==Nazi plans for a “Ukrainian state” as presented in testimony at the ] == | |||
| {{unreferenced section|date=November 2020}} | |||
| ===Ukrainian territory between the World Wars=== | |||
| *Memorandum dated 8 May 1941, entitled “General Instructions for all Reich Commissioners in the Occupied Eastern Territories”. | |||
| After ], Ukraine was divided into three parts: most of Central and Eastern Ukraine became the ] in 1921. The capital was ]. | |||
| In these instructions to his chief henchmen ] outlines the political aims and purposes of the attack. …. The Ukraine shall become an independent state in alliance with Germany… <ref> Exhibit USA-144 (Document 1030-PS) IMT Vol III p.356 </ref> | |||
| The majority of current Western Ukraine became part of the ]. This included the city of Lviv, which at the time was the center of ] activity. | |||
| *In report submitted by Rosenberg to Hitler on 28 June 1941 noted what Rosenberg met with Admiral ] and had a talk to choose certain persons, who would also able to do political work…. Admiral ] had organized certain group of Ukrainians. <ref> Document 1039-PS IMT Vol XI p. 567 </ref> | |||
| A small part of current far Western Ukraine, the ], became part of ]. ] belonged to ]. | |||
| *From Rosenberg speech June 20 1941 Germany aims is the freedom of the Ukrainian people… Ukrainian State can be formed <ref> IMT Vol XI p. 478 </ref> | |||
| ===The Ukrainian nationalist movement in western Ukraine=== | |||
| *Rosenberg continues that certain independence movements in the Ukraine deserved support as well.” <ref> Document L-221 Exhibit USA-147 IMT Vol XI p. 481</ref> | |||
| For various reasons,{{which|date=November 2020}} the Ukrainian nationalist movement was more active in Western Ukraine than in Central Ukraine in the inter-war period. | |||
| At the end of ], veterans of the ] created the ] in 1920 to promote the creation of an independent Ukrainian state. The leader was ]. | |||
| ===The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists === | |||
| ==Preamble== | |||
| In 1929, the Ukrainian Military Organization became the ]. The first leader was Bohdan Kravciv. The stated goal of the OUN was the creation of an independent Ukrainian State. | |||
| In 1940, the OUN suffered a split into two groups - one group supported ] (this group became known as the OUN-M, or "Melnykivtsi"), while the other group supported ] (this group became known as the OUN-B, or ]). The OUN-B was considered the more radical of the two.{{by whom|date=November 2020}} | |||
| ] in his memoires states: | |||
| ==Prelude to the Declaration== | |||
| On Monday June 30, at 6 p.m. on the second floor of the ] building in ] (Rynok square 10) there was a community meeting. Community members of the Lviv and its environs, clergy, leading members of OUN, and members of the Ukrainian underground. The all was overflowing with delegates. The meeting was called by the first assistant to the leader of the OUN ] to honour the Ukrainian fighters who had laid down their lives fighting for Ukraine. In an intensive speech he spoke about the political situation which Ukraine was in with the declaration of war, stating that once again this war will take place in Ukraine over these rich lands and that the Ukrainian people cannot stand idly by but must be active and participate. Regarding Germany he stated that a Union with Germany was only possible if Germany recognized Ukrainian independence and its government. Stetsko read out the Proclamation of Ukrainian independence. Those present listened to the proclamation standing, unanimously endorsed it and sang the ] "Shche ne vmerla Ukraina".<ref>(In Ukrainian: Ukrainska Povstanska Armiya - Istoriya Neskorenykh - Lviv, 2007 p.29</ref> | |||
| {{unreferenced section|date=November 2020}} | |||
| The OUN realized that an opportunity was available to fulfill their mandated plan: the creation of a new independent Ukraine. | |||
| On June 22, 1941, the ] was created in Kraków, with ] as a president. The UNK published an essay, "Memorial", which outlined the plans of the OUN to declare independence. This essay was met with severe disapproval of the Nazi authorities, and the leaders of the UNK, Horbovy and Bandera, were told to rescind the document. They refused, and made their way to Lviv. | |||
| ==Text== | |||
| On June 26, 1941, Soviet forces fled from Lviv, and the Ukrainian ], led by its commander ], entered the city in triumph to cheering crowds of joyful Ukrainians. With the departure of the Soviet Red Army, the OUN set up its headquarters in Lviv, and began to prepare for the big day. | |||
| '''The Act of Proclamation of Ukrainian Statehood''' | |||
| ==Preamble== | |||
| 1. By the will of the Ukrainian people, the ] under the direction of ] proclaims the formation of the Ukrainian State for which have laid down their heads whole generations of the finest sons of Ukraine. | |||
| In his memoirs ] said: | |||
| {{cquote|On Monday June 30, at 6 p.m. on the second floor of the ] building in ] (Rynok square 10) there was a community meeting. Community members living in ] and its environs, clergy, leading members of OUN, and members of the Ukrainian underground were gathered. The hall was overflowing with delegates. The meeting was called by the first assistant to the leader of the OUN ] to honour the Ukrainian fighters who had laid down their lives fighting for Ukraine. In an intensive speech, he spoke about the political situation which Ukraine was in with the declaration of war, stating that once again this war will take place in Ukraine over these rich lands and that the Ukrainian people cannot stand idly by but must be active and participate. Regarding Germany, he stated that a Union with Germany was only possible if Germany recognized Ukrainian independence and its government. Stetsko read out the Proclamation of Ukrainian independence. Those present listened to the proclamation standing, unanimously endorsed it and sang the Ukrainian national anthem '']''.<ref>(In Ukrainian: Ukrainska Povstanska Armiya - Istoriya Neskorenykh - Lviv, 2007 p.29</ref> | |||
| The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, which under the direction and founder and leader ] has undertaken in the past ten years a bloody battle with the Moscovite-Bolshevik enslavers in an energetic battle for freedom, calls all the Ukrainian people not to place down its weapons until on all Ukrainian lands are united to form a Sovereign Ukrainian Government. | |||
| }} | |||
| ==Text== | |||
| ] | |||
| ] Pastoral letter from July 1, 1941, with recognition of the Ukrainian Statehood at Western Ukraine ]] | |||
| {{cquote|'''The Act of Proclamation of Ukrainian Statehood''' | |||
| 1. By the will of the Ukrainian people, the ] under the direction of ] proclaims the formation of the Ukrainian State for which have laid down their heads whole generations of the finest sons of Ukraine. | |||
| The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, which under the direction and founder and leader ] has undertaken in the past ten years a bloody battle with the ] enslavers in an energetic battle for freedom, calls all the Ukrainian people not to place down its weapons until all Ukrainian lands are united to form a Sovereign Ukrainian Government. | |||
| The Sovereign Ukrainian Government will guarantee Ukrainian people order, unilateral development of all its energies and all its needs. | The Sovereign Ukrainian Government will guarantee Ukrainian people order, unilateral development of all its energies and all its needs. | ||
| 2. In the western lands of Ukraine |
2. In the western lands of Ukraine a Ukrainian Government is formed, which is subordinate to the Ukrainian National Government that will be formed in the capital of Ukraine – ]. | ||
| 3. The newly formed Ukrainian state will work closely with the National-Socialist |
3. The newly formed Ukrainian state will work closely with the National-Socialist Greater Germany, under the leadership of its leader ] which is forming a new order in Europe and the world and is helping the Ukrainian People to free itself from Moscovite occupation.<ref group="note">Section 3 of the Stanislaviv version is often omitted in Ukrainian Diaspora publications dealing with this subject.</ref> | ||
| The ] which has been formed on the Ukrainian lands, will continue to fight with the |
The ] which has been formed on the Ukrainian lands, will continue to fight with the Allied German Army against Moscovite occupation for a sovereign and united State and a new order in the whole world. | ||
| Long live |
Long live a Sovereign and United Ukraine!<br>Long live the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists! Long live the leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the Ukrainian people, STEPAN BANDERA!<ref>From the front page of the Newspaper "Samostiyna Ukraina" published in Stanislaviv, July 10, 1941</ref> | ||
| GLORY TO UKRAINE! | ] | ||
| }} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| == |
==Government== | ||
| {{Main|Ukrainian national government (1941)}} | |||
| After the proclamation of the Ukrainian |
After the proclamation of the Ukrainian state, a government was announced. This government included politicians from various parties, as well as political ideologies. They were: | ||
| *Prime Minister ] ( |
*Prime Minister ] (OUN) | ||
| *Deputy Prime Minister |
*Deputy Prime Minister ] (no political affiliation) | ||
| *Deputy Prime Minister ] ( |
*Deputy Prime Minister ] (OUN) | ||
| *Minister of Interior Volodymyr |
*Minister of Interior Volodymyr Lysy (Socialist Radical Party) | ||
| *Deputy Minister of Interior ] (Socialist Radical Party) | *Deputy Minister of Interior ] (Socialist Radical Party) | ||
| *Minister of External Affairs Volodymyr Stakhiv ( |
*Minister of External Affairs ] (OUN) | ||
| *Deputy Minister of External Affairs Oleksandr Maritchak (Ukrainian National-Democratic Party) | *Deputy Minister of External Affairs Oleksandr Maritchak (Ukrainian National-Democratic Party) | ||
| *Minister of |
*Minister of Defense ] (Social Revolutionary Party) | ||
| *Deputy Minister of |
*Deputy Minister of Defense ] (OUN) | ||
| *Deputy Minister of |
*Deputy Minister of Defense Oleksandr Hasyn (OUN) | ||
| *Minister of State Security ] ( |
*Minister of State Security ] (OUN) | ||
| *Minister of Justice Yulian Fedusevych (no political affiliation) | *Minister of Justice Yulian Fedusevych (no political affiliation) | ||
| *Deputy Minister of Justice Bohdan Dzerovych (no political affiliation) | *Deputy Minister of Justice Bohdan Dzerovych (no political affiliation) | ||
| *Secretary of the Ministry of National Economy ] ( |
*Secretary of the Ministry of National Economy ] (OUN) | ||
| *Secretary of the Ministry of National Economy Roman Ilnytsky ( |
*Secretary of the Ministry of National Economy Roman Ilnytsky (OUN) | ||
| *Minister of Agriculture Yevhen Khraplyvy (Ukrainian National-Democratic Party) | *Minister of Agriculture Yevhen Khraplyvy (Ukrainian National-Democratic Party) | ||
| *Deputy Minister of Agriculture Andriy Piasetsky (Front of National Unity) | *Deputy Minister of Agriculture Andriy Piasetsky (Front of National Unity) | ||
| *Minister of Health |
*Minister of Health ] (no political affiliation) | ||
| *Deputy Minister of Health ] | *Deputy Minister of Health ] | ||
| *Secretary of the Ministry of Health Oleksandr Barvinsky (no political affiliation) | *Secretary of the Ministry of Health Oleksandr Barvinsky (no political affiliation) | ||
| Line 79: | Line 99: | ||
| *Minister of Communication N. Moroz (no political affiliation) | *Minister of Communication N. Moroz (no political affiliation) | ||
| *Minister of Information ] (no political affiliation) | *Minister of Information ] (no political affiliation) | ||
| *Secretary of the Ministry of Information Osyp Pozychaniuk ( |
*Secretary of the Ministry of Information Osyp Pozychaniuk (OUN) | ||
| *Secretary of the Ministry of Information Yaroslav Starukh ( |
*Secretary of the Ministry of Information Yaroslav Starukh (OUN) | ||
| *Minister of Political Coordination Ivan Klymiv-Lehenda ( |
*Minister of Political Coordination Ivan Klymiv-Lehenda (OUN) | ||
| *Director of Government Administration Mykhailo Rosliak (Socialist Radical Party) | *Director of Government Administration Mykhailo Rosliak (Socialist Radical Party) | ||
| A Council of Seniors headed by ] as president was also formed.<ref>''The Restoration of the Ukrainian State in World War II''. Published by Ukrainian Central Information Service, London 1987. ISBN |
A Council of Seniors headed by ] as president was also formed.<ref>''The Restoration of the Ukrainian State in World War II''. Published by Ukrainian Central Information Service, London 1987. {{ISBN|0-902322-35-4}}.</ref> | ||
| ==Ukrainian Government in ] and ] reports== | |||
| *July 2 1941: Elements from Bandera group under Stetsko and Ravlyk leadership has organized (in ]) militia and municipal governing; | |||
| *July 4 1941: So called “Country Government” proclaimed what it should be placed in ] building. It current composition: Governing - ] (Karbovych, Belenda); Health - Marian Panchyshyn (doctor) ; Justice - Yulian Fedusevych (legal adviser);Security – Ivan Klymiv ; Economy -Dmytro Yatsiv ; Information and propaganda - Oleksandr Holovko (poet); Minister of Defence - Rico Yaryy (married on Jewish women); Culture – vacant. Parlament should be near Cabinet; Dmytro Dontsov planed to be proclaimed as president. It (]) does not recognized by Germany, but we should avoid any active action against usurpations, taking into account the situation at front and in region in general. As far as we expect beginning of planned appraisal (at rear of Soviet troops front line) in direction Berdychiv- Zhytomyr-] | |||
| *July 17 1941: After proclaiming “National Ukrainian Government” at ] similar actions conducted at other former Polish territories of ], ] and ] cities. When Germans troops coming into the specific area Bandera group immediately begin to organize governing authorities and inspirate meetings for independence. <ref> V.Kosyk Ukraine and Germany in WWII. 1993 p.505-515 </ref> | |||
| ==Reactions to the proclamation== | ==Reactions to the proclamation== | ||
| ===Reaction in Ukraine=== | |||
| The act of proclamation was soon broadcasted by ] over the radio in ], which made many believe it was supported by the advancing German troops. The act got immediate support from several Ukrainian church officials such as Metropolitan Archbishop ] of the ], Metropolitan Bishop ] of the ] and Bishop ] ]. | |||
| The act of proclamation was broadcast by ] over the radio in ], which made many believe it was supported by the advancing German troops. The act received immediate support from several Ukrainian church officials such as Metropolitan Archbishop ] and Bishop ] of the ], Metropolitan Bishop ] of the ]. | |||
| Apparently convinced that the group of Stetsko had the backing of the Germans, Metropolitan{{who|date=November 2020}} wrote a pastoral letter in which he exhorted the people to support the newly proclaimed government "the scarifies which the final attainment of our goals require demand above all dutiful obedience to the just orders of the government which do not conflict with God’s law." | |||
| An SS Einsatzgruppe arrived in ] three days after the act of proclamation but waited until July 9 before they went into action and put ] and his deputy ] initially under ''honorary arrest'', but on July 12 they were formally arrested. At the same time ] with several other Ukrainian nationalists were arrested in the ]. They were all assembled to Berlin where the Germans tried to convince them to withdraw the Act of Proclamation unsuccessfully. On September 15 they were dispatched to the ]. At the same time ] arrested hundreds of other Ukrainian nationalists who had participated in the process of restoration of the Ukrainian state.<ref>''The Restoration of the Ukrainian State in World War II''. Published by Ukrainian Central Information Service, London 1987. ISBN 0-902322-35-4. </ref> | |||
| Moreover, he declared: | |||
| :''We greet the victorious German Army as deliver from enemy. We render our obedient homage to the government which has been erected. We recognize Mr.Yaroslav Stetsko as Head of State Administration of Ukraine''. | |||
| == Post war version of Act == | |||
| Postwar Ukrainian emigration began to downplayed as much as possible the cooperation between the Ukrainian nationalist parties and the Germans and emphasized instead how Ukrainian nationalists fought both the Germans and the Soviets and how the Ukrainian nation suffered enormously at the hands of both. ] group published document collections that doctored historical texts to eliminate pro-German and antisemitic statements ] left his papers to the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute. <ref> John-Paul Himka, "War Criminality: A Blank Spot in the Collective Memory of the Ukrainian Diaspora," in Spaces of Identity 5, no. 1 (2005): 9-24. See also Johan Dietsch, Making Sense of Suffering: Holocaust and Holodomor in Ukrainian Historical Culture (Lund: Media Tryck, Lund University, 2006).</ref> | |||
| The pastoral letter was read over the radio by chaplain of ] Father Hryn’okh the same morning. It appeared to have removed any doubts which may have been lingering in the mind of most prominent Ukrainians in Lviv concerning the origin of the Stets’ko government.<ref>John Armstrong, Ukrainian Nationalism, 2nd edition: New York: Columbia University Press, 1963) pp.80-81</ref> | |||
| '''The Act of Proclamation of Ukrainian State''' | |||
| Supporters of Ukrainian independence have been divided in their assessment of the proclamation. Some considered it brilliant, others considered it reckless or even foolish.<ref>Michael Savaryn. ''Proclamation of Ukrainian statehood, 1941''. ].</ref> | |||
| 1. By the will of the Ukrainian people, the ] under the direction of ] proclaims the renewal of the Ukrainian State for which have laid down their heads whole generations of the finest sons of Ukraine. | |||
| The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, which under the direction of it’s creator and leader ] during the past decade a bloody Moscovite-Bolshevik subjugation carried on stubborn straggle for freedom, calls all the Ukrainian people not to place down its weapons until Sovereign Ukrainian State is formed in all Ukrainian lands. | |||
| ===Reaction by the German government=== | |||
| The Sovereign Ukrainian Government assures the Ukrainian people of regularity and order, multi-sided development of all its forces and satisfaction of it’s demands. | |||
| The Declaration of Independence took the German authorities completely by surprise, and they saw it as an attempted coup.<ref>OUN-German Relations 1941-1945, ]. (1994). From ''German-Ukrainian relations in historical perspective.'' Hans-Joachim Torke, John-Paul Himka, eds. Edmonton, Alberta: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press, University of Alberta. pg. 178</ref> When Nazi troops entered Lviv, the German authorities told the leadership of the Ukrainian government to disband. However, it did not, and in reprisal the leaders of the government were arrested and interned in the ]. These included President ], and ]. | |||
| Within two years of the declaration, the Nazis had imprisoned or killed 80% of OUN-B leadership.<ref>Timothy Snyder. The Causes of Ukrainian-Polish Ethnic Cleansing 1943. ], No. 179 (May, 2003), pp. 207</ref> | |||
| 2. In the western lands of Ukraine a Ukrainian Government is created, which is subordinate to the Ukrainian national administration that will be created in the capital of ] – ]. | |||
| {{Cquote|By an act of June 30, 1941, the Ukrainian people demonstrated to the whole world and to history that they wished to govern their own lives and that they were ready to defend their right to live freely in their own independent state against the imperialist encroachments of every enemy and under all conditions. | |||
| |author=Mirchuk P. | |||
| 3. The Ukrainian National Revolutionary Army which is being created on the Ukrainian soil, will continue to fight against Moscovite occupation for the sovereign and united State and a new, just order in the whole world. | |||
| |source=<ref>Act of Restoration of Ukrainian Statehood on June 30, 1941 (its genesis and political and historical significance). Second edition. - Munich, 1953. - P. 52.</ref> | |||
| Long live the Ukrainian Sovereign United Ukraine! Long live the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists! | |||
| }} | |||
| Long live the director of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists – STEPAN BANDERA. | |||
| * Text appeared at John Armstrong, Ukrainian Nationalism, 2nd edition: New York: Columbia University Press, 1963) pp.79-80 | |||
| ==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
| {{Reflist|group="note"}} | |||
| ==References== | |||
| *1) There seem to be a number of versions of the Proclamation which differ slightly in text. | |||
| {{Reflist}} | |||
| *2) Section 3 is often omitted in publications by the Ukrainian Diaspora dealing with this subject. | |||
| *3) In many Ukrainian diaspora publications the word "formation" is often changed to "re-establishment" | |||
| ==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
| *] The attitude of senior management of the German Reich to the Act of the Ukrainian state in 1941 and the military-political tactics of the OUN(r) in 1941–1943.– Collection of scientific works "Gileya: scientific bulletin", Kyiv: National Pedagogical University named after MP Drahomanov; VGO Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, 2015.— Issue.98 (No. 7) .— P. 49–65. | |||
| {{Reflist}} | |||
| {{Independence of Ukraine}} | |||
| ] | |||
| {{Authority control}} | |||
| ] | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Declaration Of Ukrainian Independence, 1941}} | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 16:05, 10 January 2025
1941 act declaring a Ukrainian state Not to be confused with Declaration of Independence of Ukraine. | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
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The act of restoration of the Ukrainian state (Ukrainian: Акт відновлення Української Держави) or proclamation of the Ukrainian state of June 30, 1941, was announced by the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) under the leadership of Stepan Bandera, who declared an independent Ukrainian state in Lviv. The self-proclaimed prime minister was Yaroslav Stetsko, and the head of the Council of Seniors was Kost Levytsky.
The OUN intended to take advantage of the retreat of Soviet forces from Ukraine during the German invasion of the Soviet Union that began on June 22. Their leaders thought that their movement had found a new powerful ally in Nazi Germany to aid them in their struggle against the Soviet Union. The Ukrainian nationalists began a series of pogroms against Jews, with many murdered and assaulted. Days after the German invasion and occupation of Lviv, however, the leadership of the newly formed government was arrested and sent to concentration camps in Germany.
Background
 | This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Ukrainian territory between the World Wars
After World War I, Ukraine was divided into three parts: most of Central and Eastern Ukraine became the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1921. The capital was Kharkiv.
The majority of current Western Ukraine became part of the Second Polish Republic. This included the city of Lviv, which at the time was the center of Ukrainian nationalist activity.
A small part of current far Western Ukraine, the Zakarpattia, became part of Czechoslovakia. Northern Bukovina belonged to Romania.
The Ukrainian nationalist movement in western Ukraine
For various reasons, the Ukrainian nationalist movement was more active in Western Ukraine than in Central Ukraine in the inter-war period. At the end of World War I, veterans of the Sich Riflemen created the Ukrainian Military Organization in 1920 to promote the creation of an independent Ukrainian state. The leader was Yevhen Konovalets.
The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
In 1929, the Ukrainian Military Organization became the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. The first leader was Bohdan Kravciv. The stated goal of the OUN was the creation of an independent Ukrainian State.
In 1940, the OUN suffered a split into two groups - one group supported Andriy Melnyk (this group became known as the OUN-M, or "Melnykivtsi"), while the other group supported Stepan Bandera (this group became known as the OUN-B, or Banderivtsi). The OUN-B was considered the more radical of the two.
Prelude to the Declaration
| This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The OUN realized that an opportunity was available to fulfill their mandated plan: the creation of a new independent Ukraine.
On June 22, 1941, the Ukrainian National Committee was created in Kraków, with Volodymyr Horbovy as a president. The UNK published an essay, "Memorial", which outlined the plans of the OUN to declare independence. This essay was met with severe disapproval of the Nazi authorities, and the leaders of the UNK, Horbovy and Bandera, were told to rescind the document. They refused, and made their way to Lviv.
On June 26, 1941, Soviet forces fled from Lviv, and the Ukrainian Nachtigall Battalion, led by its commander Roman Shukhevych, entered the city in triumph to cheering crowds of joyful Ukrainians. With the departure of the Soviet Red Army, the OUN set up its headquarters in Lviv, and began to prepare for the big day.
Preamble
In his memoirs Vasyl Kuk said:
On Monday June 30, at 6 p.m. on the second floor of the Prosvita building in Lviv (Rynok square 10) there was a community meeting. Community members living in Lviv and its environs, clergy, leading members of OUN, and members of the Ukrainian underground were gathered. The hall was overflowing with delegates. The meeting was called by the first assistant to the leader of the OUN Yaroslav Stetsko to honour the Ukrainian fighters who had laid down their lives fighting for Ukraine. In an intensive speech, he spoke about the political situation which Ukraine was in with the declaration of war, stating that once again this war will take place in Ukraine over these rich lands and that the Ukrainian people cannot stand idly by but must be active and participate. Regarding Germany, he stated that a Union with Germany was only possible if Germany recognized Ukrainian independence and its government. Stetsko read out the Proclamation of Ukrainian independence. Those present listened to the proclamation standing, unanimously endorsed it and sang the Ukrainian national anthem Shche ne vmerla Ukraina.
Text
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The Act of Proclamation of Ukrainian Statehood
1. By the will of the Ukrainian people, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists under the direction of Stepan Bandera proclaims the formation of the Ukrainian State for which have laid down their heads whole generations of the finest sons of Ukraine.
The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists, which under the direction and founder and leader Yevhen Konovalets has undertaken in the past ten years a bloody battle with the Moscovite-Bolshevik enslavers in an energetic battle for freedom, calls all the Ukrainian people not to place down its weapons until all Ukrainian lands are united to form a Sovereign Ukrainian Government.
The Sovereign Ukrainian Government will guarantee Ukrainian people order, unilateral development of all its energies and all its needs.
2. In the western lands of Ukraine a Ukrainian Government is formed, which is subordinate to the Ukrainian National Government that will be formed in the capital of Ukraine – Kyiv.
3. The newly formed Ukrainian state will work closely with the National-Socialist Greater Germany, under the leadership of its leader Adolf Hitler which is forming a new order in Europe and the world and is helping the Ukrainian People to free itself from Moscovite occupation.
The Ukrainian People's Revolutionary Army which has been formed on the Ukrainian lands, will continue to fight with the Allied German Army against Moscovite occupation for a sovereign and united State and a new order in the whole world.
Long live a Sovereign and United Ukraine!
Long live the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists! Long live the leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the Ukrainian people, STEPAN BANDERA!
Government
Main article: Ukrainian national government (1941)After the proclamation of the Ukrainian state, a government was announced. This government included politicians from various parties, as well as political ideologies. They were:
- Prime Minister Yaroslav Stetsko (OUN)
- Deputy Prime Minister Markian Panchyshyn (no political affiliation)
- Deputy Prime Minister Lev Rebet (OUN)
- Minister of Interior Volodymyr Lysy (Socialist Radical Party)
- Deputy Minister of Interior Konstantyn Pankivsky (Socialist Radical Party)
- Minister of External Affairs Volodymyr Stakhiv (OUN)
- Deputy Minister of External Affairs Oleksandr Maritchak (Ukrainian National-Democratic Party)
- Minister of Defense Vsevolod Petriv (Social Revolutionary Party)
- Deputy Minister of Defense Roman Shukhevych (OUN)
- Deputy Minister of Defense Oleksandr Hasyn (OUN)
- Minister of State Security Mykola Lebed (OUN)
- Minister of Justice Yulian Fedusevych (no political affiliation)
- Deputy Minister of Justice Bohdan Dzerovych (no political affiliation)
- Secretary of the Ministry of National Economy Dmytro Yatsiv (OUN)
- Secretary of the Ministry of National Economy Roman Ilnytsky (OUN)
- Minister of Agriculture Yevhen Khraplyvy (Ukrainian National-Democratic Party)
- Deputy Minister of Agriculture Andriy Piasetsky (Front of National Unity)
- Minister of Health Markian Panchyshyn (no political affiliation)
- Deputy Minister of Health Roman Osinchuk
- Secretary of the Ministry of Health Oleksandr Barvinsky (no political affiliation)
- Minister of Education Volodymyr Radzykevych (no political affiliation)
- Minister of Communication N. Moroz (no political affiliation)
- Minister of Information Oleksandr Hai-Holovko (no political affiliation)
- Secretary of the Ministry of Information Osyp Pozychaniuk (OUN)
- Secretary of the Ministry of Information Yaroslav Starukh (OUN)
- Minister of Political Coordination Ivan Klymiv-Lehenda (OUN)
- Director of Government Administration Mykhailo Rosliak (Socialist Radical Party)
A Council of Seniors headed by Kost Levytsky as president was also formed.
Reactions to the proclamation
Reaction in Ukraine
The act of proclamation was broadcast by Yaroslav Stetsko over the radio in Lviv, which made many believe it was supported by the advancing German troops. The act received immediate support from several Ukrainian church officials such as Metropolitan Archbishop Andrey Sheptytsky and Bishop Hryhoriy Khomyshyn of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Metropolitan Bishop Polikarp Sikorsky of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.
Apparently convinced that the group of Stetsko had the backing of the Germans, Metropolitan wrote a pastoral letter in which he exhorted the people to support the newly proclaimed government "the scarifies which the final attainment of our goals require demand above all dutiful obedience to the just orders of the government which do not conflict with God’s law." Moreover, he declared:
- We greet the victorious German Army as deliver from enemy. We render our obedient homage to the government which has been erected. We recognize Mr.Yaroslav Stetsko as Head of State Administration of Ukraine.
The pastoral letter was read over the radio by chaplain of Nachtigall Battalion Father Hryn’okh the same morning. It appeared to have removed any doubts which may have been lingering in the mind of most prominent Ukrainians in Lviv concerning the origin of the Stets’ko government.
Supporters of Ukrainian independence have been divided in their assessment of the proclamation. Some considered it brilliant, others considered it reckless or even foolish.
Reaction by the German government
The Declaration of Independence took the German authorities completely by surprise, and they saw it as an attempted coup. When Nazi troops entered Lviv, the German authorities told the leadership of the Ukrainian government to disband. However, it did not, and in reprisal the leaders of the government were arrested and interned in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. These included President Yaroslav Stetsko, and Stepan Bandera.
Within two years of the declaration, the Nazis had imprisoned or killed 80% of OUN-B leadership.
By an act of June 30, 1941, the Ukrainian people demonstrated to the whole world and to history that they wished to govern their own lives and that they were ready to defend their right to live freely in their own independent state against the imperialist encroachments of every enemy and under all conditions.
— Mirchuk P.,
Notes
- Section 3 of the Stanislaviv version is often omitted in Ukrainian Diaspora publications dealing with this subject.
References
- (In Ukrainian: Ukrainska Povstanska Armiya - Istoriya Neskorenykh - Lviv, 2007 p.29
- From the front page of the Newspaper "Samostiyna Ukraina" published in Stanislaviv, July 10, 1941
- The Restoration of the Ukrainian State in World War II. Published by Ukrainian Central Information Service, London 1987. ISBN 0-902322-35-4.
- John Armstrong, Ukrainian Nationalism, 2nd edition: New York: Columbia University Press, 1963) pp.80-81
- Michael Savaryn. Proclamation of Ukrainian statehood, 1941. Encyclopedia of Ukraine.
- OUN-German Relations 1941-1945, Taras Hunczak. (1994). From German-Ukrainian relations in historical perspective. Hans-Joachim Torke, John-Paul Himka, eds. Edmonton, Alberta: Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies Press, University of Alberta. pg. 178
- Timothy Snyder. The Causes of Ukrainian-Polish Ethnic Cleansing 1943. Past & Present, No. 179 (May, 2003), pp. 207
- Act of Restoration of Ukrainian Statehood on June 30, 1941 (its genesis and political and historical significance). Second edition. - Munich, 1953. - P. 52.
Sources
- Hai-Nyzhnyk P. P. The attitude of senior management of the German Reich to the Act of the Ukrainian state in 1941 and the military-political tactics of the OUN(r) in 1941–1943.– Collection of scientific works "Gileya: scientific bulletin", Kyiv: National Pedagogical University named after MP Drahomanov; VGO Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, 2015.— Issue.98 (No. 7) .— P. 49–65.
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