AUTUMN 1918 IN THE HISTORY OF WESTERN UKRAINIAN LANDS: THE STRUGGLE OF IDEAS

Abstract

After the defeat of the Central Powers in November 1918, the center of the Ukrainian movement for unification was shifted to Eastern Galicia. The leaders of Western Ukraine were against any radical changes. They were impressed by the broad autonomy of federal Austria, rather than the great uncertainty after the declaration of the independence of West Ukrainian People’s Republic. Later they hoped to gain the independence through recognition on the basis of international law. After the fall of the empire they raised a rebellion in Lviv. As a result, the West Ukrainian People’s Republic was proclaimed. Yugene Petrushevych became the head of the Ukrainian National Council, the supreme authority in the state. This event contributed to the growth of patriotic feelings among Austrian Ukrainians.A real chance of unification into the common state of Eastern Galicia and the Ukraine was appeared. The Galician politicians ignored the relationship with the Hetmanate, and therefore only asked for military support. Pavlo Skoropadsky, who did not want to be involved in the war with Poland, agreed to send only the Sich Riflemen troop. However, its commanders ignored Hetman’s order and supported the Directorate uprising. The Directorat began an insurrection against the Hetman.As a result, the Ukrainian National Council was forced to turn to the Directorate. At first they did not believe in the success of the Directory and believed that it would destroy the Ukrainian state in Naddinpryanskaya Ukraine. On December 1, 1918, an agreement was signed in Fastiv on the unification both Ukrainian republics. In Bukovina and Transcarpathia, the population and politicians actively supported unification with the Ukraine.