BOGDAN OSADCHUK: THE LIFE AND THE DEPOSIT OF UKRAINIAN POLONOPHYLA

Abstract

The article considers the life and work of journalist and researcher Bohdan Osadczuk (1920–2011), his importance for strengthening the Polish-Ukrainian relations in 1950-2000s, his collaboration with Jerzy Gedroyc, Editor-in-Chief of exile magazine «Kultura», published in Paris between 1947–2000s. The author of the article set himself the task of creating a realistic biography of Bogdan Osadchuk. With this purpose in mind, little-known or even unknown facts were collected and studied, previously inaccessible archival documents were analyzed The article states that Bogdan Osadchuk grew up and was raised in a multicultural environment. Therefore, he condemned any chauvinism, professed liberal values. He was able to combine the identity of the Ukrainian emigrant with the identity of the European democrat. He lived for 70 years in Berlin (1941–2011), where he graduated from the University of Berlin, and where he became known as journalist Alexander Korab. Under this pseudonym, readers of German newspapers and the oldest Swiss newspaper «Neue Zürcher Zeitung» knew him for decades. For this authoritative publication he wrote for more than half a century materials about events in the USSR and the countries of the «socialist camp». In addition, he actively collaborated with radio and television.The article shows how Soviet and Polish secret services hunted Bogdan Osadchuk, followed him, tried to recruit him. He led his own game and did not give himself a deceit. The article deals with the scientific achievements of Bogdan Osadchuk. He was a professor at two universities – the Freie Universität (Berlin) and the Ukrainian Free University (UVU) in Munich, the author of fundamental scientific publications.For the first time the circumstances of Bohdan Osadchuk's life have been covered. His scientific biography still has to be created. Bohdan Osadchuk's most important studies should be worked out and republished.