THE STATE OF COMMUNICATIONS IN THE RUDKIV DISTRICT OF WUPR (NOVEMBER 1918 – MAY 1919)

Abstract

The article analyzes the state of communications in the Rudkiv District of the West Ukrainian People's Republic during November 1918 – May 1919. It highlights the importance of the means of communication for the functioning of the state and society; pays attention to crisis phenomena; and investigates the reasons for their occurrence. It is demonstrated that, for a number of reasons, it was not possible to establish an effective railway connection in the county immediately. On the one hand, the article notices such problems of a state scale as personnel, fuel and material hunger, abuse of power by civil servants, and disorganization of the movement. On the other hand, it is indicated that the functioning of the local railway had its own peculiarities: as a result of the loss of Lviv, the duration and length of travel significantly increased; there was no record of theft of railway property in the district; but there were cases of sabotage among railway workers. The measures taken by the government to resolve the crisis are revealed. It is demonstrated that other means of transportation, primarily ordinary roads, despite the repair work of the military authorities and the civilians, were in an unsatisfactory condition due to natural disasters, negligence, or abuse of local residents. The example of the functioning of local post, telegraph and telephone networks shows the reflection of such national trends as the protection and restoration of telegraph lines, the slow creation of post offices and governments, and difficulties with the Ukrainization of state emblems on a regional scale. Keywords: Western Ukrainian People's Republic, Rudkiv District, means of communication, railway, postal service, telegraph and telephone networks.