Lev Bachynsky`s participation in the activities of the General Ukrainian Council

Abstract

The article describes the content and main aspects of Lev Bachynsky`s activities in the General Ukrainian Council (GUC) in 1915–1916. This problem has not yet been comprehensively studied in Ukrainian historical science. Some aspects of the problem are revealed in the works of P. Lipesevich, S. Adamovich, M. Kugutyak, V. Yaremchuk, T. Panfilova, T. Zamlinsky, O. Yegreshiy and others. The source base of the study are the minutes of meetings of the GUC, which are stored in the Central State Archives of Supreme Authorities and Governments of Ukraine.

The course of the meetings of the GUC and the texts of appeals to the Ukrainian population and European countries developed with the direct participation of the politician are researched. It has been established that L. Bachynskyi was very active in the GUC. From the Ukrainian Radical Party (URP) faction he was elected deputy head of the organization. The radical was a part of the legal-political and emigration sections. The main areas of politician`s work of the GUC were: cooperation with representatives of various Ukrainian political forces in the Council; participation in the development of programming documents of the organization, as well as appeals to the Ukrainian population of Eastern Galicia and Bukovina and to the world community; negotiations with representatives of the highest governmental circles of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. In June 1915, L. Bachynsky consisting of the GUC delegation participated in negotiations with the Austrian Minister-President Karl von Stürgkh. The radical was a participant in the meetings of the GUC during May – October 1915 and July – November 1916.

In the framework of GUC, L. Bachynsky joined the solution of the next issues: releasing Ukrainian prisoners of war from the Austrian concentration camps, possible relocation of the organization to Eastern Galicia in the conditions of a successful Austro-German counter-offensive, securing a single name for the designation of the Legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, etc. L. Bachinsky was in opposition to the restrained policy of the GUC leadership, represented by K. Levitsky and M. Vasylko in relations with the Austrian authorities.

Keywords: Lev Bachynsky, General Ukrainian Council (GUC), First World War, Eastern Galicia, Austro-Hungarian Monarchy, proclamation.