Central Council of Ukraine

The Central Council of Ukraine (Ukrainian: Ð£ÐºÑ€Ð°Ñ—Ð½ÑÑŒÐºÐ° Ð¦ÐµÐ½Ñ‚Ñ€Ð°Ð»ÑŒÐ½Ð° Ð Ð°Ð´Ð°, Ukrainsâ€™ka Tsentralâ€™na rada) (also called the Tsentralna Rada or the Central Rada) was the All-Ukrainian council that united the political, public, cultural, professional organizations in the territory of the Ukrainian People's Republic. Later on after the All-Ukrainian National Congress (19â€"21 April 1917), the council became the revolutionary parliament of the interbellum Ukraine.

Overview

From its beginning the council directed the Ukrainian national movement and with its four Universals led the country from autonomy to full sovereignty. During its brief existence from 1917 to 1918, the Central Rada, which was headed by the Ukrainian historian and ethnologist Mykhailo Hrushevsky, evolved into the fundamental governing institution of the Ukrainian People's Republic and set precedents in parliamentary democracy and national independence that were never completely forgotten during Soviet times and are still remembered today.

According to the Soviet encyclopedia it was a counter-revolutionary united body of bourgeoisie and minor-bourgeoisie nationalistic parties in Ukraine from 1917-1918.

Establishment

The Central Council was founded in Kiev on 17 MarchÂ [O.S. 4 March]Â 1917 on the initiative of the Society of Ukrainian Progressionists and with the participation of various Ukrainian political parties, Ukrainian military activists, workers, religious activists, students, entrepreneurs, public and cultural organizations such as the Ukrainian Science Society, the Ukrainian Pedagogic Society, the Society of Ukrainian Technicians and Agriculturists, etc.

M. Hrushevsky was elected as the Head of the Rada while Volodymyr Naumenko, Dmytro Doroshenko, and Dmytro Antonovych were appointed as his deputies. On March 22, 1917 the Rada published its first declaration - To the Ukrainian people - in support of the Russian Provisional Government. When Mykhailo Hrushevsky assumed his duties on March 27, 1917, the Rada became an acting center of the Ukrainian national movement. But straight after the convocation of the All-Ukrainian National Congress, the Rada transformed into a sort of parliament that consisted of 150 people elected from the Ukrainian political parties, professional and cultural organizations and delegates from guberniyas. During the national congress Hrushevsky was reelected as the chairman of the Rada, while the leaders of the most popular political parties Serhiy Yefremov and Volodymyr Vynnychenko were appointed as his deputies.

During the lifetime of the Central Rada nine plenary sessions took place - eight in 1917, one in 1918 - and one extended session of the Mala Rada. Already prior to the First Ukrainian Universal the Central Rada was increased by 130 representatives that were delegated by II Military Congress (June 23, 1917) and 133 members of the Peasants' Deputies Council who were elected at the I All-Ukrainian Peasants' Congress (June 15, 1917).

Mala Rada

Mala Rada, or the Small Council, was the Central Executive Committee of the Central Rada. It was created in June 1917 and consisted of 30 members the members of the council's presidium, secretaries of the Rada, and two representatives from each political block. The Chairman of that council was elected Mykhailo Hrushevsky who also held the position of the Chairman of the Central Rada. His deputies became Volodymyr Vynnychenko and Serhiy Yefremov. All important matters were addressed at meetings of the Mala Rada in the first place and later the designed projects were ratified at the plenum of the Central Rada.

First and Second Universals

After the declaration of autonomy (First Ukrainian Universal, 10 June 1917) the Central Rada elected the General Secretariat, autonomous government of Ukraine consisting of eight secretariats. The Soviet Encyclopedia clearly points to the fact that the autonomy was declared in spite of the Provisional Government and then the Central Rada changed its mind and went on a compromise and postponement the declaration until the Constituent Assembly convention. The Soviet Encyclopedia did not disclose the details and the factors that took place at that particular time and accused the Rada in deception. While in fact the Russian Provisional Government and Alexander Kerensky, in particular, issued Instruktsiya on July 16, 1917 in which it was recognizing the regional autonomy and the General Secretariat although made substantial changes to the Rada's proposition and decided: "appoint as the supreme body of government of regional affairs in Ukraine a separate body, the General Secretariat, the composition of which will be determined in agreement with the Central Rada". According to the instruction the Secretariat was to be the representative body of the Provisional Government. Such respond really disappointed Volodymyr Vynnychenko who protested it and dissolved his cabinet. After the acknowledgment by the Central Rada of the Provisional Government Instruktsiya, the Rada issued its Second Universal confirming the agreement between both governments. The composition of the Rada also was increased by 100 representatives elected at the I All-Ukrainian Workers' Congress (July 24â€"27, 1917) and other representatives of minorities.

Texts of the Tsentralna Rada Universals

(Ukrainian)Text of the I Universal (author V.Vynnychenko)
(Ukrainian)Text of the II Universal

Soviet Encyclopedia outlook

The Soviet Encyclopedia also claims that the Rada took an aggressive opposition against the October Revolution as well as the Kiev Bolshevik Uprising. Then the Rada by pulling towards Kiev the nationalistic military units overtook the government and on November 13, occupied the city. Later in a week it declared itself the supreme government of the UNR (the Soviet Encyclopedia here used the words so called) and established the strict terrorist regime. December 25, 1917 the All-Ukrainian Congress of the Soviet Ukraine declared the Rada out of law while its participants organized the opposition government to the Rada.

The Soviet Encyclopedia failed to add the fact that the Kiev Uprising took place in the collaboration of the Bolsheviks and other parties that all were part of the Rada as well as what really happened on November 13 and then November 16.

Members

By the end of July 1917 the Central Rada had formally 822 deputies (according to Pavlo Khrystiuk). The members of it belonged to the following parties:

All-Ukrainian Peasants' Deputies Council - 212
All-Ukrainian Military Deputies Council - 158
All-Ukrainian Workers' Deputies Council - 100
Representatives of non-Ukrainian Workers' and Military Deputies Councils - 50
Ukrainian Socialist Party - 20
Russian Socialist Party - 40
Jewish Socialist Parties Fareynikte, Bundists, Poalei Zionists - 35
Polish Socialist Party - 15
Representatives of cities and gubernias - 84
Representatives of professional, educational, economical, public organizations, and other national minorities - 108

Out of these 822 people the Mala Rada was elected with 58 member including 18 members of various national minorities. From the initiative of the Central Rada in Kiev took place the congress of Russian nationalities 21â€"28 September 1917.

Fate of the Central Council members

All members of the council were proclaimed outlaws by the Soviet government of Ukraine in December 1917 as part of a national-bourgeois government. On January 29, 1918 Bolshevist troops entered Kiev and declared a Soviet Coup d'etat. The Kiev garrison joined with the Soviets and deposed the Rada. Odoevsky attempted to form a new government but was arrested. The Bolsheviks established Kharkov as the capital of the Soviets of the Ukraine.

Emigration

Volodymyr Vynnychenko, died in France
Khrystofor Baranovsky, died in Brazil
Borys Martos, died in the United States
Moishe Zilberfarb, died in Poland
MieczysÅ‚aw Mickiewicz, died in Poland
Oleksander Lototsky, died in Poland
Oleksander Shulhyn, died in France
Ivan Mirny, died in Czechoslovakia
Mykola Porsh, died in Germany
Mykola Kovalevsky, died in Austria
Mykyta Shapoval, died in Czechoslovakia
Dmytro Antonovych, died in Czechoslovakia
Nykyfor Hryhoriiv-Nash, died in the United States
Mykhailo Yeremiiv, died in Switzerland
Pavlo Zaitsev, died in Germany
Volodymyr Kedrovsky, died in the United States
Andri Livytsky, died in Germany
Dmytro Chyzhevsky, died in Germany
Yevhen Onatsky, died in Argentina
Oleksander Slyvynsky, died in Canada
Levko Chykalenko, died in the United States
Andri Yakovliv, died in the United States
Solomon Goldelman, died in Israel
Kornel (Korni) Nishchemenko, died in the United States
Viktor Prykhodko, died in the United States (1982)
Kost Turkalo, died in the United States
Panas Fedenko, died in Germany
Dmytro Isayevych, died in Poland
Metropolitan Ilarion (Ivan Ohienko), died in Canada
Vyacheslav Prokopovych, died in France
Fedir Shvets, died in Czechoslovakia
Valeria O'Connor-Vilinska, died in Czechoslovakia
Sofia Rusova (Lindfors), died in Czechoslovakia
Fedir Shtaingel (Theodor Steingel), died in Germany
Yuri Tyshchenko, died in the United States
Oleksander Salikovsky, died in Poland
Zinaida Mirna (Khylchevska), died in Czechoslovakia
Oleksander Vilinsky, died in Czechoslovakia
Dmytro Doroshenko, died in Germany
Mykhailo Korchynsky, died in Poland
Tymish Olesiyuk, died in the United States (1978)

Imprisonment

Pavlo Khrystiuk, died in Sevvostlag
Serhiy Yefremov, died in Vladimir city prison
Valentyn Sadovsky, died in Lukyanivska Prison
Vsevolod Holubovych, died in Yaroslavl city prison
Vasyl Mazurenko, died near Almaty
Illya Shrag, died in Chernihiv (under house arrest)
Kuzma Korzh, died in Kiev - shot by Cheka
Kostyantyn Vasylenko, died in Vinnytsia - shot by Cheka
Hryhori Holoskevych, died in Tomsk - suicide
Anatoli Pisotsky, died in Mykolaiv Oblast
Mykola (Hryhorovych) Levytsky, died in Krasnoyarsky Krai
Mykola Chechel, died in Suzdal
Arkadi Stepanenko, died in Kiev
Mykola Tkachenko, died in Moscow
Yuri Tyutyunyk, died in Moscow
Fedir Kryzhanivsky, died in Kiev
Mykhailo Poloz, died at Solovki
Oleksander Shumsky, died at Solovki
Mykola Vorony, executed in Odessa
Yuri Shapoval, died at Solovki
Ivan Feshchenko-Chopivsky, died in Kozhvinski Raion (Komi Republic)
Mykola Galagan, died in Lukyanivska Prison
Maksym Slavinsky, died in Kiev Oblast NKVD prison #1
Mykola Lyubynsky, died at Solovki
Lyudmyla Starytska-Chernyakhivska, died in transit to Kazakhstan
Mykola Simashkevych, died in Kiev
Yevtykhi (Yavtukh) Harmash, died in Poltava
Antin Drahomyretsky, died in Kharkiv

Assassinated (or killed in action)

Symon Petliura, killed in Paris (1926)
Ivan Steshenko, killed in Poltava (1918)
Oleksander-Bohdan Zarudny, killed in Kiev (1918)
Loenard Bochkovsky, killed in Kiev (1918)
Ivan Lutsenko, killed near Starokostyantyniv (1919)
Mykola Mikhnovsky, killed at home (1924)
Isaak Puhach, killed in Kiev (1918)

Fate unknown

Mykola Stasiuk, worked as an editor of a local newspaper in Mariupol during World War II
Moisei Rafes, died in 1942
Aleksandr Zarubin
Mykhailo Savchenko-Bilsky
Aleksandr Zolotarev
Zinovi Vysotsky
Prokip Ponyatenko
Oleksander Zhukovsky
Yosyp Mayevsky
Viktor Poplavko
Volodymyr Naumenko, died in Ukraine (Kiev?) - shot by Cheka
Petro Artemenko
Mykola Herasymenko
Andriy Nikovsky, was looking for a job in Leningrad before World War II
Oleksander Stepanenko, died in Siberia in 1924
Serhi Vikul
Yevhen Kasianenko
Oleksander Yanko
Oleksander Zhukivsky
Andri Likhnyakevych, emigration
Antin Postolovsky, emigration
Pavlo Pohorilko, the archbishop of All Ukraine was arrested in Kharkiv in 1929 - his farther fate is unknown

Natural causes

Myhaylo Tuhan-Baranovsky, 1919 (heart-attack)
Petro Stebnytsky, 1923 (hunger)
Mykola Vasylenko, 1935
Viktor Pavlenko, 1932 (hunger)
Stepan Erastov, 1933 (hunger)
Mykhailo Hrushevsky, 1934 (medical mistreatment)
Mykola Bilyashivsky, 1926 (hunger)
Oleksander Voloshyn, 1933 (hunger)
Volodymyr Shemet, 1933 (hunger)
Mykola (Vasylyovych) Levytsky, 1936 (hunger)
Mykola Shrag, 1970
Serhi Kolos, 1969
Lyubov Yanovska (Shcherbachova), 1933
Fedir Matushevsky, 1919
Lev Han, 1919 (typhus)
Andri Viazlov, 1919 (typhus)

Other vicitms and related people

wife of Mykhailo Hrushevsky, Maria-Ivanna Sylvestrivna Hrushevska (Voyakovska), died soon after was brutally robbed in 1948
daughter of Mykhailo Hrushevsky, Kateryna Mykhailivna Hrushevska, died in Temlag in 1943 being in a custody since 1938
brother of Mykhailo Hrushevsky, Oleksandr Serhiyovych Hrushevsky, was arrested soon after the death of Mykhailo - his farther fate is unknown.
Arystarkh Ternychenko, was a member of government (not mentioned as the member of Central Rada)- fate unknown
Serhi Ostapenko, was a member of government (not mentioned as the member of Central Rada)- fate unknown
Ovksenti Korchak-Chepurivsky, was a member of government (not mentioned as the member of Central Rada) - died from natural causes in 1947
Volodymyr Oskilko, a member of opposition to Martos government (not mentioned as the member of Central Rada) - assassinated by Cheka in 1926
Isaak Mazepa, was a member of government (not mentioned as the member of Central Rada)- died in Germany

References

Bibliography

Hrushevsky, Mykhailo (1918). "ÐÐ° Ð¿Ð¾Ñ€Ð¾Ð·Ñ– Ð½Ð¾Ð²Ð¾Ñ— Ð£ÐºÑ€Ð°Ñ—Ð½Ð¸" (The first step towards the new Ukraine). Kiev.
Shulhin, O. (1918). "ÐŸÐ¾Ð»Ñ–Ñ‚Ð¸ÐºÐ°" (Politics). Kiev.
Vynnychenko, Volodymyr (1920). "Ð'Ñ–Ð´Ñ€Ð¾Ð´Ð¶ÐµÐ½Ð½Ñ Ð½Ð°Ñ†Ñ–Ñ—" (Revival of the nation). Vol I-II. Vienna.
Khrystiuk, Pavlo (1921). "Ð—Ð°Ð¿Ð¸ÑÐºÐ¸ Ñ– Ð¼Ð°Ñ‚ÐµÑ€Ñ–Ð°Ð»Ð¸ Ð´Ð¾ Ñ–ÑÑ‚Ð¾Ñ€Ñ–Ñ— ÑƒÐºÑ€Ð°Ñ—Ð½ÑÑŒÐºÐ¾Ñ— Ñ€ÐµÐ²Ð¾Ð»ÑŽÑ†Ñ–Ñ— 1917â€"1920 pp." (Notes and materials to the history of the Ukrainian Revolution 1917-20). Vol I-II. Vienna.
Zolotariov, A. (1922). "Ð†Ð· Ñ–ÑÑ‚Ð¾Ñ€Ñ–Ñ— Ð£ÐºÑ€Ð°Ñ—Ð½ÑÑŒÐºÐ¾Ñ— Ð¦ÐµÐ½Ñ‚Ñ€Ð°Ð»ÑŒÐ½Ð¾Ñ— Ð Ð°Ð´Ð¸" (From history of the Ukrainian Central Rada). Kharkiv.
Skrypnyk, M. (1923). "ÐÐ°Ñ‡ÐµÑ€Ðº Ñ–ÑÑ‚Ð¾Ñ€Ñ–Ñ— Ð¿Ñ€Ð¾Ð»ÐµÑ‚Ð°Ñ€ÑÑŒÐºÐ¾Ñ— Ñ€ÐµÐ²Ð¾Ð»ÑŽÑ†Ñ–Ñ— Ð½Ð° Ð£ÐºÑ€Ð°Ñ—Ð½Ñ–" (Outline of history of the proletarian revolution in Ukraine). Chervonyi Shliakh (Red Pathway). Kharkiv.
Richytskyi, A (1928). "Ð¦ÐµÐ½Ñ‚Ñ€Ð°Ð»ÑŒÐ½Ð° Ð Ð°Ð´Ð° Ð²Ñ–Ð´ Ð»ÑŽÑ‚Ð¾Ð³Ð¾ Ð´Ð¾ Ð¶Ð¾Ð²Ñ‚Ð½Ñ" (The Central Rada from February to October). Kharkiv.
Doroshenko Dmytro (1932). "Ð†ÑÑ‚Ð¾Ñ€Ñ–Ñ Ð£ÐºÑ€Ð°Ñ—Ð½Ð¸ 1917â€"1923" (History of Ukraine 1917-23). Vol I "Ð"Ð¾Ð±Ð° Ð¦ÐµÐ½Ñ‚Ñ€Ð°Ð»ÑŒÐ½Ð¾Ñ— Ð Ð°Ð´Ð¸" (The times of the Central Rada). Uzhhorod.
Reshetar, J. (1952). "The Ukrainian Revolution 1917â€"1920". Princeton.
Pidhainy, Ðž. (1966). "The Formation of the Ukrainian Republic". Toronto â€" New-York.
Makhun, Serhiy (2005). "1917â€"1918 Ð³Ð¾Ð´Ñ‹: ÐŸÐ¾Ñ‚ÐµÑ€ÑÐ½Ð½Ð¾Ðµ Ð²Ñ€ÐµÐ¼Ñ Ð¦ÐµÐ½Ñ‚Ñ€Ð°Ð»ÑŒÐ½Ð¾Ð¹ Ð Ð°Ð´Ñ‹, Ð¸Ð»Ð¸ Â«ÐœÐµÐ¶Ð´Ñƒ Ð´Ð²ÑƒÐ¼Ñ ÐºÑ€ÐµÑÐ»Ð°Ð¼Ð¸Â»". Zerkalo nedeli. #32(560) August 20â€"26. Kiev. The copy of the article. (Russian)
Bilokin, Serhiy (2000). "Ð"Ð¾Ð»Ñ Ñ‡Ð»ÐµÐ½Ñ–Ð² Ð¦ÐµÐ½Ñ‚Ñ€Ð°Ð»ÑŒÐ½Ð¾Ñ— Ð Ð°Ð´Ð¸ Ð² Ð¡Ð¡Ð¡Ð " (The fate of the Ukrainian Central Rada members in USSR). Vyzvolnyi Shliakh (Liberating Pathway). Vol I. 14-26 pp. The copy of the article. (Ukrainian)

Central Council of Ukraine

Senin, 11 Mei 2015