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« 2025. # 3 (183)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2025. № 3 (183), 631—638

UDK 94(477:438)”1918/1939″:378.4.014(092)Кучабський

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

«BETWEEN SCYLLA AND CHARYBDIS»: UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS IN THE VISION OF VASYL KUCHABSKY

BARAN Zoya

  • ORSID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9685-3953
  • Candidate of History, Associate Professor, 
  • Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, 
  • Department of World Modern History, 
  • 1, Universytetska str., 79000, Lviv, Ukraine,
  • Contacts:  е-mail: zoja_baran@ukr.net

Abstract. Introduction. After the defeat of the West Ukrainian People’s Republic (ZUNR) and the final incorporation of Ukrainian territories into Poland in the interwar period, the university issue became one of the key issues in Polish-Ukrainian relations. The Polish authorities put forward a number of requirements for admission to Lviv University, which proved to be unacceptable to patriotic Ukrainian youth.

Problem Statement. Recognising the importance of education for the future of the state, Ukrainian society made efforts to organise education for young people in their native language. Thus, in 1921, the Ukrainian Secret University began to function.

The purpose of this article is toanalysethe key ideas of V. Kuchabsky, a historian, publicist, socio-political and military figure, on the role of the Ukrainian university in shaping national identity, and on its functions and organisation during the interwar period.

Methods. The general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, as well as special scientific comparative-historical and chronological methods are used in the work. The author adheres to the principle of historicism.

Results. V. Kuchabsky considered that the primary tasks of the Ukrainian Secret University had not been fulfilled. When dealing with the issue of granting permits to study abroad, Ukrainian youth who supported the Ukrainian Secret University, find themselves between Scylla and Charybdis. That’s why he opposed the boycott of Polish higher education institutions. This would have stopped the mass emigration of Ukrainian youth, which was harmful to the national cause, and the actual loss of national forces. He did not consider the state university, even with Ukrainian as the language of instruction, which was the subject of discussion, to be an institution that could fulfil the tasks set. He preferred the creation of national Ukrainian higher education institutions.

Conclusion. As a representative of modern Ukrainian conservatism, the scholar believed that it was on this basis that a spiritual elite could be formed, raising the educational level of young people and reviving the spirit of patriotism. To educate Ukrainians with a national consciousness who would become active fighters for Ukraine’s future development, he considered it necessary to restructure the system for training qualified personnel to organise Ukrainian cultural, economic and political life.

Keywords: V. Kuchabsky, interwar Poland, Polish-Ukrainian relations, ZUNR, Eastern Galicia, educational policy, Ukrainian university, Ukrainian Secret University.

Received 24.05.2025

REFERENCES

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