The Camp for Ukrainian Prisoners of War of the Russian Army in Rastatt, Germany (1916-1918) according to photo-documents

Ihor Sribniak

Dr. Habil. (History), Professor
Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University
Kyiv, Ukraine

ORCID: 0000-0001-9750-4958

UDC 355.415.8(477.63-28).39«1916-1917»
DOI: http://doi.org/10.17721/2524-048X.2019.14.114-146

The article seeks to represent the peculiarities of everyday life of the Ukrainian camp organization «Independent Ukraine» through a combination of textual and visual approaches. The organization discussed was founded by the Union for the Liberation of Ukraine in camp Rastatt. The intensive cultural, educational and later organizational and national work started there thanks to persistent efforts of camp activists as well as members of the Enlightenment department. The camp saw the emergence of several autonomous organizations established by prisoners of war who supported cultural and art centers (national theatre, choirs, orchestra) as well as educational ones (primary schools and courses).

Prisoners of war had a possibility to attend camp church and canteen («Chayinia», or «Tea Room»). Moreover, they could work at camp «Kustarnia» as well where they were involved in woodcarving and manufacturing faience, as well as learned basics of visual art. Ukrainian camp activists did an enormous amount of work, seeking to influence Ukrainian POWs who stayed apart from Rastatt for a longer time laboring in work teams. Thanks to such initiatives, more and more captives were joining the organization «Independent Ukraine», whose internal activity was based on the principles of self-governance.

Nonetheless, this situation could not be used for the benefit of Ukraine because the UNR did not succeed in the facilitation of massive repatriation. Therefore, the captives’ emotional state was considerably challenged, along with the worsening of food quality. In summer of 1918, the «Committee of Cultural Assistance to Ukrainians in Germany» assumed the responsibility upon Ukrainian prisoners of war but its activity had an only temporary effect. In autumn of 1918, Ukrainian camp organization was closed down and its members returned to Ukraine.

Key words:

Ukrainian prisoners of war, camp, organization, education, Rastatt, Germany.

Download the Article

References

  1. Kryvosheyeva, L. (2009). Natsionalno–prosvitnya diyalnist Soyuzu vyzvolennya Ukrainy v taborakh viyskovopolonenykh ukrayintsiv (1914-1918 rr.). Dys. na zdobuttya nauk. stupenya kand. ist. nauk za spets. 07.00.01 istoriya Ukrayiny, Zaporizkyy natsionalnyy universytet. Zaporizhzhya.
  2. N-v, K. (1917). Generalna Rada Rozsvit. Rastatt, 1 lystopada, 73(138).
  3. N-v K. (1917). Robitnychi komandy Rozsvit. Rastatt, 13 hrudnya, 85(149).
  4. N-v K. (1917). Generalna Starshyna Rozsvit. Rastatt, 15 lystopada, 77(142).
  5. Novist u tabori (1917). Rozsvit. Rastatt, 17 lyutoho, 8(73).
  6. Persha y druha vidpravka na Ukrayinu viddiliv ukrayinskoho viyska z polonenykh Ukrayintsiv nimetskykh taboriv (1918). Vistnyk polityky, literatury i zhyttya. Viden, 14 kvitnya, 15(198).
  7. Rozsvit (1917). Rastatt, 24 hrudnya, 88(152).
  8. Rozsvit (1917). Rastatt, 24 sichnya, 1(66).
  9. Rozsvit (1917). Rastatt, 10 lyutoho, 6(71).
  10. Rozsvit (1917). Rastatt, 17 lyutoho, 8(73).
  11. Rozsvit (1918). Rastatt, 5 sichnya, 1(155).
  12. Sribnyak, I. (1996). Poloneni voyaky–ukrayintsi v Nimechchyni ta Avstro–Uhorshchyni ta formuvannya ukrayinskykh viyskovykh chastyn v chasi Pershoyi svitovoyi viyny. Dys. d-ra filosofiyi Ukrayinskoho Vilnoho Universytetu, München.
  13. Sribnyak, I. (1999). Poloneni ukrayintsi v Avstro–Uhorshchyni ta Nimechchyni (1914-1920 rr.), Kyiv.
  14. Sribnyak, I. (2014). Natsionalno-orhanizatsiyna ta kulturno-prosvitnytska diyalnist polonenykh ukrayintsiv u tabori Rashtat (Nimechchyna) u 1915-1917 rr. Siveryanskyy litopys. Chernihiv, 6(120), 309-324.
  15. Sribnyak, I. (2017). Novitnya «Zaporizka Sich» na chuzhyni (tvorennya paramilitarnykh struktur v ukrayinskomu tabori Rashtat, 1916 r.) Eminak. Kyiv-Mykolayiv, 1(17), 1, 80-85.
  16. Sribnyak, I. (2017). Stvorennya ta diyalnist Komitetu kulturnoyi pomochi ukrayintsyam u Nimechchyni u tabori Rashtat (druha polovyna 1918 r.) Kyivski istorychni studiyi. Kyiv, 1(4), 3-8.
  17. Sribnyak, I. (2017). Poloneni ofitsery-ukrayintsi tsarskoyi armiyi v tabori Rashtat (Nimechchyna) u 1916 r.: hromadskyy ta osobystisnyy vymir taborovoho povsyakdennya Eminak. Kyiv-Mykolayiv, 4(20), 1, 35-40.
  18. Sribnyak, I. (2017) «Vzhe ne odynytsi z pomizh Ukrayintsiv, ale tysyachi…» (diyalnist hromady «Samostiyna Ukrayina» v tabori Rashtat u pershiy polovyni 1918 r.) Mezhybizh: naukovyy visnyk z problem rehionalnoyi istoriyi i pamyatkoznavstva. Mezhybizh, 1’2017, 1, 345-352.
  19. Stepovyk, D. (1994). Skulptor Mykhaylo Parashchuk: Zhyttya i tvorchist. Edmonton-Toronto-Kyiv, 1994.
  20. Terletskyy, O. (1919). Istoriya ukrayinskoyi hromady v Rashtati 1915-1918. Kyiv-Lyayptsig, 1.
  21. Tsentralnyy derzhavnyy arkhiv vyshchykh orhaniv vlady ta upravlinnya Ukrainy (TSDAVO Ukrainy), f.4406, op.1, spr.18, ark.2.
  22. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.177, ark.6, 7.
  23. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.178, ark.1-2, 6-6zv., 8-11.
  24. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.18, ark.11.
  25. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.18, ark.4.
  26. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.151, ark.1-5.
  27. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.18, ark.6.
  28. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.148, ark.1-7.
  29. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.18, ark.8.
  30. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.91, ark.1.
  31. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.28, ark.64.
  32. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.33, ark.170, 172.
  33. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.30, ark.10.
  34. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.2, ark.1-6.
  35. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.23, ark.58, 59, 60, 62.
  36. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.6, ark.54-55.
  37. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.23, ark.74.
  38. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.30, ark.40.
  39. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.30, ark.41.
  40. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.30, ark.42.
  41. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.30, ark.43.
  42. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.30, ark.44.
  43. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.143, ark.1.
  44. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.10, ark.21-22.
  45. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.10, ark.16-17.
  46. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.10, ark.18.
  47. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.153, ark.1.
  48. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.10, ark.71-72.
  49. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.10, ark.73-75.
  50. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.30, ark.62-63zv.
  51. TSDAVO Ukrainy, f.4406, op.1, spr.30, ark.63.