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Lemko-Rusyn People's Republic (), often known also as the Lemko-Rusyn Republic, just the Lemko Republic, or the Florynka Republic, was a short-lived state founded on 5 December 1918 in the aftermath of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and the dissolution of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military and diplomatic alliance, it consist ...
. It was centered on Florynka, a village in the south-east of present-day
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
. Being Russophile, its intent was unification with a democratic Russia and was opposed to a union with the
West Ukrainian People's Republic The West Ukrainian People's Republic (; West Ukrainian People's Republic#Name, see other names) was a short-lived state that controlled most of Eastern Galicia from November 1918 to July 1919. It included major cities of Lviv, Ternopil, Kolom ...
. A union with Russia proved impossible, so the Republic then attempted to join
Subcarpathian Rus' Transcarpathia (, ) is a historical region on the border between Central and Eastern Europe, mostly located in western Ukraine's Zakarpattia Oblast. From the Hungarian Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin, conquest of the Carpathian Basin ...
as an autonomous province of
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
. This, however, was opposed by the then governor of Subcarpathian Rus', Gregory Žatkovič. The Republic was headed by Jaroslav Kacmarcyk as President of the Central National Council. It was ended in March 1920 when the Polish government arrested Kacmarcyk and other members of the Lemko government. Its fate was sealed by the September 1919
Treaty of Saint-Germain A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign states and/or international organizations that is governed by international law. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, covenant, conventi ...
, which gave Galicia west of the San to Poland and by the
Peace of Riga The Treaty of Riga was signed in Riga, Latvia, on between Poland on one side and Soviet Russia (acting also on behalf of Soviet Belarus) and Soviet Ukraine on the other, ending the Polish–Soviet War (1919–1921). The chief negotiators o ...
in March 1921 whereby the
fait accompli Many words in the English vocabulary are of French language, French origin, most coming from the Anglo-Norman language, Anglo-Norman spoken by the upper classes in England for several hundred years after the Norman conquest of England, Norman ...
was recognized by Moscow. This state should not be confused with the Komancza Republic of eastern Lemko Region, another short-lived republic. This was a smaller pro- Ukrainian state that existed between November 1918 and 23 January 1919.


Background

In the middle of the 19th century, the question of Rusyn population in Galicia turned into a power struggle between Austria, Russia and Poland. A circle of Russophile pan-Slavists formed around Mikhail Pogodin who visited Galicia regularly, and conducted talks with anti-Polish clergy of
Eastern Catholic The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also known as the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous ('' sui iuris'') particular churches of ...
and
Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...
denominations. The spread of pro-Russian sympathies proved successful as there already were cultural and social conflicts between the Poles and Rusyn peasants, resulting in an anti-Polish attitude. Antipathy towards Poland was also caused by the attitude of Polish nationalist groups, which spread the belief that Rusyns were a Polish tribe and that Rusyn culture was just a regional variation of the Polish one. Rusyns demanded that Eastern Catholic customs be freely respected in Galicia, and for the Rusyn language to be represented in administration and schools. Fears of
Polonization Polonization or Polonisation ()In Polish historiography, particularly pre-WWII (e.g., L. Wasilewski. As noted in Смалянчук А. Ф. (Smalyanchuk 2001) Паміж краёвасцю і нацыянальнай ідэяй. Польскі ...
and ignorance concerning the treatments of Rusyns and Ukrainians within the borders of the Russian Empire made the Russian campaign particularly successful, and already in 1849 the Lemkos sent a delegation to
Tsar Nicholas I Nicholas I, group=pron (Russian language, Russian: Николай I Павлович; – ) was Emperor of Russia, List of rulers of Partitioned Poland#Kings of the Kingdom of Poland, King of Congress Poland, and Grand Duke of Finland from 18 ...
led by Mykhailo Hrynda of Szlachtowa, which asked the Tsar for his "protection". Mykhailo Hrushevsky stresses that there was no nationalism nor a strong identity present in the Rusyn circles, the cultural and religious differences made it impossible to identify with both the Polish and Ukrainian population, and yet despite a common desire for independence or autonomy, there weren't any strong foundations for a Lemko nation. In other words, Lemkos were certain that they weren't Poles nor Ukrainians and sought sovereignty from them, and yet many didn't feel like they formed a nation on their own either. Russian agitation solved this problem, and many Rusyns proceeded to identify with the Russian nation and culture. The Russophilia of Rusyn circles came to be combated by the Ukrainian nationalist movements, most importantly the
Prosvita Prosvita (), since 1991 officially known as All-Ukrainian Prosvita Society named after Taras Shevchenko () is an enlightenment society aimed to preserve and develop Ukrainian culture, education and science, that was created in the nineteenth cen ...
society, and by the dominant Polish element as well. This temporarily weakened the pro-Russian ambitions of the Rusyns, but it returned as a consequence of Russian defeat in the
Russo-Japanese War The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905) was fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and the Korean Empire. The major land battles of the war were fought on the ...
. In 1907, the National Democrats came to represent Galicia in the Viennese parliament. National Democrats represented a Russophile current, believing that rebuilding the Polish state lies in collaboration with Russia in exchange of extensive autonomy and combating Ukrainian nationalism. This pro-Russian attitude of National Democrats greatly emporered the Russophile Rusyns and weakened the Ukrainian movement in Lemko region. The
First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
resulted in the Russian occupation of Galicia, which the Russian officials declared to be "eternally Russian lands". Russia made vigorous efforts to integrate Galicia into Russia, and conducted mass conversions from Greek Catholicism to Eastern Orthodoxy. The Ukrainian national movement was repressed, with most Ukrainian politicians fleeing to Vienna.
Andrey Sheptytsky Andrey Sheptytsky, OSBM (; ; 29 July 1865 – 1 November 1944) was the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Metropolitan of Galicia and Archbishop of Lviv from 1901 until his death in 1944. His tenure in office spanned two world wars and six political r ...
, the Greek Catholic metropolitan, was arrested. The situation was quickly reversed when the Russian army was pushed back, with mass arrests and reprisals against pro-Russian circles by the Austrian army, including against the Rusyn movement. The war greatly polarised the Ukrainian and Russophile factions amongst Lemko activists, with the East being swayed towards supporting the Ukrainians and proclaiming a pro-Ukrainian Komancza Republic, while western Lemkos remained hostile to Ukrainian nationalism.


Proclamation

The western Lemkos were concerned that they would be incorporated into the
Western Ukrainian People's Republic The West Ukrainian People's Republic (; West Ukrainian People's Republic#Name, see other names) was a short-lived state that controlled most of Eastern Galicia from November 1918 to July 1919. It included major cities of Lviv, Ternopil, Kolom ...
against their will. In November 1918, an anti-Ukrainian rally was held in
Świątkowa Wielka Świątkowa Wielka () is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Krempna, within Jasło County, Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in south-eastern Poland, close to the border with Slovakia. It lies approximately west of Krempna, south of J ...
, where Rusyn activists spoke against joining the Ukrainian state. A political conference of Lemko activists in Gładyszów proclaimed that the Lemko region could only belong to a Rusyn state. Jarosław Moklak notes that the resolutions of Gładyszów received support from local Lemkos, as they considered the Ukrainian nation foreign to them and feared being dismissed as a mere regional variant of the Ukrainian culture. Further rallies took place in Grybów and
Nowy Sącz Nowy Sącz (; ; ; ; ) is a city in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship of southern Poland. It is the district capital of Nowy Sącz County as a separate administrative unit. With a population of 83,116 as of 2021, it is the largest city in the Beskid S ...
. On 5 December 1918, over 500 Rusyn representatives of 130 villages and towns in the western Lemko Region held a national congress in Florynka, with the Slovak representatives from the
Prešov Region The Prešov Region (, ; ), also Priashiv Region (, ), is one of the eight Slovak administrative regions and consists of 13 districts (okresy) and 666 municipalities, 23 of which have town status. The region was established in 1996 and is the mos ...
also present as well. Additionally, a representative of the Polish government, Kazimierz Romult, was present as well. The congress proclaimed the creation of 'Nachalnyi Sovit', the executive council, and 'Russka Rada', the national council. Mykhal Iurchakevych led the former, while Jaroslav Kacmarcyk of Muszyna was elected as the head of the latter. The newly proclaimed government proceeded to establish its control over the region, forming a national guard and workers' cooperatives. Given that the Lemko Republic was opposed to the
West Ukrainian People's Republic The West Ukrainian People's Republic (; West Ukrainian People's Republic#Name, see other names) was a short-lived state that controlled most of Eastern Galicia from November 1918 to July 1919. It included major cities of Lviv, Ternopil, Kolom ...
, the Polish government expected the Lemko state to support them and offered them the former town hall of Grybów for its government headquarters. However, the Lemkos were not interested in joining the Polish state and desired to join Russia instead. At the end of 1918, the council announced the incorporation of the Lemko region into Russia, although it wasn't specified whether the council meant
Soviet Russia The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Russian SFSR or RSFSR), previously known as the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic and the Russian Soviet Republic, and unofficially as Soviet Russia,Declaration of Rights of the labo ...
or White Russia. The Rusyn Council established its control on the region, prohibiting teachers and officials from submitting "pledges of loyalty" to the Polish government, and public documents referred to the Republic as "Russian National Republic". The collapse of Russia put the pro-Russian republic in a difficult situation, and the republic started seeking alternatives. This made the Lemkos develop a pro-Czechoslovak policy as to avoid integration into Poland, and the pro-Czech attitude was already widespread amongst the Rusyns of Slovakia and
Carpathian Ruthenia Transcarpathia (, ) is a historical region on the border between Central and Eastern Europe, mostly located in western Ukraine's Zakarpattia Oblast. From the Hungarian Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin, conquest of the Carpathian Basin ...
. In January 1919, Lemko council members met with Rusyns of Carpathia and under the leadership of Antonii Beskyd formed a united Carpatho-Rusyn National Council, announcing that the Lemkos of Galicia and Rusyns of Carpathia formed a single nation that would join Czechoslovakia. A delegation was sent to the Paris Peace Conference, which issued a formal memorandum in April 1919 of a united Rusyn state which would encompass the Lemko region in Galicia, the
Prešov Region The Prešov Region (, ; ), also Priashiv Region (, ), is one of the eight Slovak administrative regions and consists of 13 districts (okresy) and 666 municipalities, 23 of which have town status. The region was established in 1996 and is the mos ...
and
Carpathian Ruthenia Transcarpathia (, ) is a historical region on the border between Central and Eastern Europe, mostly located in western Ukraine's Zakarpattia Oblast. From the Hungarian Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian Basin, conquest of the Carpathian Basin ...
. Gregory Žatkovich, the first governor of Czechoslovak Carpathian Ruthenia, vehemently opposed the annexation of Lemko Region into Czechoslovakia, given that it would provoke a war in Poland and that the Entente powers had already allowed Poland to occupy all of Galicia until the resolution of the
Russian Civil War The Russian Civil War () was a multi-party civil war in the former Russian Empire sparked by the 1917 overthrowing of the Russian Provisional Government in the October Revolution, as many factions vied to determine Russia's political future. I ...
. While the Polish government was passive towards the Lemko state and saw no need to suppress it thanks to its anti-Ukrainian attitude, the pro-Czech attitude concerned the Polish authorities, and unlike Russophilia, was seen as a threat to the Polish nation state. Following the proclamation by the Lemko Council the Republic would join Czechoslovakia as part of Carpathian Ukraine, the Polish army quickly occupied the region in March 1920, effectively dissolving the Lemko Republic. A trial of the council members took place on 10 June 1921 in
Nowy Sącz Nowy Sącz (; ; ; ; ) is a city in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship of southern Poland. It is the district capital of Nowy Sącz County as a separate administrative unit. With a population of 83,116 as of 2021, it is the largest city in the Beskid S ...
, but the Polish court was lenient towards the Lemko activists and acquitted every defendant. Following the annexation of the Lemko-Rusyn Republic and the lenient trial, the newly established Polish state ignored Lemkos and didn't interfere in the local political affairs. The success of the Polish state and the downfall of the Ukrainian one re-evaluated Rusyn politics, with the Russophile Lemkos becoming split between left-wing pro-Soviet and anti-Bolshevik right wing activists, known as the Old Rusyns. Old Rusyns remained loyal to the Russophile cause, but also declared loyalty towards the Polish state and started advocating for autonomy within Poland, without abandoning their Rusyn national consciousness. Given the partition of Ukrainian lands between Poland and the Soviet Union, the pro-Ukrainian Lemkos merged with the pro-Russian groups, seeing either the Soviets or the Polish state as preferable. Jaroslav Kacmarcyk never gave up on his ambition to join Russia, and continued to support a union with Russia, even if under Bolshevik governance.


Territory

On 5 December 1918, the Republic's delegates issued the statement: "We, the Rusyn nation, living in a compact settlement in the southern parts of the Galician administrative units of
Nowy Targ Nowy Targ (Officially: ''Royal Free city of Nowy Targ'', Yiddish: ''Naymark'', Gorals, Goral dialect: ''Nowy Torg'' ) is a town in southern Poland, in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship. It is located in the Orava-Nowy Targ Basin at the foot of the Go ...
,
Nowy Sącz Nowy Sącz (; ; ; ; ) is a city in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship of southern Poland. It is the district capital of Nowy Sącz County as a separate administrative unit. With a population of 83,116 as of 2021, it is the largest city in the Beskid S ...
, Grybów,
Gorlice Gorlice () is a town and an urban municipality ("gmina") in south-eastern Poland with around 29,500 inhabitants (2008). It is situated south east of Kraków and south of Tarnów between Jasło and Nowy Sącz in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship (sinc ...
,
Jasło Jasło is a county town in south-eastern Poland with 36,641 inhabitants, as of 31 December 2012. It is situated in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship (since 1999), and it was previously part of Krosno Voivodeship (1975–1998). It is located in Lesser ...
,
Krosno Krosno (in full ''The Royal Free City of Krosno'', ) is a historical town and Krosno County, county in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship, in southeastern Poland. The estimated population of the town is 47,140 inhabitants as of 2014. The functional ...
, and
Sanok Sanok (in full the Royal Free City of Sanok — , , ''Sanok'', , ''Sianok'' or ''Sianik'', , , ''Sūnik'' or ''Sonik'') is a town in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship of southeastern Poland with 38,397 inhabitants, as of June 2016. Located on the San ...
do not wish to be incorporated into the Polish state, and wish to share the fate of our Rusyn brothers ivingin
Spiš Spiš ( ; or ; ) is a region in north-eastern Slovakia, with a very small area in south-eastern Poland (more specifically encompassing 14 former Slovak villages). Spiš is an informal designation of the territory, but it is also the name of one ...
,
Šariš Šariš is the traditional name of a region situated in northeastern Slovakia. It encompasses the territory of the former (Comitatus (Kingdom of Hungary), comitatus) Sáros county. History Šariš county was created in the 13th century from th ...
, and Zemplín counties as one indivisible geographic and ethnographic unit."


See also

* First Republic of Pińczów *
Hutsul Republic The Hutsul Republic () was a short-lived state formed in the aftermath of World War I. Inhabited by Hutsuls, the republic was declared on 8 January 1919, when original plans to unite this area with the West Ukrainian People's Republic failed and ...
* Komańcza Republic *
Lemkos Lemkos (; ; ; ) are an ethnic group inhabiting the Lemko Region (; ) of Carpathian Rus', an ethnographic region in the Carpathian Mountains and foothills spanning Ukraine, Slovakia, and Poland. Lemkos are often considered to be a sub-group of ...
* Republic of Gniew * Republic of Ostrów * Republic of Tarnobrzeg * Republic of Zakopane


Notes


External links


History of the Lemko-Rusyn Republic


* {{Navbox_Rusyns Lemko Region Former countries in Europe Former republics Galician Russophilia States succeeding Austria-Hungary History of Galicia (Eastern Europe) History of Subcarpathian Voivodeship Former administrative regions of Lesser Poland Voivodeship 1918 establishments in Poland States and territories established in 1918 1920 disestablishments in Europe 1918-12-05