National hero: Symon Petlyura

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

One of the outstanding conductors of the national liberation struggle of the Ukrainian people in the twentieth century is Symon Petliura. The name of this great man was hushed up and banned in Soviet times, and information about his activities was in the archives under the heading "Secret". The communist ideology distorted the history of the country, calling the hero a pogromist, a bandit, a traitor. In troubled times, the very idea of Ukraine's independence, its language and the right to make its own choice was persecuted.

The future Chief Ataman was born in 1879 in the glorious city of Poltava. The family with many children struggled to make ends meet. But, nevertheless, Symon Petliura received his primary education, and later studied at the theological seminary (Bursa). The young man initially supported the socialist movement, which was popular in the Russian Empire and Europe. But in 1900 he joined the ranks of the Revolutionary Ukrainian Party, which was the first in the twentieth century to declare an independent state of Ukraine. Soon Petliura Simon became one of its most active members.

Even then he began to be persecuted, so he wandered the expanses of the empire. For some time he worked in the Kuban, researching the archivesZaporozhye Cossacks. A little later, the young revolutionary moved to Lvov, where he attended Grushevsky's lectures and worked in several newspapers. For some time Simon Petlyura lived in Moscow, where he met his wife Olga Velskaya. Wherever he is, he takes an active part in national organizations, the cultural life of the city, writes for the media. Even then, F. Korsh recognized him as a leader, a hero who is able to lead the people to a great victory.

Simon Petlyura, whose biography is full of extraordinary deeds, took part in the First World War, in the February Revolution of 1917. It was he who headed the Ukrainian General Military Committee, where he promoted the national idea. And after the adoption of the first universal of the Central Rada, he became secretary for military affairs. The October coup drastically changed the plans of the young state. Under the humane slogans of the Bolsheviks, the imperial policy continued. This led to an armed conflict with Russia. In difficult conditions, Petlyura forms an army and prepares it for a skirmish with the enemy. By defending, not attacking, he wanted to liberate his homeland.

After a conflict with V. Vinnichenko, Simon leaves the government. He organizes the haidamatsky kosh of Sloboda Ukraine, which actively fights against the communists. He boldly opposes the troops of N. Muravyov, but is forced to surrender Kyiv under the onslaught of a numerous enemy and look for allies in the face of the Germans. Later, a tough struggle continued, supplemented by disagreements in Ukraine itself between its leaders. Petlyura was even imprisoned by his own associates, however,not for long.

Member of the UNR Directory did not leave his homeland, but remained faithful to her until the end of his days.

For a long time, Symon Petlyura commanded partisan detachments that fought against the invaders, looked for external allies, followed his idea. But when Poland compromised with the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian army was doomed. The death from a bullet of a Bolshevik agent in 1926 interrupted the plans of the national hero. But didn't kill his idea.

Today, the name of a fighter for justice and independence, undeservedly tarnished, is being cleaned of dirt. Grateful descendants learn to live in their homeland, to love it the way the legendary Simon Petliura loved.