ACTIVITIES OF THE OUN ON THE ZHOVKVA DISTRICT BEFORE 1939

Abstract

Peculiarities of the formation of the OUN network on the territory of a separate county were studied. The activity of individual structural elements of the organization is analyzed. The reasons that led to the activation of the national liberation movement and the formation of OUN branches in the Rasvka district have been clarified. It is indicated that the years of 1930-1931 in the city of Zhovkva and in the village of Matsoshyn, in the village of Zashkiv the first cells of the right-wing radical organization of the national liberation movement, OUN, were formed. An overview of the socio-political situation that developed at the beginning of the Second World War is presented. The peculiarities of the grouping of Ukrainians at the local level and the creation of sub-district groups are characterized. The main activity of sub-district groups of the OUN was patriotic and military-organizational education of youth, selection and accumulation (storage) of weapons and ammunition. Zhovkva District which is studied in this article was part of the Ravska Okruga OUN. Districts were divided into counties headed by county executives. The county was divided into districts, districts into subdistricts (3–5 villages). The lowest unit of the OUN was the small stanytsia. The article outlines the position of the OUN and its members regarding the actions of the Polish authorities. The social activities of individual Ukrainian figures contributed to the moral, political and patriotic education of young people. Residents of Zhovkiv Region rallied to resist Polonization in their native villages. The article highlights the active activities of members of the "Prosvita" society within the studied region. The number of members of the OUN grew up in 1930’s. The activities of OUN members depended on changes in the political situation. In the western Ukrainian lands, the OUN Youth network was formed, which was managed by a special sub-referendum of the regional executive. In 1934-1935, the organizational scheme of the OUN underwent changes. At that time, a district group of the OUN was organized. Since 1934, Dmytro Mayivskyi has been its district head in this region. He organized a military camp in the forest near Vola Zhovtanetska. This camp included members of the OUN from the surrounding villages: Zibolky, Zheldets Veryny, and others. The purpose of the camp was as follows: – to act in an organized manner; – "to store weapons that the Polish army left in the forests"; – educate youth politically and organizationally. In this way, the OUN network carried out organizational and military-political activities on the eve of the Second World War.