THE UKRAINIAN PARAMILITARY MOVEMENT IN THE WETZLAR CAMP, GERMANY, 1916 – THE FIRST HALF OF 1918 (ACCORDING TO THE MATERIALS OF THE CAMP PRESS)

Abstract

The article analyzes the peculiarities of the development of the Ukrainian paramilitary movement in the camp of Ukrainian prisoners of war Wetzlar (Germany) in 1916 – the first half of 1918, which began with the founding of the gymnastic society «Sich». Quite soon it turned into a paramilitary structure with a relatively small number of its members with a developed national worldview. Its members jointly performed gymnastic exercises accompanied by an orchestra, performed night duty in the camp, keeping an eye on fire safety. The turning point in the history of the society was December 1917, when the newly elected leadership of «Sich» took decisive measures to normalize the situation in it. The most important of his decisions was the creation of the 1st «Sich» Petro Doroshenko regiment, the appointment of centurions, chicken officers and chief of staff, the organization of training classes, ordering the regimental flag. It is obvious that the establishment and further development of the camp «Sich» was authorized by the German authorities, who hoped to strengthen their combat resources at the expense of Ukrainians, primarily in frontline operations against the Russian Imperial Army. However, these hopes were unfounded, and although some of the Sich-man was indeed enrolled in German military service, this category of campers served their time in military command posts in the Volyn lands occupied by Germany. At the same time, two transports were formed from the number of «Sich» activists and Ukrainian activists from other camp organizations, which were incorporated into the Syn’ozhupanna Division. The most significant merit of the Wetzlar «Sich» was the national awareness and organizational training of more than a thousand of its members, who were instilled with strong patriotic feelings. The «Sich» organization of captured Ukrainians in Wetzlar and the 1st «Sich» Petro Doroshenko regiment formed here became one of the foundations for the creation of the armed forces of Ukraine in the most necessary period for it – during the Ukrainian national liberation struggle of 1917–1921.