Central Representation of the Ukrainian Emigration in Germany

Central Representation of the Ukrainian Emigration in Germany [Центральне Представництво Української Еміґрації в Німеччині; Tsentralne Predstavnytstvo Ukrainskoi Emigratsii v Nimechchyni; German: Zentralvertretung der ukrainischen Emigration in Deutschland, e.V.]. Central Ukrainian civic institution in Germany, elected at the first convention of Ukrainian immigrants in Germany and Austria, which was held in Aschaffenburg in November 1945. The purpose of the institution was to represent and intercede on behalf of the Ukrainians with the occupying powers and later with the German government, as well as to co-operate with foreign charitable organizations and institutions, both Ukrainian and non-Ukrainian. The representation has a three-level structure (headquarters, regional centers, and local centers); its principal legislative body is the Supreme Council, and the executive body is the Supreme Administration. Initially the representation’s activities extended to the American, French, and British zones of occupation, and subsequently to the whole of the Federal Republic of Germany.

At first the representation represented all Ukrainians—177,000 persons in 1946; 29,000 in 1951. In 1953 it became a legally registered association with the German authorities. In 1956 it had 6,700 members; in 1980, 3,800. Until 1950 the representation was based in Augsburg; then its headquarters were moved to Munich, where it existed until 2004. The occupation authorities did not recognize the representation, but tolerated its existence. In the British zone the Central Ukrainian Relief Committee, based in Blomberg and headed by Stepan Biliak and O. Yalovy, was given official recognition, as was the regional office of the Central Representation of the Ukrainian Emigration in Wangen in the French zone (headed by Ye. Mentsinsky, with Semen Kalba in charge). The representation's presidents have been: Vasyl Mudry (1945–9), Ivan Vovchuk (1949–50), Yurii Studynsky (1950–1 and 1957–61), Vasyl Pliushch (1951–3), M. Dorozhynsky (1953–7), Ya. Bentsal (1961–4), and A. Melnyk (after 1964). The secretaries general have been: Roman Ilnytsky, Nykyfor Hirniak, K. Hodovanets, Zenon Pelensky, R. Hromnytsky, A. Melnyk, and V. Lenyk. By 1950 three conventions of delegates representing the Ukrainian immigrants had taken place, in Augsburg (1945 and 1949) and Regensburg-Dillingen (1947–8). Following the completion of resettlement there were nine general sessions and delegates’ conventions of the representation, as well as six general conventions of Ukrainians in West Germany: these have taken place in Stuttgart (1962), Munich (1965, 1970, 1975, 1980), and Königstein (1967).

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Zelenets’kyi, O. (ed). Na hromads’kii nyvi (Do 25-littia TsPUEN) (Munich 1972)
Sharko, B. (ed). Na hromads’kii nyvi: Z diial’nosty TsUPEN (1968–1987) (Munich 1988)

Atanas Figol

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 1 (1984).]