Sich student societies

Sich student societies. The name of Ukrainian student societies active in Lviv, Chernivtsi, Vienna, and Graz from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. The first society of this type was formed in Lviv (1861–3). In Chernivtsi a Sich student society was formed in 1902 by members of the Soiuz (est 1875) and Moloda Ukraina (est 1899) Ukrainian student associations. The group was active in Ukrainian life throughout Bukovyna, in helping establish Sich societies in villages, publishing occasional brochures and journals, and sponsoring a drama group and choir. It was disbanded by the Romanian government in 1922. The Rus’ student society of Graz changed its name to Sich in 1910. It remained active until the end of the 1940s. The longest-lasting and most active of these organizations was the Sich student society of Vienna (1868–1947).

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 4 (1993).]