Society of Former Combatants of the Ukrainian Republican Democratic Army in France

Society of Former Combatants of the Ukrainian Republican Democratic Army in France (Товариство бувших вояків Армії УНР у Франції; Tovarystvo buvshykh voiakiv Armiï UNR u Frantsiï). A veterans’ organization established in Paris in 1927 for the furthering of traditions of armed struggle for Ukrainian statehood. In 1939 it had 22 branches in France (the number declined to 12 in 1945) with nearly 1,000 members. It published various educational and informative materials until 1939 and worked with the Union of Ukrainian Emigré Organizations in France as well as French veterans’ groups and other Ukrainian combatants’ organizations. In 1961 the society split into two groups of the same name; they were reunited in 1977. The society has been headed by Gen Oleksander Udovychenko (1927–75), V. Kalinichenko (1975–9), Yaroslav Musianovych (1979–82), and (after 1982) Yu. Yeremiiv. Its long-standing secretary was Mykola O. Kovalsky. Members included V. Lazarkevych, K. Mytrovych, V. Nedaikashka, M. Panasiuk, A. Polovyk, V. Solonar, P. Vasyliv, P. Verzhbitsky, and P. Yosypyshyn. In 1928–9 the society published the journal Viis’kova sprava (edited by Ivan Rudychiv), and later, a bulletin.

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