This year marks the 160th anniversary of the birth of Kyrylo Trylovsky – a Ukrainian lawyer, doctor of law, public, political, cultural and educational figure, one of the founders of a political party, a deputy of the Vienna Parliament, ambassador to the Galician Sejm, publicist, journalist and publisher. He was the founder of the Sich society and the initiator of the Sich movement in Galicia. The influence of Kyrylo Trylovsky and the movement he created reached far beyond the borders of Ukraine: he was known in Europe, and in the USA and Canada, the Sich societies gained significant distribution and popularity.
This was reported by Oleksiy Lyakh-Porodko.
The Beginnings of the Sich Movement in the USA
About the first steps of the organization of the Sich Movement in the USA, it is known that “the main government of the U.N. Union decides, with the help of “Freedom” and the Educational Commission, to organize the “Sich” in America, so that here, on American soil, we can resurrect the glorious Cossack regiments among us!” The path of development of this movement was difficult and was accompanied by numerous obstacles, internal conflicts and political contradictions. At the same time, the idea of “Sich” turned out to be powerful enough for the movement not to disappear and to survive in the USA to this day. In the year of the anniversary of Kyrylo Trylovsky, the 100th anniversary of the Ukrainian Sports and Educational Society “Black Sea Sich” is also celebrated.
The first attempts to spread the Sich Movement in the USA were made on the eve of 1914, but they were unsuccessful. A new impetus arose after the creation of the Legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen in Ukraine, which aroused a wave of sympathy for the Sich idea among Ukrainians overseas.
Petro Zadoretsky recalled:
“The previously founded in New York “Sokil” society was renamed on March 26, 1916 to the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen.”
The officers of the newly formed organization included Petro Zadoretsky – the basket-bearer, Luka Stakhursky – the clerk, Kasiyan Dobryansky – the treasurer, and Mykyta Trach – the organizer. In July 1916, an article appeared in the magazine “Svoboda” reporting on a general meeting on July 27 with the participation of representatives of Ukrainian organizations in New York and the surrounding area. After a lively discussion, the name of the society was changed to “Sich.”
Formation of the organization and the first congress
The new elders included Petro Zadoretsky – the basket-bearer, O. Hysa – the clerk, P. Panchyshyn – the treasurer. The broader board included S. Abrahamovska, E. Kostetska, M. Tymtsyurak, S. Yaremchuk, S. Dobryanska, Yu. Naydivna, V. Osadchukivna, O. Kibyuk, L. Stakhursky, O. Sharovsky, Ya. Kalyavsky, O. Mykytyuk, M. Surmach, I. Korilyuk, N. Vasylyshyn, P. Bartkiv. Thus, the first mobile society “Sich” named after Bohdan Khmelnytskyi appeared in New York.
Myron Surmach recalled the beginnings of the activity:
“We consulted, talked and founded the Sokil motor society…”,
and later explained the change of name:
“We traded, traded and still abandoned the name “Sokil” and called it “Sich”…”.
The first Sich congress was held on November 11, 1916 in New York. It approved the charter of the Sich Organization of Ukrainians in the U. S. A., the flag, coat of arms, seal and headquarters of the organization. The congress adopted a number of decisions, in particular on membership in the “Federation of Ukrainians in the U. S. A.”, which later led to serious internal conflicts. The congress ended with the singing of “Ukraine is not dead yet” and “Hey, there on the mountain “Sich” is coming!”.
Development and conflicts
The process of legalizing the Sich societies was complicated. Only after it was clarified that the gymnastic organizations under the name “Ukrainian Sitch Gymnastic of United States of America, Incorporated” were in question was the charter approved. By 1916, five “Sich” societies were already operating in the USA, and the magazine “Svoboda” regularly covered their activities.
The first Sich celebration took place on July 15, 1917 in New York. The call for participation stated that the event was organized “not for material gain, but to honor the name of Bohdan Khmelnytsky and other fighters for the freedom of Ukraine”. According to the memoirs of Petro Zadoretsky, the celebration began with a parade, physical exercises and numerous congratulations.
However, after the growth of the popularity of the Sich movement, internal contradictions intensified. Petro Zadoretsky wrote that membership in the “Federation of Ukrainians” became “a disaster for the development of the S. O.”, and the struggle for influence led to a split in the movement. Later, the New York Sich was renamed the Soviet Sich, which caused a mass exodus of members and a loss of unity.
Kyrylo Trylovsky and the Reaction to the Crisis
During this period, confusion arose over the authorship of the essay “On the Organization and Significance of the Sich” published in Svoboda. The magazine noted that it was an essay by Ivan Bobersky, but other sources indicated that the report on this topic was delivered by Kyrylo Trylovsky. This raised questions about the true authorship.
To overcome the crisis, the Sichists turned to Kyrylo Trylovsky with a proposal to visit the United States. In Chicago, they even created a Sich society named after him, but he refused to go. The reasons for this remained unclear.
In January 1921, a letter from Trylovsky arrived in Chicago from Vienna, in which he reported on the creation of the Main Sich Committees in Vinnytsia and Uzhgorod and called for support for the spread of the Sich idea in Transcarpathia, as well as participation in the Prague Workers' Olympiad. The letter ended with the words: “The Cossack Mother is not dead yet! They were healthy!”.
Further activities
Despite the splits and difficulties, Sich celebrations were held in 1917, 1918, 1919 and 1924. By the 60th anniversary of the creation of the first “Sich”, events were held in Edmonton, Winnipeg and Newark. There was also the idea of creating a Ukrainian Legion in the USA, but it was not possible to implement it.
In the following decades, Sich organizations continued their activities in patriotic, sports, and cultural areas, preserving and spreading the idea initiated by Kyrylo Trylovsky.
Photo: Oleksiy Lyakh-Porodko.
Author: Danylo Pievchev