A History and a Memoir
On August 24, 1991 the Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) of the Ukrainian SSR proclaimed the renewal of an independent Ukrainian state. This was not a total surprise, but it was definitely not expected as soon as it happened. A year before that the VR of the Ukrainian SSR had proclaimed sovereignty. Still Ukraine had recently (about three weeks) prior to the independence proclamation been visited by the President of the United States, George H.W. Bush who had encouraged Ukrainians to retain the USSR.
The UCCA as the umbrella Ukrainian coordinating organization in America immediately recognized two very specific missions in connection with this proclamation. The first was to get the American government on board in terms of recognition of Ukraine as an independent state which was not necessarily an easy task. The second and equally important and exacting task was to develop programs for the democratization, economic transformation as well as “Ukrainianization” of the country: an educational program involving Ukrainian history and culture, democratizing Ukrainian society through a series of programs including a “get out the vote” program among the youth and ensuring that elections were fair and democratic and to establish as smoothly as possible a transition to a capitalist economy through a commercial law project. After all the majority of the country had been under Russian occupation in myriad forms for some three hundred fifty years.The “Ukrainianization” included both de-Russification and de-Sovietization.
Each of these purposes deserves separate and extensive attention, but this article is limited to history and culture. This is somewhat of a memoir because I was personally involved in this mission, so this is based on personal knowledge and reflection. Educational programs had been and continue to be the thrust of the UCCA and in that respect the UCCA over its 85-year-plus existence has spent much time, effort and funds and rightly so. Prior to independence the educational efforts were focused primarily in America. Some efforts tried to reach inside the Soviet Union but the reach was very difficult. The Soviets spent enormous time and money on propaganda.
There was a special need in newly independent Ukraine for an educational program that would undo the Soviet past. Perhaps the greatest focus in this regard was a gradual and smooth transition from Soviet propaganda which was essentially a methodology to warp the mind and destroy all nations within the USSR in favor of the Russian. Many tools were employed, in particular mass media and film. Interestingly enough, Josef Stalin had a laboratory film studio for that very purpose. The Soviets produced much writing and film even for consumption abroad that was nothing more than Potemkin Soviet propaganda yet with a degree of artistry. It was done in Russian to the exclusion of all native languages and dubbed into English. The target and purpose were not so obvious to the naive Western observer so there was a degree of Soviet success.
Consider the ‘useful idiots” component of American society in the 1930’s and 1940’s like Jack Reed and worse the shameless accomplices like Walter Duranty of The New York Times. Eventually this ebbed with the revelations surrounding Alger Hiss by Whitaker Chambers but Americans were often keen on listening to foreign propaganda. America was not too sophisticated in fighting Soviet propaganda with the implementation of the abysmal and primitive McCarthy hearings. While the Soviets could not prevail in America, they had brainwashed adherents. And then there was the subject of Russians and the other nationalities. Americans did not distinguish. Ukrainians were little Russians or simply Russians. Genocide against Ukrainians was not even considered s a possibility.
Perhaps, the most important tools used in Soviet propaganda was the omnipresent attempt by the Soviets to cover up their criminality and to denigrate any freedom fighting movements, particularly, in Ukraine. Ukraine was always a problem for the Soviet regime. While the USSR was largely brainwashed Ukraine somehow remained resistant. Ukrainians throughout the Soviet period constituted well over 75% of the political prisoners in the USSR and that was because of their determination. No one wanted freedom more. Even with independence, nonetheless, Ukraine seemed largely to remain in the propaganda web. Many of those who voted for independence were once Soviet propagandists, including the speaker of Ukraine’s parliament and later Ukraine’s first president. Even as president he stressed that he had no knowledge of the Ukrainian Famine of 1932-33 (Holodomor).
The Soviets wrote their history, but it was essentially propaganda. One of the most horrific events of world and Soviet history was the Famine of 1932-33 when some 7-10 million Ukrainians were starved to death as a policy of the Soviet state. This was a forbidden topic which required not only silence but propaganda. There were many accomplices in this conspiracy. Case in point was “The New York Times” and its reporter in the USSR Walter Duranty who reported that there was no famine in Ukraine. The propaganda was so effective that at the height of the Holodomor the United States under President Franklin D. Roosevelt recognized the USSR and exchanged ambassadors. FDR was not ignorant of the Holodomor because Ukrainian organizations in America brought it to his attention, but he ignored it. FDR frankly while probably not a Soviet accomplice was certainly among the “useful idiots.”
There was so much more that had to be covered up or disparaged to such a degree that any patriotic Soviet citizen had to go along with the propaganda. Among the items that most irritated the Soviets besides revelations about the Holodomor was the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), Stepan Bandera, the leader of the OUN who was assassinated by a Soviet agent in Munich in October 1959, Roman Shukhevych, the commander of the UPA who was killed in battle by the Soviets in March 1950, Metropolitan Andrey Sheptycky the leader of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, in Soviet estimation a revolutionary structure which was liquidated by a Synod of soviet agents and its clergy sent to the GULAG and Symon Petliura a symbol of the Ukrainian struggle immediately after World War 1 in support of an independent Ukraine who was also assassinated by a Soviet agent in this case of Jewish ethnicity, ostensibly to vindicate the Jewish victims of pogroms allegedly permitted under Petliura. The Ukrainian Jewish dichotomy was often used by the Soviets to instill animosity between the two people.
The UCCA commenced its efforts to educate through a Council in Defence and Aid to Ukraine. This consisted of a process publishing books in Ukraine with gratuitous wide dissemination. Unfortunately, this had only a modicum of success, but it certainly did not capture the masses.
In the early part of 1993, a Ukrainian film director named Oleksandr “Oles” Yanchuk came to the United States with his film “Famine 33” to show this film throughout America. He was directed to the UCCA by the World Congress of Free Ukrainians, now the Ukrainian World Congress. The UCCA extended a helping hand in showcasing the film. The film was in the opinion of the UCCA leadership a masterpiece of both historical narrative about the Holodomor and an emotional experience. After extensive consideration the UCCA leadership decided that Ukrainian history silenced or distorted by the Soviets could better be portrayed through film simply because film would reach out to a wider audience. Mr. Yanchuk appeared to be a viable and most willing vehicle for that objective. His “Famine 33” was quite effective in this regard.
The customary financing of films in newly independent Ukraine went through the state budget. Yet the allocation per film seemed too meager particularly by Western standards. The UCCA suggested co-producing films with the state (Ukraine) and Mr. Yanchuk on topics which the UCCA felt were important to educate the masses and undo at least somewhat the propaganda spread for 70 years by the Soviet regime. Mr. Yanchuk readily agreed to collaborate.
The ideas for his next four films as well as the major portion of outside financing in addition to the government of Ukraine came from the UCCA. The first film “Assassination – An Autumn Day in Munich,” was about Stepan Bandera, the second film, “Undefeated,” was about Roman Shukhevych and the fight of the UPA, the third film “Metropolitan Andrey,” was about Metropolitan Andrey Sheptycky and the Ukrainian Catholic Church; and the fourth film “The Secret Diary of Symon Petliura,” was about Symon Petliura’s struggle and his assassination. In between “Undefeated” and “Metropolitan Andrey,” Mr. Yanchuk traveled, showcasing “Undefeated” in Australia, where he met Yuri Borets, a wealthy Ukrainian former member of the UPA. Borets who funded entirely the film “Zalizna Sotnia” (“The Company of Heroes”) about the UPA’s struggle because it was part of his real-life story. Each one of the subjects was important for the UCCA and Ukrainian history. These four films and the film funded by Mr. Borets from Australia were a fulfillment of the UCCA’s mandate and agenda.
The UCCA concluded its relationship with Mr. Yanchuk after the showing of the last film “The Secret Diary of Symon Petliura.” Mr. Yanchuk proved to be a creative tool for what the UCCA needed to do, the money collected and expended by the UCCA for these projects in retrospect was well spent. Without exaggerating the value of these films it is important to note that they continue to be showcased on Ukrainian television, particularly on noteworthy national holidays.
Today, subjects like OUN, UPA, Bandera, Shukhevych, Metropolitan Sheptycky, Symon Petliura are revered throughout Ukraine. In fact the hymn of the OUN has become the hymn of the Armed Forces of Ukraine today. Recently an armed unit of the Ukrainian armed forces was named after the UPA with the presidential seal. The Poles did not like that much, but so what! The Poles have always been the aggressor in Ukraine. Today they are being arrogant and stupid but Ukrainians continue to defend them from the Russians. The Ukrainian people, the only people who really matter as to the recognition of their heroes are very much pro Bandera, Shukhevych, OUN, UPA, the Ukrainian Catholic Church of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptycky and Symon Petliura. The UCCA would like to believe that these films had some input.
Perhaps someday the UCCA will produce more films, if needed. But suffice it to say that its film production to date has been substantial and a huge success. The UCCA thanks its patrons, particularly the donors, and Mr. Yanchuk who understood our mission and executed it quite well. These films will go on. Perhaps they will continue to inspire future generations and keep Ukraine safe from any outside aggression.
July 17, 2026 Askold S. Lozynskyj, President of UCCA 1992-2000