Sokol movement in Galicia: specificity of ideology, impact on moulding of national consciousness (the late 19th century - the first third of the 20th century)

Abstract

The paper analyzes the development of the Sokol movement in Galicia in the late 19th century - the first third of the 20th century in the context of social and cultural processes. It is proved by actual examples that Sokol societies played an important part in the moulding process of national consciousness and consolidation of the Ukrainians over the period under research against the background of anti-Ukrainian policy of Austria-Hungary and the Second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It is stated that by combining the sports and national components in their activities, Sokol clubs became one of the centers round which Ukrainian youth were united.

It is indicated that under the conditions of the lack of statehood Sokol organizations of Galicia, together with other national-cultural and sports societies, de facto performed a state function of physical training of the Ukrainians of the region. By uniting different social groups of the population through physical culture, the Sokols fostered patriotism, social activity and discipline, civic responsibility and morality, which doubtlessly promoted the rise of the national-cultural level of the Ukrainians, invigoration of the struggle for their rights in the context of the Austrian-Hungarian and Polish autocratic regime.

It is proved that after the resolution of the Council of Ambassadors of the Entente states on the transfer of Eastern Galicia to Poland (1923), the Polish authorities and community tried to hinder the dissemination of Ukrainian Sokol ideas in the region, which manifested itself in prohibition of registration of Sokol clubs and their statutes etc. It is stated that the attitude of the Polish authorities to the Sokols became most apparent when the Ukrainian community celebrated the tenth anniversary of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic (1928) and when the Polish government conducted a 'pacification' campaign in Galicia (1930). In the meantime a great number of Sokol societies were liquidated.

The paper places a high emphasis on Sokol ideology. It is mentioned that ideologists of the Ukrainian Sokol movement, having dismissed the idea of Pan-Slavism, adapted the activities of Sokil-Batko ('Sokil-Father') to the needs of the national liberation movement of the Ukrainians within the framework of the political system of Austria-Hungary and the Second Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It is pointed out that the Sokols, as opposed to other national-cultural organizations, declared nonpartisanship and promoted the inter-confessional consent in Galicia. At the same time, the Sokols popularized sport in every way since they believed that "the spirit of man is hardened together with the physical strength, national consciousness growing".