Ukrainian National Union (1939)
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Ukrainian National Union Українське Національне Об'єднання | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | UNO / УНО |
| Chairman | Fedir Revai |
| Founded | 20 January 1939 |
| Dissolved | 18 March 1939 |
| Headquarters | Khust |
| Newspaper | Nova Svoboda |
| Membership (January 1939) | 5,000 |
| Ideology | Ukrainian nationalism Authoritarianism |
| Slogan | "Ukraine — above all!" |
The Ukrainian National Union (Ukrainian: Українське Національне Об'єднання, romanized: Ukrayins'ke Natsional'ne Ob'yednannya, abbreviated UNO / УНО) was a Ukrainian political party that governed the short-lived state of Carpatho-Ukraine from January to March 1939. It was the sole-legal political party in Carpatho-Ukraine throughout its existence.
On 20 January 1939, the government of Carpatho-Ukraine issued a decree that dissolved all political parties. Avgustyn Voloshyn, the leader of Carpatho-Ukraine, allowed 56 politicians to create a new political party named the Ukrainian National Union (UNO).[1] The Czechoslovak government approved of UNO's creation.[2] Around 5,000 people joined the party within two days.[3]
UNO's leadership was appointed on 24 January. Fedir Revai, the chairman of the Ukrainian Central People's Council, was UNO's leader.[4] Nova Svoboda, the party's newspaper, was also established on that date.[3] On 27 January, UNO created a list of 32 candidates to be elected to the Soim, the legislature of Carpatho-Ukraine.[4] UNO received 92.4 percent of the vote during the 12 February election[5] Ukrainian historians Stepan Pakholko and Ol'ha Martyn described the election as having been conducted fairly.[6]
On 14 March, Voloshyn declared Carpatho-Ukrainian independence from Czechoslovakia.[7] He hoped that Carpatho-Ukraine would become a German protectorate. That same day, Hungary launched an invasion of Carpatho-Ukraine.[8] UNO failed to rally a popular resistance to the Hungarian invasion,[7] and by 18 March, Hungary gained full control of Carpatho-Ukraine.[8] UNO subsequently ceased to exist.[7]
Ideology
UNO was a Ukrainian nationalist organization[9] and wanted to create a strong Ukrainian society.[3] UNO sought to emulate the political structure used by Nazi Germany where a single political party rallies around a strong national leader, with Nova Svoboda publishing on 24 February that "We have not yet seen a Ukrainian Mussolini or a Ukrainian Hitler".[9]
Structure
The following table lists UNO's leaders and the positions they held within the party. All were appointed on 24 January 1939.[3]
| Party office | Officeholder |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Fedir Revai |
| Deputy Chairman | Mykhailo Tulyk |
| Honorary Chairman | Avgustyn Voloshyn |
| General-Secretary | Andriy Voron |
| Secretary | Ivan Rohach |
| Editor | Vasyl Grendzha-Donsky |
| Propaganda Director | V. Komarinsky |
| Controllers | M. Babota Mykola Bandusyak |
UNO was headquartered in Khust. UNO had several subservient organizations. Knightly Virtues of the Nation was its youth organization; the Carpathian Sich was its paramilitary; and Re-Emigration of the Sons of Our Land promoted the unification of all Ukrainians into a single nation.[3] UNO had an affiliate group in Canada led by Ukrainian immigrants.[10] The party's slogan was "Ukraine — above all!" ("Україна — понад усе!").[3]
