LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (09/08/02)

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Independence Day thank-you message

Dear Editor:

Please accept our gratitude for The Weekly's help and support and the printing of our appeals to the Ukrainian community to join in the celebration of the 11th anniversary of Independence of Ukraine in the residence of New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey's historical Drumthwacket mansion in Princeton, N.J., on Saturday, August 24. The event was an unprecedented success with 1,300 participants present - including the leadership of Ukrainian Churches, organizations and representatives of Ukraine's government.

Gov. McGreevey was the main speaker and the master of ceremonies of the program, during which he displayed his eloquence, knowledge of Ukrainian history, empathy with the Ukrainian people and a sense of humor. He and his wife, Dina, were gracious hosts and made the participants feel welcome and relaxed, and brought a ray of sunshine on an otherwise damp and dreary day.

The success of this event happened mainly through the grace and generosity of Gov. McGreevey and the hard work and diligence of the committee which was called together for the explicit purpose of working on this project. The committee members were: Theodore J. Romankow (the driving force of the project), the Rev. Bohdan Lukie, CSsR, Dr. Julian Bemko (commander of Ukrainian American Veterans Post No. 6), Walter Bodnar, John Burtyk (president of the N.J. State Coordinating Council of UCCA), Orest Ciapka, Gregory Dovbush, Elizabeth Jacus, Joseph Jacus, Michael Koziupa, Jerry Kuzemchak, Ihor Laszok, Jaroslawa Mulyk (president of the N.J. State Council of the UNWLA), Nestor Olesnycky, Kvitka Semanyshyn, Adam Stec, Dr. Bohdan Vitvitsky and Vladimir Waskiw.

I hereby thank all members of the committee and the organizations they represented for their concerted and dedicated effort during the five months of preparatory meetings in a congenial atmosphere. It was an honor and a pleasure, and fun working with all of you.

Bozhena Olshaniwsky
Newark, N.J.

The letter writer served as chairperson of the Governor's Committee to Celebrate the 11th Anniversary of Ukraine.

Regensburg reunion recalls UPA contacts

Dear Editor:

The 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), the partisan army that fought against Nazi occupation of Ukraine and then against the repressive Soviet regime is being commemorated this year.

At their 13th reunion, to be held at Soyuzivka, the estate of the Ukrainian National Association, on September 9-12 former students of the Ukrainian Regensburg Gymnasium (high school) will review the impact the UPA had on their education in general.

This relationship between the education in this gymnasium and the UPA was explained by Evhen Malaniuk, a teacher at the school, who wrote that the school principal, Dr. Mykola Velychko, was a pioneer and an experienced pedagogue. Having lost his only son, a soldier in the UPA, he transferred his fatherly care and love to the students' of the gymnasium. Sometimes that love and care was hidden under the mask of strict discipline and academic demands imposed on himself and others.

There were also students who had connections to the UPA. Vasyl Futala had an older brother, Lev, a former veterinary medical student, somewhere back home fighting, so did Zenon Babiuk.

And there is the story of Bohdan Malaniak. His family was and is close friends with the family of Gen. Roman Shukhevych - Taras Chuprynka. During the time when Gen. Shukhevych was avoiding the German police his wife, Natalia, with their children, Maria and Yurko, stayed with the Malaniak family in the city of Lviv. One day Bohdan, 14 and Yurko, 11, packed their knapsacks and went to the railroad station to board the train heading toward the Carpathian Mountains to join the UPA. Just in the nick of time, Bohdan's father caught up with them and took the boys back home.

However the year of 1947 was eventful in the life of the school. The news spread that the UPA soldiers broke through the Iron Curtain to the West. There was Vasyl Futala's older brother Lt. Lev Futala - Lahidnyi, in person. Vasyl was happy to see his brother and the students were happy to see the heroes. Also, there was one of the youngest UPA soldiers, 15-year-old Roman Mac, who shortly became a member of the student body. He was admired not only for his celebrity status, but also for his violin playing.

The UPA became part of school activities. On December 19, 1947, there was a formal school meeting with UPA officers Baida, Lahidnyi and Hromenko. And on February 8, 1948, the Literary Club arranged an "Evening of UPA Poetry and Songs." This event was attended by many UPA soldiers. Most likely, at that time, one of the students, Halyna Doberczak met Lt. Lahidnyi, a meeting which eventually resulted in the long and happy marriage of Halyna and Lev Futala.

Another mentor in the school, physical education teacher Matthew Meleshko - Virlyk - trained future officers for the UPA in 1944.

In his address to the students at the opening of the academic year in September 1947, Dr. Velychko said: "Dear students ... during the hours of instruction hours learn to work properly, and remember that the result of your work is a cultural level that determines the place of a nation on the international arena. And that place of the Ukrainian nation in the future depends on your work, knowledge and perseverance..."

Dmytro Bodnarczuk
Albuquerque, N.M.

Filmmaker's reaction petty, unwarranted

Dear Editor:

John Paskievich's reaction to the Orysia Tracz review of his film "My Mother's Village" is vulgar, petty, and undeserved. Ms Tracz's commentary was remarkably fair, which means writing it must have been taxing.

After spending several hours interviewing me, Mr. Paskievich later phoned to say that he had cut me entirely out of the film, for which he offered an apology. Having since seen "My Mother's Village" I now offer him thanks.

Lubomyr Luciuk, Ph.D.
Kingston, Ontario

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