Ukrainian Historical Association marks 40th anniversary (05/15/05)

Ukrainian Historical Association marks 40th anniversary

by Olexander Dombrowsky

NEW YORK - A scholarly conference commemorating the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Ukrainian Historical Association (UHA) was held on April 3 at the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences in New York. Sponsored by the Historical Section of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences in the U.S., the Ukrainian Historical Association, the Institute for Ukrainian Diaspora Studies of the National University of "Ostroh Academy," and the World Scholarly Council of the Ukrainian World Congress, the conference focused on the extensive legacy created by UHA during its forty year existence and also on the substantial contribution to historical knowledge made by three of its members; Prof. Olexander Ohloblyn, past president of both UHA and the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences in the U.S.; Dr. Marko Antonovych, past president of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences in the U.S., Vice-President of the UHA and co-editor of its journal, Ukrainian Historian; and Dr. Roman Klimkevich, initiating member of UHA and founder and secretary of the Ukrainian Genealogical and Heraldic Society.

The conference was opened by Prof. Lubomyr Wynar, president of UHA and head of the Historical Section of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences, who introduced the speakers and also requested a moment of silence to honor the memories of its recently deceased members, Dr. Marko Antonovych and the Rev. Dr. Alexander Baran, past president of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences in Canada and vice-president of the UHA.

The central theme of the conference was addressed by Prof. Alla Atamanenko, director of the Institute of Ukrainian Diaspora Studies of the National University of Ostroh Academy. In her presentation, "The Ukrainian Historical Association and the Development of Historical Scholarship," Dr. Atamanenko began with an overview and analysis of the UHA's development and its contribution to Ukrainian scholarship from the time of its establishment in the U.S. in 1965 up until 1991.

Her main focus, however, was on the period following l991 and the significant impact that the UHA had on historical research in Ukraine following the disintegration of the Soviet Union. She particularly noted the major contributions presently being made by historians in Ukraine who are active UHA members and the substantial increase in their publication of scholarly works.

According to Dr. Atamanenko, there is no doubt about the pervasive influence that the UHA has had on shaping historical knowledge and on influencing the direction in which Ukrainian historiography is developing in Ukraine. The significant accomplishments of UHA in Ukraine can be directly attributed to its practice and promotion of a "partnership" approach: close cooperation with major Ukrainian national universities, the scholarly institutes of the Academy of Science of Ukraine, and other cultural and scholarly organizations such as, for example, the Hrushevskyi museums in Kyiv and Lviv; the activist role of members of its branches, located at academic centers in the various regions of Ukraine, who organize historical conferences on a periodic basis; and an active publication program in Ukraine which has resulted in the publication and dissemination of important historical works, often published jointly with major academic institutions.

Dr. Atamanenko also noted that the UHA was instrumental in initiating, organizing and sponsoring the International Congress of Ukrainian Historians. The first congress was held in 2000 at Chernivtsi National University, the second took place at the Kamianets-Podilsk National University in 2003, while the third is planned for Kyiv in 2006. By bringing together Ukrainian historians, these congresses provide scholars with the opportunity to review and analyze the state of Ukrainian historiography and its future direction.

In her presentation Dr. Atamanenko also pointed to the UHA's journal, Ukrainian Historian, as being a significant factor in determining the trends in which historiography in Ukraine has developed. She noted that 2004 marked 40 years of uninterrupted publication of this scholarly journal. Although founded in the U.S. in 1964, historians in Ukraine commemorated its 40th anniversary by organizing special conferences in Lviv, Kyiv and Ostroh at which scholars examined the important role that the Ukrainian Historian played in preserving and expanding Ukrainian historiographic knowledge, especially during the Soviet period. Today, this journal is accepted by historians in Ukraine as being one of the most prestigious scholarly periodicals on Ukrainian history and an important forum for publishing serious research.

The UHA has also offered historians in Ukraine an opportunity for research and publication through its monograph series: Historical Studies, Ohloblyn Studies, Hrushevskyi Epistolary Sources, Memoirs, Historical Sources, etc. She concluded that the UHA would likely continue to be a significant factor in helping shape future historical knowledge in Ukraine.

Dr. Olexander Dombrowsky, head of the Ancient History Section of the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences and general secretary of the UHA, discussed the long-term cooperative relationship between the academy and the UHA, noting that both of these associations have often organized joint conferences and co-sponsored the publication of a number of scholarly monographs.

This cooperative relationship can be traced to the outstanding historian Prof. Olexander Ohloblyn, who served as president of both of these organizations. The speaker noted that many scholars simultaneously belong to the three Ukrainian academic organizations, the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences, the UHA and the Shevchenko Scientific Society.

On the basis of new source materials, Dr. Wynar discussed the direction of Dr. Antonovych's life in his presentation, "Marko Antonovych, as a Person and an Organizer of Scholarly Life." Dr. Antonovych, the son and grandson of two of Ukraine's most outstanding historians, Dmytro and Volodomyr Antonovych, was a highly respected scholar in his own right and a tireless organizer of Ukrainian social and scholarly life in the diaspora.

Dr. Wynar examined the fundamental events, individuals and factors in the childhood and youth of Dr. Antonovych which played a role in forming his character and world outlook, especially the Prague intellectual atmosphere and the influence of Oleh Kandyba-Olzhych. The speaker succinctly analyzed Antonovych's scholarly interests, evaluated his significant contribution in promoting the work of Ukrainian scholarly institutions, particularly the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences and the UHA. As literary editor of the Ukrainian Historian, Dr. Antonovych helped guide the journal to its prominent position. In concluding his presentation, Dr. Wynar porposed that a special compilation of this outstanding scholar's works be published in order to honor his life and lasting contribution to Ukrainian scholarship.

"Olexander Ohloblyn's Research on Hetman Mazepa's Era" was the topic of Prof. Yuri Gajecky's presentation, in which he examined this outstanding historian's contribution to understanding the Ukrainian Baroque era, as well as the life and activities of the famous hetman of Ukraine. Based on an analysis of Ohloblyn's extensive research, Prof. Gajecky offered a number of important conclusions regarding the statist nature of the scholar's research, his analysis of the processes that occurred within the Ukrainian society during the Mazepa period, and the direct influence that Ivan Mazepa's activities had upon Ukraine.

The final speaker was Ludmilla Shpylova, librarian at the Ukrainian Academy of Arts and Sciences, who in her presentation, "Roman Klimkevich's Archival Materials in UVAN," discussed how Dr. Klimkevich's personal archives were acquired from his widow, Natalia Klimkevich. Ms. Shpylova analyzed the nature of this archival collection and offered her own proposals on systematically organizing these sources.

Following the presentations, the audience participated in a question and answer period. Dr. Dombrowski informed those present about the academy's Visti, and Dr. Atamanenko discussed the contents of the recently published new issue of the Ukrainian Historian, which is dedicated to Mykhailo Hrushevskyi and Oleh Kandyba. The participants were given the opportunity to view a display of various UHA publications and materials from the Klimkevich archives which was organized by Ms. Shpylova.

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