Ukraińska Wojskowo-Sanitarna Misja w Austrii i na Węgrzech w latach 1918–1919 (na podstawie materiałów Centralnego Państwowego Archiwum Wyższych Organów Władzy i Zarządzania Ukrainy)
Ukrainian Military and Sanitary Mission in Austria and Hungary in 1918–1919 (Based on the Materials from the Central State Archives of Supreme Bodies of Power and Government of Ukraine)

Summary/Abstract: Repatriation of Ukrainian prisoners of war from the territories of Austria and Hungary after World War I is a unique phenomenon of Central-Eastern European history that sheds new light on the geopolitics, military vicissitude, and destinies of hundreds of thousands of people at that time. Ukrainian state, diplomatic, and humanitarian institutions – particularly Ukrainian military and sanitary missions of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UPR) in Austria, Hungary, and other countries played a key role in implementing the repatriation process of Ukrainians from Central Powers camps. The article describes the specifics of activity and importance of UPR military and sanitary missions on the territory of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire which performed various functions in diplomatic and humanitarian fields. In particular, the author highlights the missions’ role in determining evacuation routes, diplomatic negotiations with foreign governments for repatriates’ transit, establishing the midpoints (stanytsia), and organizing medical and humanitarian aid. This was done based on invaluable archival documents of the Central State Archives of Supreme Authorities and Government of Ukraine.An important research aspect is also the specifics of the mission’s activity in Austria and Hungary (led by Andrii Okopenko), members’ scope of duties, specific features of their cooperation with other institutions (in particular, with the diplomatic missions of the West Ukrainian People’s Republic). The author focused on researching the challenges that appeared in the course of repatriation of the Ukrainian prisoners of war, as well as the impact of geopolitical events which constrained the effective implementation of mass repatriation. In this research, the characteristic features of humanitarian assistance to repatriates (providing nutrition, medical and financial aid, organizing cultural and educational activities) at midpoints in Austria and Hungary were analyzed (particularly based on the example of Vienna, the main transit point for repatriation of the Ukrainian prisoners of war). The activity of military and sanitary missions in the times of the Ukrainian State and the UPR allowed to organize full-scale humanitarian assistance to Ukrainian prisoners of war after World War I in the light of the difficult geopolitical situation and shortage of resources.An important research aspect is also the specifics of the mission’s activity in Austria and Hungary (led by Andrii Okopenko), members’ scope of duties, specific features of their cooperation with other institutions (in particular, with the diplomatic missions of the West Ukrainian People's Republic). The author focused on researching the challenges that appeared in the course of Ukrainian prisoners-of-war repatriation, as well as the impact of geopolitical events which constrained the effective implementation of mass repatriation. In the research, the characteristic features of humanitarian assistance to repatriates (providing nutrition, medical and financial aid, organizing cultural and educational activities) at midpoints in Austria and Hungary were analyzed (particularly on the example of Vienna, the main transit point for Ukrainian prisoners-of-war repatriation). The activity of military and sanitary missions in the times of the Ukrainian State and the Ukrainian People’s Republic allowed to organize full-scale humanitarian assistance to Ukrainian prisoners of war after World War I in the light of the jdifficult geopolitical situation and shortage of resources.

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