The repressive policy of the Polish authorities regarding priest Volodymyr Sternyuk in the early 1920’s: an attempt of historical reconstruction

Abstract

The problem of the attitude of the Polish authorities to the Greek-Catholic Church during the
1920s–1930s became the subject of the study of Ukrainian historians many times is pointed out.
Many authors focused on the repressive policy of the Polish authorities regarding Ukrainians in
Galicia during 1919–1921.
Separate research relating to Volodymyr Sternyuk have a journalistic character, touching on his
biography as a priest. The scientific novelty is in attempting a scientific analysis of the policy of the
Polish authorities regarding Volodymyr Sternyuk in the early 1920s. The purpose of the research is
to reconstruct the repressive policy of Polish government structures with respect to priest Volodymyr
Sternyuk Sr. during the 1920s.
It is noted that the Polish authorities often arrested the priests. Many priests found themselves in
prison “Bridgits” in Lviv. Subsequently Volodymyr Sterniuk was in the prison camp “Sthalkovo”.
The priest returned to Pustomyty in February 1920. The Polish police started to pursuit the priest
immediately.
Volodymyr Sterniuk was accused of anti-Polish activity and an attack on public order and
public security. The Polish authorities tried to move the priest from Pustomyty to another parish.
Subsequently, the Polish administration sought to arrest Volodymyr Sterniuk for the second time.
It is noted, that the parishioners of the city of Pustomyty and the surrounding villages: Beregy,
Pidsadky, Mylosevychi, Mistky were supported by priest Volodymyr Sterniuk. Ukrainian population
sent a letter to the Ministry of Religions and Public Education in Warsawa, demanding not to
repress the priest. Metropolitan Andrei Sheptytsky and the papal nuncio Akille Ratti condemned
the repressions against the Greek Catholic priest.
The biography of Volodymyr Sterniuk during 1919–1923 was typical for large number of Greek
Catholic clergy, who defended their civic position in the ZUNR era. The Polish authorities tried to
arrest the most active part of the parishioners of the Greek-Catholic Church. Government officials
realized that the priests, having a significant authority among the parishioners, contributed to the
formation of the national consciousness of Ukrainians, were in the obstacle of the incorporation of
Galicia into Poland and strongly opposed the polonization of the region.
Keywords: the Greek-Catholic Church, priest Volodymyr Sternyuk, the repressive policy, the
Polish authorities