The Colonel of the Ukrainian People’s Republic Hnat Porohivskiy: the Portray in the Context of Prosopography

Abstract

Introduction. Analysis of recent publications about the period of 1917-1921 national liberation competitions proved the transition of Ukraine modern history from interpretation of events to identifying the role of expressive and non-ordinary personalities in it, so called history makers. Their biographies allow understanding history and processes of that period better. The outstanding personality Hnat Porohivskiy is defined among them. Information about him is episodic.

Purpose. The need to shape the portray of the colonel Hnat Porohivskiy by methods of prosopography as the highest form of biography, to draw discovered additional sources, to underline the most expressive features of his character are objectives of the paper.

Methods. The purpose is achieved by the author through the use of general scientific, historical and interdisciplinary methods of research, which are based on principles of historical reliability, objectivity, consistency, complexity and so on.

Results. The prosopography portray of the colonel Hnat Porohivskiy is shaped at the base of estimation of his personal qualities, ethno-religious preferences, civil service, political advantages and military skills. Integrity of ideas about Hnat Porohivskiy was created at the base of his home education with its Christian and family values. It is important to underline, that his Cossack background contributed his enter a military college; successful learning there provided his quick military career. The most completely his civil service appeared during the First World War, when he demonstrated and used successfully military skills and knowledge. The First World War campaign he finished as the colonel, was wounded, awarded medals and other signs. Revolution and civil war put Hnat Porohivskiy as the professional military in front of moral and political choice, and he made it in favor of Ukraine as he went to service to the Ukrainian People’s Republic army. While taking part in battles, he expressed his best qualities, cared about his inferiors, concerned to supply them all necessary. Also he took care of them in warfare while leading them competently. Under superior powers of soviet troops he was interned to Romania. There he found a common language with military authorities and in such a way he avoided different negative manifestations concerning beaten fellows. Later on he lived and worked in Romania. In 1945 he was arrested by KGB, further destiny is unknown.

Originality. There was first experience to create a portray of the colonel Hnat Porohivskiy by means of prosopography, using data from genealogy, demography, psychology for complete idea concerning that personality in a paper.

Conclusion. The Colonel Hnat Porohivskiy represented himself as the real son of Ukrainian people. In period of Ukrainian national liberation competitions he made decision to pass to the side of UPR Army, fought against soviet troops. He demonstrated himself as the skilful commander, who executed an order as well as cared about inferiors. Questions concerning his stay in Polish captivity and period of his internment in Romania remained unexplained that provokes to continue the research of the colonel Hnat Porohivskiy biography.