Dmytro Vitovsky
Encyclopedia
Dmytro Vitovsky (8 November 1887, Stanislau powiat, Galicia and Lodomeria
, Austro-Hungary – 8 July 1919, Racibórz
, Silesia
, Germany
) was a Ukrainian politician and military leader.
Vitovsky was born into a family of gentry. in the village of Medukha in Galicia (today in Halych Raion). He graduated from the Stanislau gymnasium and later was a student activist at the law school of Lviv University
. Later Vitovsky joined the Ukrainian Radical Party
and was an active organizer of a number of Ukrainian educational and scouting Sich groups near Stanislau
, which later became part of the regular Galician Army
.
Vitovsky started his active military career in 1914 participating in mountain battles in the Carpathians
, and was an ideologist of Ukrainian military political thought. In 1916-1917 he was a Ukrainian military commissar in Volhynia
, and organized Ukrainian schools there. Vitovsky also was co-founder of the Striletsky Found, and published the official newspaper of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, Shliakhy ('The Pathways'). He became a company commander of the Legion of Sich Riflemen
and carried out special assignments (guerrilla warfare). Towards the end of the World War I
Vitovsky was appointed the chairman of Ukrainian Military Committee that organized the takeover of Lviv
. He became the first commander of the Ukrainian Galician Army
(November 1–5, 1918).
A week later after being commissioned as the first commander of the Galician Army Vitovsky was appointed as the State Secretary of Armed Forces in Levytsky's government. On January 1, 1919 he was promoted from major
to colonel
. As a deputy of the Ukrainian National Rada (February - April, 1919) Vitovsky was chosen to attend the Paris Peace Conference
as a member of the Western Ukrainian delegation, in May 1919. Vitovsky perished in an aircraft crash during the flight from Paris
to Kamyanets-Podilsky in July 1919 and was buried in Berlin
.
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria was a crownland of the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austrian Empire, and Austria–Hungary from 1772 to 1918 .This historical region in eastern Central Europe is currently divided between Poland and Ukraine...
, Austro-Hungary – 8 July 1919, Racibórz
Racibórz
Racibórz is a town in southern Poland with 60,218 inhabitants situated in the Silesian Voivodeship , previously in Katowice Voivodeship...
, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) was a Ukrainian politician and military leader.
Vitovsky was born into a family of gentry. in the village of Medukha in Galicia (today in Halych Raion). He graduated from the Stanislau gymnasium and later was a student activist at the law school of Lviv University
Lviv University
The Lviv University or officially the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv is the oldest continuously operating university in Ukraine...
. Later Vitovsky joined the Ukrainian Radical Party
Ukrainian Radical Party
The Ukrainian Radical Party, , founded in October 1890 and based on the Radical movement in western Ukraine dating from the 1870s, was the first modern Ukrainian political party with a defined program, mass following, and registered membership...
and was an active organizer of a number of Ukrainian educational and scouting Sich groups near Stanislau
Ivano-Frankivsk
Ivano-Frankivsk is a historic city located in the western Ukraine. It is the administrative centre of the Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast , and is designated as its own separate raion within the oblast, municipality....
, which later became part of the regular Galician Army
Ukrainian Galician Army
Ukrainian Galician Army , was the Ukrainian military of the West Ukrainian National Republic during and after the Polish-Ukrainian War. -Military equipment:...
.
Vitovsky started his active military career in 1914 participating in mountain battles in the Carpathians
Carpathian Mountains
The Carpathian Mountains or Carpathians are a range of mountains forming an arc roughly long across Central and Eastern Europe, making them the second-longest mountain range in Europe...
, and was an ideologist of Ukrainian military political thought. In 1916-1917 he was a Ukrainian military commissar in Volhynia
Volhynia
Volhynia, Volynia, or Volyn is a historic region in western Ukraine located between the rivers Prypiat and Southern Bug River, to the north of Galicia and Podolia; the region is named for the former city of Volyn or Velyn, said to have been located on the Southern Bug River, whose name may come...
, and organized Ukrainian schools there. Vitovsky also was co-founder of the Striletsky Found, and published the official newspaper of the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, Shliakhy ('The Pathways'). He became a company commander of the Legion of Sich Riflemen
Sich Riflemen
The Sich Riflemen Halych-Bukovyna Kurin were one of the first regular military units of the Army of the Ukrainian People's Republic. The unit operated from 1917 to 1919 and was formed from Ukrainian soldiers of the Austro-Hungarian army, local population and former commanders of the Ukrainian Sich...
and carried out special assignments (guerrilla warfare). Towards the end of the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Vitovsky was appointed the chairman of Ukrainian Military Committee that organized the takeover of Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
. He became the first commander of the Ukrainian Galician Army
Ukrainian Galician Army
Ukrainian Galician Army , was the Ukrainian military of the West Ukrainian National Republic during and after the Polish-Ukrainian War. -Military equipment:...
(November 1–5, 1918).
A week later after being commissioned as the first commander of the Galician Army Vitovsky was appointed as the State Secretary of Armed Forces in Levytsky's government. On January 1, 1919 he was promoted from major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
to colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. As a deputy of the Ukrainian National Rada (February - April, 1919) Vitovsky was chosen to attend the Paris Peace Conference
Paris Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
as a member of the Western Ukrainian delegation, in May 1919. Vitovsky perished in an aircraft crash during the flight from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to Kamyanets-Podilsky in July 1919 and was buried in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.