Oleksander Barvinsky
Encyclopedia
Oleksander Barvinsky (June 8, 1847 – December 25, 1926) was an important western Ukrainian cultural figure and politician, a founder of the Christian Social Party
in western Ukraine. He also was a member of the Austrian parliament, chaired the Shevchenko Scientific Society
and held the post of secretary of education and religious affairs of the West Ukrainian National Republic
. It was during his chairmanship that the Shevchenko Scientific Society was turned into a well established academy of sciences.
in western Ukraine (at the time, part of Austria–Hungary), into the family of a Ukrainian Catholic
priest. From 1868 he began teaching at gymnasiums
(secondary schools) in western Ukraine until 1888, when he began teaching at Lviv's teacher's seminary and later the theological seminary. Collaborating with Panteleimon Kulish, Barvinsky helped create textbooks for Ukrainian schools, and was largely responsible for the use of Ukrainian orthography
and for the term of Ruthenian-Ukrainian within the schools in eastern Galicia.
In 1890, Barvinsky was one of the initiators of the "New Era" policy among Ukrainian political leaders, calling for rapproachment between Poles and Ukrainians. Even after most Ukrainian leaders abandoned this approach by 1894, Barvinsky along with Anatole Vakhnianyn
refused to reconsider their positions and together with him formed the political party "Catholic Ruthenian-Social Union"
. A prominent community organizer and Ukrainophile activist, in 1891 he was elected to the Austrian parliament in Vienna
, where he served until 1907. From 1894 until 1904 he was a member of the local Galician Diet. In 1917 Barvinsky became a member of the Austrian upper chamber (House of Lords). When Austria-Hungary fell apart following the First World War, Barvinsky became the minister of education and religious affairs of the West Ukrainian National Republic
, retiring from political life after the Poles captured the capital of Lviv
.
Christian Social Movement in Ukraine
The Christian Social Movement in Ukraine was a political movement that existed in Western Ukraine from the end of the 19th century until the 1930s.-Ideals:...
in western Ukraine. He also was a member of the Austrian parliament, chaired the Shevchenko Scientific Society
Shevchenko Scientific Society
The Shevchenko Scientific Society is a Ukrainian scientific society devoted to the promotion of scholarly research and publication. Unlike the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine the society is a public organization that was reestablished in Ukraine in 1989 after almost 50 years of exile...
and held the post of secretary of education and religious affairs of the West Ukrainian National Republic
West Ukrainian National Republic
The West Ukrainian People's Republic was a short-lived republic that existed in late 1918 and early 1919 in eastern Galicia, that claimed parts of Bukovina and Carpathian Ruthenia and included the cities of Lviv , Przemyśl , Kolomyia , and Stanislaviv...
. It was during his chairmanship that the Shevchenko Scientific Society was turned into a well established academy of sciences.
Biography
Oleksander Barvinsky was born on June 8, 1847 in Shliakhnyntsi, a village near TernopilTernopil
Ternopil , is a city in western Ukraine, located on the banks of the Seret River. Ternopil is one of the major cities of Western Ukraine and the historical region of Galicia...
in western Ukraine (at the time, part of Austria–Hungary), into the family of a Ukrainian Catholic
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , Ukrainska Hreko-Katolytska Tserkva), is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with the Holy See, and is directly subject to the Pope...
priest. From 1868 he began teaching at gymnasiums
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
(secondary schools) in western Ukraine until 1888, when he began teaching at Lviv's teacher's seminary and later the theological seminary. Collaborating with Panteleimon Kulish, Barvinsky helped create textbooks for Ukrainian schools, and was largely responsible for the use of Ukrainian orthography
Orthography
The orthography of a language specifies a standardized way of using a specific writing system to write the language. Where more than one writing system is used for a language, for example Kurdish, Uyghur, Serbian or Inuktitut, there can be more than one orthography...
and for the term of Ruthenian-Ukrainian within the schools in eastern Galicia.
In 1890, Barvinsky was one of the initiators of the "New Era" policy among Ukrainian political leaders, calling for rapproachment between Poles and Ukrainians. Even after most Ukrainian leaders abandoned this approach by 1894, Barvinsky along with Anatole Vakhnianyn
Anatole Vakhnianyn
Anatole Vakhnianyn , was a Ukrainian political and cultural figure, composer, teacher and journalist.-Biography:Vakhnianyn was born in Sieniawa, Przeworsk County, today a part of Poland but at that time a part of the Austrian Empire. He came from a clerical family; his father, Klym Vakhnianyn, and...
refused to reconsider their positions and together with him formed the political party "Catholic Ruthenian-Social Union"
Christian Social Movement in Ukraine
The Christian Social Movement in Ukraine was a political movement that existed in Western Ukraine from the end of the 19th century until the 1930s.-Ideals:...
. A prominent community organizer and Ukrainophile activist, in 1891 he was elected to the Austrian parliament in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, where he served until 1907. From 1894 until 1904 he was a member of the local Galician Diet. In 1917 Barvinsky became a member of the Austrian upper chamber (House of Lords). When Austria-Hungary fell apart following the First World War, Barvinsky became the minister of education and religious affairs of the West Ukrainian National Republic
West Ukrainian National Republic
The West Ukrainian People's Republic was a short-lived republic that existed in late 1918 and early 1919 in eastern Galicia, that claimed parts of Bukovina and Carpathian Ruthenia and included the cities of Lviv , Przemyśl , Kolomyia , and Stanislaviv...
, retiring from political life after the Poles captured the capital of Lviv
Battle of Lwów (1918)
Battle of Lviv begun on 1 November 1918 and lasted till May 1919 and was a six months long conflict between the forces of the West Ukrainian People's Republic and local Polish civilian population assisted later by regular Polish Army forces for the control...
.