Viktor Kurmanovych
Encyclopedia
Viktor Kurmanovych (26 November 1876, Vilshanytsia near Zolochiv
, Galicia and Lodomeria
, Austro-Hungary – 18 October 1945, Odessa
, Soviet Union
) was a Ukrainian politician and military leader.
Kurmanovych was born into a family of the Greek Catholic
priest in the village of Vilshanytsia in Galicia. After the local elementary school he was enrolled into the Infanteriekadettenschule Lobzow (Cadet school). Upon graduating from the cadet school Kurmanovych studied at the Austrian Military Academy in Vienna
which he finished in 1912. His first assignment was in the Headquarters of General Staff of the Austrian Army where he served in the department of intelligence. In 1914 Kurmanovych was caught by the Russian operatives for spying and imprisoned. Soon in 1915 he was exchanged for some Russian officer and commissioned some Austrian units on the Italy and Bokovyna front-lines until 1918. With the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire Kurmanovych pledged his allegiance to the government of West Ukraine.
Kurmanovych was appointed the commander of the Zhovkva Group of Halych Army
(HA) and later the Southern Group. After a short while he was included to the Supreme Command of HA and promoted to colonel
. Kurmanovych served as the Chief of Staff from February 13 - June 7, 1919 simultaneously performing duties of a State Secretary. When the Halych Army was forced beyond the Zbruch river Kurmanovych's units joined the Ukrainian People's Army
and he was promoted to Brigadier General
. On August 11, 1919 he became the Quartermaster General
at the General Bulawa (Military Council). However Kurmanovych ran into disagreements with other military specialists in the Headquarters as well as the ongoing typhus
epidemic, in September he left for Baden bei Wien
, in Austria
.
In 1921-1922 Kurmanovych was interned in Deutsch Gabel
(Sudetenland
). In 1923 he worked at the automobile factory. Kurmanovych cooperated with Mykola Kapustiansky
to organize the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
(OUN). From 1933 to 1938 he lived in Free City of Danzig
, after that moved to the Carpathian Ukraine. In April 1945 Kurmanovych was arrested by the Soviet military counter-intelligence SMERSH
and transferred to the Soviet Union
. He died in the NKVD
prison hospital of Odessa
.
Zolochiv
Zolochiv is a town located in the Lviv Oblast of western Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Zolochiv Raion ....
, Galicia and Lodomeria
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 – 18 October 1945, Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
) was a Ukrainian politician and military leader.
Kurmanovych was born into a family of the Greek 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 in the village of Vilshanytsia in Galicia. After the local elementary school he was enrolled into the Infanteriekadettenschule Lobzow (Cadet school). Upon graduating from the cadet school Kurmanovych studied at the Austrian Military Academy 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...
which he finished in 1912. His first assignment was in the Headquarters of General Staff of the Austrian Army where he served in the department of intelligence. In 1914 Kurmanovych was caught by the Russian operatives for spying and imprisoned. Soon in 1915 he was exchanged for some Russian officer and commissioned some Austrian units on the Italy and Bokovyna front-lines until 1918. With the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire Kurmanovych pledged his allegiance to the government of West Ukraine.
Kurmanovych was appointed the commander of the Zhovkva Group of Halych 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:...
(HA) and later the Southern Group. After a short while he was included to the Supreme Command of HA and promoted 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...
. Kurmanovych served as the Chief of Staff from February 13 - June 7, 1919 simultaneously performing duties of a State Secretary. When the Halych Army was forced beyond the Zbruch river Kurmanovych's units joined the Ukrainian People's Army
Ukrainian People's Army
The Ukrainian People's Army , also known as the Ukrainian National Army were often quickly reorganized units of the former Russian Imperial Army or newly formed volunteer detachments that later joined the national armed forces. The army for a long period lacked a certain degree of uniformity,...
and he was promoted to Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
. On August 11, 1919 he became the Quartermaster General
Quartermaster general
A Quartermaster general is the staff officer in charge of supplies for a whole army.- The United Kingdom :In the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is one of the most senior generals in the British Army...
at the General Bulawa (Military Council). However Kurmanovych ran into disagreements with other military specialists in the Headquarters as well as the ongoing typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
epidemic, in September he left for Baden bei Wien
Baden bei Wien
-Points of interest:The town offers several parks and a picturesque surrounding, of which the most frequented is the Helenental valley. Not far from Baden, the valley is crossed by a widespread aqueduct of the Vienna waterworks...
, in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
In 1921-1922 Kurmanovych was interned in Deutsch Gabel
Jablonné v Podještedí
Jablonné v Podještědí is a town in Liberec District, Liberec Region, Czech Republic. It has a population of 3,775 .- External links :...
(Sudetenland
Sudetenland
Sudetenland is the German name used in English in the first half of the 20th century for the northern, southwest and western regions of Czechoslovakia inhabited mostly by ethnic Germans, specifically the border areas of Bohemia, Moravia, and those parts of Silesia being within Czechoslovakia.The...
). In 1923 he worked at the automobile factory. Kurmanovych cooperated with Mykola Kapustiansky
Mykola Kapustiansky
Mykola Kapustiansky was a General in the army of the Ukrainian National Republic and one of the founders of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists.-Biography:...
to organize the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists is a Ukrainian political organization which as a movement originally was created in 1929 in Western Ukraine . The OUN accepted violence as an acceptable tool in the fight against foreign and domestic enemies particularly Poland and Russia...
(OUN). From 1933 to 1938 he lived in Free City of Danzig
Free City of Danzig
The Free City of Danzig was a semi-autonomous city-state that existed between 1920 and 1939, consisting of the Baltic Sea port of Danzig and surrounding areas....
, after that moved to the Carpathian Ukraine. In April 1945 Kurmanovych was arrested by the Soviet military counter-intelligence SMERSH
SMERSH
SMERSH was the counter-intelligence agency in the Red Army formed in late 1942 or even earlier, but officially founded on April 14, 1943. The name SMERSH was coined by Joseph Stalin...
and transferred to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. He died in the NKVD
NKVD
The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
prison hospital of Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
.