Fragmented Homeland - Historical Ukrainian Lands Under Foreign Rule (1919–1937)

The response provided by the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance is an official reference document compiled in response to a request dated September 16, 2024.

The subject of the request was to clarify which historical territories inhabited by Ukrainians were part of various states and republics in the first half of the 20th century.

The document is structured around two time periods: 1919 and 1929–1937.

1. Period up to March 30, 1919

The Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance explains that during this period, it is not possible to definitively determine the state affiliation of most historical Ukrainian territories, as active military operations were ongoing. Control over territories shifted frequently among different armies and political formations.

Nevertheless, the response provides a detailed list of territories historically inhabited by Ukrainians, along with information about which entities controlled them at the time:

• Under the control of the Ukrainian People’s Republic: parts of Eastern Podillia, Bratslavshchyna, Eastern Polissia, part of Northern Black Sea coast.

• Under Romanian occupation: Northern Bukovyna, Khotyn region, Southern Bessarabia, part of Zakarpattia.

• Under Czechoslovak occupation: the Prešov region and western Zakarpattia.

• Under Polish occupation: Eastern Galicia, Western Volyn, Lemkivshchyna, Kholm region, Podlachia, the San region, and other areas.

• Under the control of White Guard forces (including Denikin’s army): Crimea, the southern part of Tavria, and parts of the Black Sea coast.

• Under Bolshevik occupation: Eastern Podillia, Slobozhanshchyna, Don region, Kuban, Starodub region, Eastern Volyn.

Thus, Ukrainian populations were historically distributed across territories that, at the time, belonged to different military and political entities.

2. Period from May 15, 1929 to January 30, 1937

In this timeframe, the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance documented which Ukrainian-inhabited territories were part of different states.

Included in the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR):

• Eastern Polissia

• Kyiv region

• Poltava region

• Podillia

• Bratslav region

• Sivershchyna

• Zaporizhzhia

• Slobozhanshchyna

• Don region

• southern Tavria

• western coast of Kuban

• southern part of the Black Sea region

• Eastern Volyn

Included in Poland:

• Galicia

• Western Volyn

• Western Polissia

• Lemkivshchyna

• Kholm region

• Podlachia

• San region

Included in Czechoslovakia:

• Prešov region

• Zakarpattia

Included in Romania:

• Northern Bukovyna

• Khotyn region

• Southern Bessarabia

• part of Maramureș

All of these lands were historically inhabited by Ukrainians. This is confirmed by references to the following academic sources:

• Atlas of the History of Ukraine

• Yu. I. Loza, Ukraine, the State: Formation of Territory and History of Administrative-Territorial Structure

• V. O. Romanets, Ethnic Ukrainian Lands

3. Clarification of the Competence of the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance

In the final section of the document, it is emphasized that the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance is not a classical academic research institution. It implements state policy in the field of restoring and preserving national memory, but does not conduct scientific research or classification. Therefore, for more in-depth analysis or academic references, the institute recommends contacting the Institute of History of Ukraine of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

The response from the Ukrainian Institute of National Remembrance does not include assessments or legal conclusions. It provides reference information on which territories during specific periods (1919 and 1929–1937) were part of various states and political formations, and where Ukrainian populations lived at the time.

The document essentially confirms:

• The broad historical range of Ukrainian habitation — from Kuban to the Carpathians, from Crimea to Polissia.

• The multiple administrative affiliations of these territories throughout the 20th century — from the RSFSR to Poland, Romania, and Czechoslovakia.

• The ongoing migration, fragmentation, and unstable legal status of Ukrainian-inhabited territories in the early 20th century.

This response serves as an important informational and documentary source that confirms Ukrainians historically inhabited territories far beyond the current borders of modern Ukraine.