FOCUS ON PHILATELY: Commemorating the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (07/06/03)

FOCUS ON PHILATELY

by Ingert Kuzych

Commemorating the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

This year marks the 85th anniversary of Ukraine entering into one of the most important agreements in its history: the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk. By terms of this treaty, Ukraine was able to withdraw from World War I in the spring of 1918 and enjoy a period of relative peace that extended for most of the remainder of the year. This time was crucial for the nascent state in establishing all manner of new Ukrainian institutions, many of which would help it survive the turbulence of the next few years before finally succumbing to Bolshevik forces.

Most importantly, however, the treaty also granted Ukraine international recognition by the four Central Powers: Austria-Hungary, Germany, Bulgaria and Turkey. Eventually, about a dozen countries would extend diplomatic recognition to Ukraine.

Brest-Litovsk is located in the southwest corner of today's Belarus, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) from the border of the Volyn Oblast in Ukraine. The town became the focus of the peace talks since it was then the seat of the German army's headquarters on the Eastern Front. By December of 1917, the Soviet government - which had seized power in the Revolution just the month before and which wished to end Russia's participation in the war - signed a three-month armistice (December 16, 1917) with Germany.

Hungering for peace

It was in the interest of both sides to conclude a peace when they met at Brest-Litovsk in late 1917. Russia had suffered crushing defeats earlier in the year and many returning disillusioned Russian soldiers were creating instability in the countryside. The Soviets desperately needed peace to consolidate their hold on the country. The Central Powers, on the other hand, did not wish to move any further east and occupy more Russian territories. They were interested in eliminating their Eastern Front so that they could concentrate their forces against France and Italy in the west.

There was still another powerful factor that drove the Central Powers to the bargaining table: hunger. Both Germany and Austria-Hungary were in dire need of foodstuffs and raw materials, both of which they hoped to obtain from Ukraine.

So, it was for these reasons that the Central Powers welcomed delegates from the Ukrainian National Republic or UNR (as well as representatives from Finland, Poland and the Baltic states, each of which had declared or was about to declare its independence from Russia).

The delegates from Ukraine were Oleksander Sevriuk, Mykola Liubynsky, Mykola Levytsky and Serhii Ostapenko. The Soviet Russian delegation was headed by Leon Trotsky, who at a session of the conference on January 10, 1918, recognized the independence of the UNR and agreed to have its delegation participate in the proceedings. Subsequently, when he tried to discredit the Ukrainian delegation, he was ignored by the Central Powers.

The position of Minister of Foreign Affairs Count Ottokar Czernin, who led the Austrian delegation, was especially important during the discussions. He needed a treaty at any cost in order to secure grain to alleviate a catastrophic food shortage in Vienna. (Food riots, strikes and mutinies had sprung up in various parts of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in January of 1918.) Knowing of conditions in Austria, the Ukrainian delegation acted firmly and calmly, at first even attempting to obtain the union of Ukrainian-inhabited regions within the Austro-Hungarian Empire - the Kholm region, Eastern Galicia and Bukovyna - with greater Ukraine.

Count Czernin firmly opposed these opening demands but, in the end, the Kholm lands did (temporarily) transfer to Ukraine and a supplemental secret amendment was agreed to in which the western Ukrainian lands of the empire would be separated into a special crownland (but still within Austria-Hungary). The UNR's most important demand, its recognition by the Central Powers, was obtained during a plenary session of the Peace Conference with the grudging approval of the Soviet Russian delegation. The peace agreement was signed on February 9, 1918 (see Figures 1 and 2).

Treaty provisions

The treaty provided for the establishment of frontiers between Ukraine and Austria-Hungary to run along the prewar boundaries between Russia and Austria-Hungary. The territory of the Ukrainian state recognized by the treaty included not only the nine former Russian imperial provinces claimed by the UNR's Central Rada but also the above-mentioned province of Kholm, and the southern third of the Minsk and Grodno provinces, including Brest-Litovsk itself, all of which had sizable Ukrainian populations (see Figure 3).

As regards the secret protocol for Ukrainian-inhabited territories of Austria-Hungary (Galicia and Bukovyna) to become a separate crownland, the agreement was that a bill introducing the territorial redesignation would occur in the Austrian legislature by July 31, 1918. The understanding, however, was a conditional one and depended on Ukraine's ability to fulfill its treaty obligations, including supplying 1 million tons of grain to the Central Powers by the same date.

Additional treaty passages renounced the payment of the costs of the war and of reparations for war damages. Regulations for the mutual exchange of agricultural and industrial surpluses were set up, and principles set forth for the establishment of customs, legal, diplomatic and consular relations. The release of prisoners of war and the exchange of war prisoners and interned civilians also were agreed to.

The day the treaty was signed was also the day Kyiv fell to Bolshevik troops. It was, therefore, necessary for Ukraine to request military assistance of its new allies. Initially, the Ukrainian government only asked for (western) Ukrainian units in the Austrian Army or special volunteer units formed in Germany from Ukrainian POWs, but complications arose and the plan was abandoned. Instead, it was mostly regular German and Austrian units that cleared Ukraine of Bolsheviks.

Reactions

In Austria the treaty was hailed as the "bread peace." This half of the Dual Monarchy was in a winter food crisis and the treaty was greeted with hysterical delight. No longer would the Austrians have to go begging for grain from their reluctant German allies or their tightfisted Hungarian partners. When informed of the news in Vienna, the Emperor Franz Josef declared it to be the happiest day of his life.

On March 3, 1918, another peace treaty was signed at Brest-Litovsk, this time between Russia and the Central Powers. By its terms, Russia acknowledged the independence of Ukraine, Poland and Finland, and was bound to quickly make peace with these countries. On July 12, 1918, Russia signed an official armistice recognizing Ukraine, but a formal peace treaty was never signed.

Germany ratified the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Ukraine on July 24, 1918, but Austria-Hungary postponed its treaty ratification because of the secret clause calling for the creation of the separate (Ukrainian-dominated) crownland.

Ukraine, for its part, was able to deliver only a portion of the amount of grain it had promised by the end of July. This abrogated the secret clause, but made little difference anyway since by then it was becoming obvious that the Central Powers were going to lose the war and that the post-conflict map of Europe would be changing dramatically.

Saluting the treaty

Several commemorations of the new peace with Ukraine were soon forthcoming after the signing. In Lemberg (present-day Lviv), the capital of Galicia, a special Peace and Ukrainian Independence Celebration was held on March 3, 1918. Various Ukrainian organizations took part in the parade that marched through the city on that day (Figure 4 shows one of the participating groups - Ukrainian scouts).

A commemorative peace medal graphically portrays just how desperate the Austrians had become for foodstuffs (Figure 5). The obverse side depicts a rising sun behind a fruitladen tree. The "Friede Mit Der Ukraine" (Peace With Ukraine) inscription is supplemented with the word "Brot" (Bread). On the reverse, under the treaty date, an adult and young eagle clutch at a sheaf of wheat.

Several commemorative seals (labels) in different colors were also prepared (Figure 6). All carry the same design of celebratory balloons labeled with the names of the treaty countries: Germany, Ukraine and Austria-Hungary. In the background is a map of Ukraine with its extended post-treaty borders. Surprisingly, Austrian western Ukraine is also shown (in only a slightly darker shading) adjacent to Ukrainian lands. The word "Friede" (Peace) appears in large letters at the bottom of the seals over the treaty locale and date.

Although all the various treaty commemorative items illustrated in thi

s article were made in Austria, they understandably have a special appeal to Ukrainian collectors.

* * *

I wish to extend my sincerest appreciation to Peter Cybaniak, Roman Dubyniak and Borys Zayachivsky for their assistance in the preparation of this article.

References

1. Brook-Shepherd, Gordon. "The Austrians." New York: Carroll and Graf Publ., 1996.
2. Kann, Robert A. "A History of the Habsburg Empire, 1526-1918." Berkeley: University of California Press, 1974.
3. Kubijovich, Volodymyr, ed. Ukraine: A Concise Encyclopedia, Vol. 1. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1963.
4. Magocsi, Paul Robert. "Ukraine: A Historical Atlas." Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1985.
5. Magocsi, Paul Robert. "A History of Ukraine." Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1996.

Ingert Kuzych may be contacted at P.O. Box 3, Springfield, VA 22150 or at his e-mail address: [email protected].

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