A Treasure of Information (08/22/04)

A Treasure of Information

by Taras Hunczak

Five days ago I took into my hands a wonderful book, "Ukraine Lives!," which was published in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the proclamation of Ukraine's independence, and discovered that Roma Hadzewycz, editor-in-chief, and her editorial staff created a remarkable source of information on the events leading to August 24, 1991. Indeed, it is a book that reflects the drama of Ukraine from Gorbachev's policy of perestroika to the proclamation of independence, via news stories and other articles (published in The Ukrainian Weekly.)

The articles in the book deal in some detail with the emergence of the opposition movement which expressed itself through such organizations as the Ukrainian Helsinki Group, the Ukrainian Culturological Club and through the activities of Ukrainian artists and intellectuals. In the spirit of rising expectations former dissidents formed in Lviv a Democratic Front to Promote Perestroika, a development Roman Solchanyk wrote about on July 24, 1988.

As the book documents, it is a time not only of political, but also of religious protests. Ukrainian society began to protest the tragedies brought about by Communist totalitarianism, which resulted in the mass murder of the Ukrainian people, while the faithful, particularly the Ukrainian Catholic Church, began to raise the question of religious freedom.

A high point of this era of protests and demonstrations was the Rukh congress of September 8-10, 1989, which resulted in the founding of the Popular Movement of Ukraine for Perebudova. I was fortunate to have participated in this dramatic event when the Communist Party was openly challenged by the representatives of the Congress.

All of these dramatic events which, as the book documents, were but the prologue to the proclamation of independence on August 24, 1991, for that was the ultimate objective for which the people were fighting. Even while sitting in the Parliament, I could hear the thousands of people outside the Parliament chanting "Freedom for Ukraine." I am happy to report that these moving events are well documented in the book.

But the story does not end there - the book goes on to document, in great detail, events through 2001. Indeed, the book is a remarkable record of an unforgettable era.

I hope that the book "Ukraine Lives!" will come out in a new edition, but that this time the editors will include a name index.

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"Ukraine Lives!" is available for $15 (shipping included) from The Ukrainian Weekly, 2200 Route 10, P.O. Box 280, Parsippany, NJ 07054; telephone, (973) 292-9800, ext. 3042.

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