November Is for Thanks, December Is for Gifts by Lubow Wolynetz, Curator
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The Sower page 13, November 22, 2020 EXPLORING OUR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY November Is for Thanks, December Is for Gifts By Lubow Wolynetz, Curator scholars, artists, writers, physicians emi- sequently became a noted Ukrainian grate to America for whom sponsorship artist. Our museum is proud to have a and affidavits were more difficult to get large collection of his works. Not all compared to an average refugee appli- sponsorships and arrivals were smooth cant. The work of this sub-section was in and easy. For example, a sponsor was the hands of Prof. Nicholas Chubaty found for Kost Kysilevsky (1890-1974) – a (1899-1975) – scholar, historian, peda- linguist and pedagogue and his family. But gogue, civic activists, journalist. The cor- when their ship docked in 1949 at the respondence between Prof. Chubaty and New York City Pier, the sponsor did not the applicants is fascinating. Not only do come to pick up the family. Fortunately, we learn details of the applicants’ life and an emigree officer at the pier helped and achievements, but also their concerns as advised them what to do (telling them to to the future of the cultural development get change for the one-dollar bill they had of Ukrainian life in America and the into dimes in order to have the exact preservation of its identity. For example, amount for subway or bus rides). They Prof. Yevhen Chraplyvy (1898-1949, father managed to get to the apartment in of Lesia Chraplyva, writer and educator) downtown New York City of a family in a letter to Chubaty, besides asking for member who had arrived a few months the necessary affidavits to emigrate, he earlier. One would think an experience of immediately turns to more significant this nature would discourage them from matters. In his letters, he underscores the any engagement in community activities. importance of the revitalization of the Not so! Most of the refugees who arrived Shevchenko Scientific Society in in New York lived in the downtown area America, which was abolished by the of the city near the Tompkin’s Square Soviets in Ukraine. This, he believes has Park. After school, most of us youngsters to be done to prove to the world that would go to the park to play. Our parents Ukrainian national scholarship exists and would come for walks there, to meet thrives in exile. Sadly, Prof. Chraplyvy other newcomers, exchange information, died just before coming to America, but etc. Prof. Kysilevsky came to the park, his concerns and plans lived on. In a letter and upon seeing so many youngsters from the sculptor Serhii Lytvynenko doing nothing useful, decided it was time (1899-1964), asking for assistance to emi- to organize a Saturday Ukrainian School grate, certain little known interesting for them. This is how Ukrainian Saturday facts come to light. Apparently, in 1939 Schools began thanks to Prof. Kysilevsky Rev. Procko, then Rector of St.Basil and his concern for the future of the Seminary commissioned Lytvynenko to Ukrainian community in America. In the do a monument of Markian Shashkevych 1950’s we had Ukrainian classes on for the Seminary grounds. War broke out Tuesday and Friday evenings and Saturday and, regrettably the plan never material- mornings. ized. The noted artist and educator These are just a few stories retrieved Damian Horniatkevych (1892-1980) asked from the correspondence of the for assistance but explained the difficul- Committee. There are thousands more ties the committee might have in finding and each one more fascinating than the From a letter to Prof. Dr. Kysilevskyy, The Ukrainian Museum and Library of Stamford a sponsor for him. During his escape from other, which we will present in next the Bolsheviks, he managed to bring with month’s issue. The unifying quality of him his large collection of rare books these stories display the fact that most of For most of us, the last two months of organizations in America like the dealing with the history of Ukrainian art, the applicants did not express worry the year have a meaningful quality. Ukrainian American Relief Committee, artists, and Ukrainian culture, 2500 about their personal wellbeing but under- November is a month which gives us the the Ukrainian National Women’s League extraordinary embroidery samples, a scored their concerns about the future of opportunity to contemplate upon, of America, the Ukrainian Catholic unique pysanka (Easter egg) collection, a Ukrainians in America, the preservation recount and ponder on the events, experi- Relief Committee, and others. Eventually, photograph collection of important his- of their identity, their intellectual devel- ences, and blessings of the past year. the DP camps began to be disbanded and torical monuments, etc. The committee opment, the production of objective Often, these recollections evoke in us a all its residents had to be resettled to did find a sponsor and all of these items scholarly works, etc., and were ready and feeling of gratitude and we, each in our countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, did come to America together with the did work towards these aims. own way, offer sincere thanks for God’s and South America, which were willing to artist and his family. A sincerely heart- The members of the Committee to providence for the benefits and good for- accept refugees. warming letter asking for assistance came Aid Refugees, the many sponsors willing tune that came our way. But this One of the most active Ukrainian from a Bohdan Bozemsky (1923-). While a to offer their services, priests and parish- Thanksgiving is on a very personal, indi- institutions in the United States to help student at the Art Academy in Lviv, he as es of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in vidual level. Nevertheless, we might con- the refugees dealing with charitable aid well was abducted by the Nazis in 1944 America under the guidance and direc- sider at times to broaden our scope of and the complicated logistics of resettle- and forced to work in German factories. tives of Metropolitan Constantine recognition and express appreciation and ment was the Ukrainian Catholic Relief At the end of the war and the coming of Bohachevsky and Bishop Ambrose gratitude to the known and unknown Committee for Refugees, with its head- the American Army, he managed to get Senyshyn and the tireless secretary Prof. men and women who, decades ago, com- quarters in Stamford CT. The Committee work at the American Red Cross painting Mykola Chubaty – all deserve, albeit mitted great acts of charity for the well- was founded by Metropolitan portraits of American soldiers. His dream belatedly our deep gratitude. being of their less fortunate brethren, Constantine Bohachevsky with Bishop was to come to America and continue among whom many of us and our proge- Ambrose Senyshyn as its executive direc- with his art studies, which he did and sub- To be continued nies were the beneficiaries. tor. Bishop Bohachesky, for better han- This year commemorates the 75th dling and understanding of the refugee anniversary of the end of World War II. difficulties, sent Rev. John Stock to The devastation the war brought to Europe as his representative to deal Europe was of enormous proportions. directly with the demands of the situa- Cities were destroyed, villages and coun- tion. Many of those Ukrainian refugees trysides pillaged, millions of people per- who came here as the third wave of immi- ished while millions more were displaced grants were the recipients of the commit- and became refugees. Among these dis- tees often self-sacrificing and dedicated placed peoples were about two million work, without which their lives and the Ukrainians. Many were forcefully repatri- lives of their already American born ated to the Soviet Union but about descendants (children, grandchildren and 200,000 of them remained in Germany great grandchildren) could have taken a and Austria. For these refugees, Displaced very different turn. Persons camps were organized where, for In our Archival collection, we have 39 a few years, they lived there under the boxes (20 linear feet) of correspondence protection and care of western allies, of the Ukrainian Catholic Relief international organizations, e.g. UNRRA Committee dealing with their efforts to (United Nations Relief and help resettle Ukrainian refugees to Rehabilitation Association) IRO America. Within the committee there (International Relief Organization), and was a sub-section which was mainly con- with the assistance from Ukrainian cerned in helping cultural activists - An ad in The Way, The Ukrainian Museum and Library of Stamford For more information about The Ukrainian Museum and Library of Stamford, please, visit www.ukrainianmuseumlibrary.org, call 203-324-0499 or 203-323-8866. The Museum is open Wednesday through Friday from 1 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., or by appointment, and is located at: 161 Glenbrook Road, Stamford, CT 06902..