Youth Societies and Public Organizations in the Village of Urych in the Interwar Period
At the end of the 19th century, youth societies and public organizations began to emerge in the western Ukrainian lands. Their activities were aimed mainly at the physical and patriotic education of young people and the intensification of social life of the Ukrainian community. In the village of Urych, there were perhaps the most active centres of such organizations. There were branches of Prosvita, Brotherhood of Sober Men, Sokil, Sich, Luh, Union of Ukrainian Women, Native School, Dorist, as well as trade and industrial society Tustan-Zorya, Ukrainian cooperative Yednist, and credit cooperative Ukrainian Raiffeisenka.
Drama Group of Prosvita’s Reading Room
The main centre of cultural life of the Galician village was the reading room of the society Prosvita. Prosvita’s drama group was especially popular in Urych. According to the research of the local ethnographer R. Shchur, twenty-eight young men and women gathered in the reading room and rehearsed for stage performances (The Courtship at Honcharivka, Natalka-Poltavka, The Master… These amateur actors staged 15 performances”.
Union of Ukrainian Women in Urych
The Union of Ukrainian Women was the largest women’s organization in Galicia, operating until 1938, when it was banned by the Polish authorities. 25% of Ukrainian villages in Galicia had clubs of this organization. The Union of Ukrainian Women conducted courses. Their programme included acquaintance with the principles of organization and the idea of cooperation, running kindergartens, studying home (knitting, cutting and sewing, embroidery, cooking courses) and agriculture, hygiene bases, house cleanliness competitions. They also carried out educational work.
The Union of Ukrainian Women organized literary evenings, reports, exhibitions, celebrated various anniversaries, and organized trainings for rural housewives. According to local ethnographers, the Urych branch of the Union of Ukrainian Women was established in 1926.
Dorist in Urych
Youth associations Dorist began to emerge at Prosvita’s reading rooms in the early 1920s. They were established to organize self-educational groups to combat illiteracy. The girls and boys worked under the guidance of adult Prosvita members and were involved in the traditional annual celebration of dates associated with prominent cultural figures, Prosvita holidays, and the organization of Ukrainian ceremonies. Young people joined drama groups and children’s choirs, provided physical education.
Physical Drill Society Luh
The physical drill society Luh was one of the most active organization in Urych in the interwar period. It combined national, spiritual and physical training of young people. Luh members provided military training to other members of the society, led the development of sports among Ukrainian youth. The Luh organization was the largest in the region: about 40,000 young men and women were united in 718 centres, mostly rural ones, in 1937. On the initiative of the society Luh holidays and festivals were organized every year in Urych. As we know from Maria Pylypyvna Senyshyn's memoirs recorded by Roman Shchur, during these acts young men with decorative axes and girls with handkerchiefs demonstrated exercises; orchestra performances and patriotic songs were heard and volleyball and football competitions were held.