Zebranie członków Ukraińskiego Towarzystwa Społeczno-Kulturalnego w Szczecinie

The first meeting of the Voivodeship UTSK Organising Committee in Szczecin took place on August 10th in 1956. Among others, the following parties participated: the representatives of the local government, including the Vice Chairman of PWRN in Szczecin – Kazimierz Gołaczewski and the Supervisor of Social – Administrative PWRN Branch Jakub Grelich. The Chairman of WKO was Józef Bak, and the committee consisted of: Stefan Iwaszko, Dymitr Terefenko, Włodzimierz Borodziuk, Jan Brył, Kazimierz Pałczyński i Eugeniusz Żoknaczuk.

The creation of organisational structures of UTSK in Szczecin Voivodeship during the initial period after the Organisational Congress of the Association (16-18 June 1956) was impressive. The county boards of UTSK were established in 8 different locations (Choszczno, Gryfice, Pyrzyce, Stargard Szcz., Łobez, Nowogard, Goleniów and Myślibórz), as well as 31 local branches. The culmination of the initial period of existence of UTSK was the transformation of WKO into the UTSK Voivodeship Board in Szczecin in February of 1957. The function of the Chairman of ZW USKT in Szczecin was undertaken by Dymitr Terefenko.

Among newly established local branches, the city branch in Szczecin played a particular role in the functioning of the Association in the West Pomeranian region. The organisational meeting of the Szczecin local branch took place on 29th of September in 1956. Among others, the following took part: Daniel Nowisz (PMRN in Szczecin, S. Piotrowski (KM PZPR in Szczecin) and K. Fularewicz from FJN. The chairman of the Branch Board was Włodzimierz Stasyków, and the Vice Chairman was Stefan Smolak and the secretary was Irena Bochniak. Szymon Saluka was the Chairman of the Review Board.

In the late 50s and 60s of the XX century many students of Ukrainian Philology from the local Teachers College were strongly involved in work of the Szczecin local branch. From 1957, among many, the famously called Literature Fridays were organised. Work was divided into sections: choir, students and youth, children, propaganda and tourist and sport.

A day before II Congress of UTSK Szczecin organisation structures consisted of 20 local branches, associating 1105 members. According to data from May 1962, the number of local branches decreased to 18, and the significant decrease of number of members was recorded- which went down to only 500. This phenomenon was observed across Poland. Some of the main reasons were common in all locations: organising and verification of the number of members in branches, as well as leaving the organisation by people who became discouraged by it.

In order to systemise the UTSK activity in Szczecin Voivodeship, in May 1962 the local active members of association decided to close the local existing county boards “Instead of dedicating the time and effort on activating the county boards- the Voivodeship Board will have the opportunity to perform more work by working directly with the branches (Koła). We know from experience that county boards can not exist by themselves, they were not able to help the branches and the tasks fell on the shoulders of the Voivodeship Board. We do not want to create fiction and pretend that we have developed an association apparatus. The association apparatus in Szczecin environment are the active members and the local branches, as well as the Voivodeship management. If in other Voivodeships the county boards are in existence (sic), they should stay in existence and should be brought into existence. Here we will work better without them”. In the prepared during that time report ZWTSK the issue of full time position in the association was raised.” We all understand that a single full time position in the Voivodeship Board of Directors cannot be a strong Institutional organisation. However, during the last 6 months we had not had even a single employee. We also had serious financial and accommodation problems”.

In 1963 in the Voivodeship UTSK 23 local branches existed. The most numerous was the branch in Szczecin (133 members), next one was Bieczyn and Trzebiatów (33 members each). In total UTSK had in the Voivodeship area 488 members. That number of members had increased up to 543 during the following 3 years. After the liquidation of the Sadlno branch and establishing branches in Biała Ińska and Wierzbin, the number had increased to 24 in 1966. The most numerous was the Szczecin branch with 156 members, followed by Trzebiatów with 48 members and Bieczyno with 38 members. On the other hand in 1969 Szczecin Voivodeship structures of UTSK consisted of 472 members, affiliated in 25 branches.

In the turn of 60s and 70s in the XX century, as a result of gradual migration of Ukrainian minority from rural to urban areas the process of strengthening of UTSK branches took place, as well as the gradual disappearance of rural cells. According to ZW UTSK statistical data in Szczecin, in 1971 22 branches were functioning in the Voivodeship area. The most numerous was the Szczecin branch with 143 members, followed by Trzebiatów – 43, Ińsk – 38 and Strachocin – 33. The remaining branches were functioning in: Bieczyno, Gorzysław, Roby, Pustkowo, Biała, Chociwel, Wapnica, Wierzbno, Burowo, Sławęcin, Czachowo, Sosnowo, Dłusko, Korytowo, Wołowiec, Jarząbki, Krężlin i Płonno. In 1974 the number of branches decreased to 19, with the stabilised number of members oscillating around 500 people. After the introduction of the administrative reform, the number of branches went down to 16, amounting to 515 members. According to statistical data prepared by the last General Meeting and Elections Conference, in the Szczecin Voivodeship area there were 19 branches gathering 550 members.

Until 1966 Jan Zawadzki fulfilled the function of the ZW UTSK chairman. Aleksander Hnatiuk replaced him temporarily (as a replacing person). In April 1967 Mikołaj Nowosad became the Chairman. He fulfilled that function until the termination of activity of ZW UTSK in Szczecin, which was on February 15th 1976. Olga Laska fulfilled the function of the treasury, as well as others functions continuously in the Szczecin UTSK management. Additionally, the nucleus of Voivodeship active members during the 60s and 70s in the XX century consisted of the following: Józef Bak, Bogdan Bielecki, Stefan Bratejko, Włodzimierz Chrin, Józef Doroch, Teodor Fedak, Anna Jaremowicz, Bogdan Kałużniacki, Bogdan Kołodziej, Michał Kozak, Jerzy Liborski, Paweł Łachtiuk, Włodzimierz Malicki, Maria Nabuda, Paweł Olejnik, Zenon Pawliński, Michał Patra, Jan Piech, Szymon Saluk, Włodzimierz Stasyków, Teodor Sułyk, Dymitr Terefenko, Mikołaj Terefenko, Mirosław Truchan, Michał Ulan, Jarosław Wajda.

After the liquidation of Voivodeship and county organisation structures of UTSK (1976), the network of association branches decreased to 16, however they held around 30% more members in comparison to the beginning of the 70s in the XX century. As another data shows, that situation practically lasted to the very end of UTSK existence. According to data from 1983, in the Szczecin Voivodeship area there were 16 branches gathering 640 members. In May of 1988 the data regarding UTSK showed almost identical numbers: 16 branches and 688 members.

The Szczecin UTSK Board of Directors branch was created on 16 December of 1984. The list of members were previously approved by the WSA UW in Szczecin. At the same time, the representatives of UTSK did not fail to point to the recent biased in their opinion press articles about the Ukrainian minority, which appeared during that time. They suggested that it could had led to “pogroms” of Ukrainians in Poland.

The first member’s management board list of ZO UTSK included: Jerzy Liborski(chairman), Bazyli Kobelak (vice chairman), Olga Duda (secretary). The Presidium members were: Piotr Dzwończyk, Jan Maliniak, Wasyl Bilo i Michał Kozak (according to inspection protocol prepared in 1986 by Olga Łaska). The Members of the Board were: W. Jacyniak, W. Leśkiw, J. Lewicki, J. Kosarewicz, Piotr Przytulski, O. Dołęga i S. Ananiewicz, members of the Revision Commission were – J. Doroch, Halina Radziwonowicz i Jan Nabuda, members of the Peer Tribunal were: Wiera Giergiel, Włodzimierz Kaczor i Włodzimierz Malicki.

The following General and Election Meeting of O UTSK in Szczecin took place on April 16 of 1988. Z. Łubik, the vice president from WSSA UW in Szczecin also participated in the meeting. The Chairman of ZO was H. Kołodziej. Other members of the Board were: W. Malicki (vice chairman), J. Liborski (secretary), O. Łaska, W. Jacyniak, Roman Muż, J. Maliniak, The Presidium members were: W. Bilo, O. Duda, Maria Nalepa, Jan Chamulak, Paweł Podsudko, Włodziemierz Markanycz, T. Sułyk, P. Olejnik. P. Przytulski, Irena Smolij, Maria Łeśkiw oraz Irena Seńko. Members of the Revision Commission: Józef Doroch, Zenona Dumka i Jan Babicki, and the members of the Peer Tribunal were: Józef Wasylinka, Teodor Król i Jerzy Sywanycz.

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