Mykhailo Serhiiovych Hrushevsky is a Ukrainian historian, public and political figure.
Place of Birth, Education
He was born on September 17, 1866 in the Polish city of Chełm. He grew up in the Caucasus – first in Stavropol, and then in Vladikavkaz.
He was educated at the Tiflis Gymnasium, Kyiv University at the Faculty of History and Philology.
Career
At one time, Hrushevsky worked at the university under the guidance of Volodymyr Antonovych.
In 1894, on Antonovych’s recommendation, he was appointed an ordinary professor at the Department of World History with an emphasis on the history of Eastern Europe at Lviv University. He held this position until 1914.
To support the development of Ukrainian literature, Hrushevsky, together with Ivan Franko, founded and published the journal “Literary-Scientific Bulletin”, and was also among the initiators of the creation of the Ukrainian Publishing Union in 1899.
In 1904, in the city of Kolomyia, at his own expense, he opened a private seminary for teachers.
After the revolution of 1905 – 1907, Hrushevsky transferred his activities to Kyiv. There he founded the Ukrainian Scientific Society and in 1907 joined the Society of Ukrainian Progressives, which remained the only Ukrainian liberal organization until 1917.
In the period from March 1917 to April 1918, Hrushevsky served as chairman of the Ukrainian Central Rada.
Under his leadership, the government of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR) made decisions on state symbols, and also worked on the creation of a constitutional framework.
Hrushevsky joined the preparation of the Constitution of the Ukrainian People’s Republic, which was approved on April 29, 1918.
Underground
After the coup organized by Pavlo Skoropadsky, Hrushevsky was forced to go underground. The liquidation of the Central Rada meant the end of his participation in state administration. In underground conditions, Hrushevsky continued to engage in scientific research and joined the discussion of the creation of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, but he rejected Skoropadsky’s proposal to head the newly created institution.
In February 1919, he left for Kamianets-Podilskyi, and later moved to Stanislav (now Ivano-Frankivsk). In March of the same year , he emigrated to Prague, and later to Vienna, where he continued to engage in scientific research. While in Prague, he founded the Ukrainian Sociological Institute.
In 1923, Hrushevsky was elected an academician of the All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences. The following year, he moved to Kyiv with his family. There he worked as a professor of history at Kyiv State University, was a member of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences and headed the historical and philological department.
On January 12, 1929, the general meeting of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR elected him a full member. On April 25, at a meeting of this meeting, Hrushevsky raised the issue of the need to create an Institute of Ukrainian History within the Academy.
In the autumn of 1929, the curtailment of the activities of historical institutions founded by Hrushevsky began. In November-December, the Council of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences at a session decided to begin the liquidation of commissions under his leadership, which was completed in 1933.
Mykhailo Hrushevsky died on November 25, 1934 in the city of Kislovodsk. He was buried at the Baikove cemetery in Kyiv.
Mykhailo Hrushevsky: interesting facts
Here are some interesting facts from Hrushevsky’s life:
- Hrushevsky went to school later than usual. His father decided to enroll his son in a lower class than his age allowed, although he already had good training at home. He was worried that it would not be difficult for the child to study. Also, the school was Russian;
- During his work as a teacher, he was noted for politeness and accessibility. He addressed the younger students with the words “Mr. Comrade” and really treated them in a friendly way. He always found ways to interest young people in learning, helped with advice in difficult situations and supported those who lost motivation;
- in terms of the number of scientific papers written, Hrushevsky remains the record holder among Ukrainian historians;
- during the First World War, Hrushevsky was exiled by the Russian authorities to Simbirsk. In addition, he was deprived of his professorship at Lviv University;
Personal life
At the end of May 1896, Hrushevsky married Maria Voyakivska in the city of Skala.
