Transcarpathia in the plans of Austro-Hungary’s Ukrainian politicians in 1914-1918

By the eve of the WWI, Ukrainian politicians of Austrian Galicia and Bukovina declared that Transcarpathia was a region inhabited by Ukrainians, although this kind of identification was not popular among Transcarpathian Rusins. After the outbreak of war, Ukrainian leaders ignored the issue of ‘Hungarian Ukraine’ over two years. The ‘All-Ukrainian council’, which claimed to be a rightful representation of the whole nation, did not include Transcarpathian delegates. The main goal of the council was to achieve establishment of separate Ukrainian province in Austria, but without ‘Hungarian Ukraine’. Meanwhile, West Ukrainian press still estimated Transcarpathia as Ukrainian territory. It was connected with fear of anger of government of Hungary led by Istvan Tissa who also supported the creation of Ukrainian province in Austria. Late in 1916, West Ukrainian leaders received from Tissa a promise to support them in exchange for their non-interference into Transcarpathian issue. The publishing of manifesto about Galicia’s autonomization in November 1916, and, then, the revolution in Russian part of Ukraine, induced Ukrainian politicians of Austria to strengthen their position. During 1917, West Ukrainian press spoke for ‘brothers’ in Hungary more and more, recalling of their plight. By the year’s end, after declaration of independence of Ukrainian People Republic in Kiev, peaceful negotiations between the Central Powers and Ukrainian government began. The importance of Ukrainian politicians of Galicia and Bukovina for Wien has increased, thereafter their rhetoric became more radical. Ukrainian members of Reichsrat openly characterized ‘Northeast Hungary’ as historically Ukrainian region. By that time, they did not care about authorities’ of Hungary attitude towards them. Yet the Vienna did not want to confront with the Budapest in Ukrainian issue, so, during the talks in Brest-Litovsk both Austrians and Germans made it clear for Ukrainian delegates that propriety of ‘Hungarian Ukraine’ would not be discussed at all. Despite this, Brest peace was profitable for Ukrainians in Austria. The government guaranteed that Ukrainian province would be established after the war. Transcarpathia was to be kept in Hungary, but Ukrainian politicians continued their critics of Hungarian authorities for the oppression of their ‘brothers’. In October 1918, realizing that reforms in the empire became inevitable, Ukrainian politicians of Galicia and Bukovina definitely declared their claims for Transcarpathia. Newspapers called to ‘stop coddling Magyars’ and ‘do not forget about Ukrainian population in the mountains of Hungary’. Ukrainian parliamentary representation’s leaders stressed Ukrainian character of ‘northern Hungary’ at the audience with emperor Charles I. On the 18^th of October, Ukrainian national council in Lviv declared its claims for Transcarpathia officially.

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