Between Liberalism and Democracy: Cossack-ThemedBelles-LettresinVormärzGalicia

Abstract

At the turn of August and September of 1914, Galician Ukrainian volunteers formed the Legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen (Ukrains′ki Sichovi Stril′tsi or Ukrainische Sitschower Schützen) as a unit separate from the simultaneously created Polish Legions. Sich referred to the historical headquarters of the Zaporozhian Cossacks located on the Dnieper River. In photographs, however, the Sich Riflemen look like ordinary Austrian-Hungarian soldiers. There is nothing specifically “Cossack” about their appearance. In 1914, Sich simply stood for the military or paramilitary activity of young Ukrainian males. Every soldier in the Legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen was now, by definition, a Sich man, a Cossack. The Cossack characteristics suggested by the term “Sich” had become inextricably linked with alleged Ukrainian martial valor.