Ukraine during the First World War

[Burrbee]

Does anyone have any factual descriptive information of the Battles on the Eastern Front during World War I.

I am looking specifically for descriptions of civilian conditions in the area of the Bukovyna. What the fighting was like and how the Ukrainian civilians were treated by both the Russian White Army and the Austrian Army.

If anyone can help me that would be greatly appreciated.

[Petro_moskal]

There was no Russian White Army until 1918, during the war it was simply the Imperial Army. Ukrainians were treated as Russians by the Empire, while Austrians looked down on the "Rutheners". During the First World War there was much Russophilic sentiment in Galacia and Lemberg epsecially.

[Ivan_Mazepa]

The course of the war is well known- after initial succeses in 1915 when Russia pushed A-H past the Carpathians and controlled Bukovyna and Galicia, by 1917 Russian Army was running back crying . With the Russian arrival pro-Austrian elements were persecuted, and when Austrians came back pro-Russians were killed. Don't know how useful these war maps can be http://www.firstworldwar.com/maps/easternfront.htm

[Petro_moskal]

Ivan

by 1917 Russian Army was running back crying

What's to be happy about? There were far more Ukrainians in the Russian Army than with the Austrians. Plus, it wasn't the Austrians who sent Russia reeling. Against the Austrians and the Turks Russia fared quite well. Only Germany defeated us. If not for the corruption, the bad supplies, the horrible commander... Bula b Rosija vid Dubrovnika u Serbiji do Pusana u Koreji...

E-ekh.

[Burrbee]

Thank you Peter and Ivan for your replies.

"There is a military cemetery on one of the hills near Zveniachin village. 11,830 soldiers and officers of Austro-Hungarian, German and Russian armies, who died in battles of 1914-1918, are buried there. The cemetery was founded during World War I." - this is quote from a website on the Zastavna district.

Where is Zveniachin located I can't seem to find it the maps I have.

My grandmother and oldest uncle lived through the First World War (both are now deceased). The fighting went through their village (Vasilau in the Chernivetska oblast formerly Bukovyna) apparently Vasilau (is this true??) has a major trade road running through it across the Dniestr river north towards Zalischiki in Galicia.

I have read information about fighting in the Zastavna area but can not pinpoint if the fighting went through the village of Vasilau.

Does anyone know what standard procedure was for the Russian or Austrian armies when they reached a village. (Burn houses, steal cattle??? Rape women?)

I have a personal memoir from a women who remembers that as a young child, the girls were hidden in huge sacks of grain to hide from the soldiers (she didn't specify which soldiers). These soldiers would pierce the sacks of grain with thier bayonnets until they found someone.

I am having a hard time understanding who my Bukovynian grandmother would have been more afraid of the Russians or the Austrians. (She was Orthodox religion but strongly pro-Ukrainian). Any suggestions or would it have been a personal thing? Some patriotic to Austria, some felt more kinship to Russia?????

[Ivan_Mazepa]

Zastavna is a raion centre and Zveniachyn is a village in that raion. I'm guessing you can't read the language, so just match up the following and switch to cyrillic:

http://travel.kyiv.org/map/o_cherni.htm 3ACTABHA
- top middle of the map
http://www.bucoda.cv.ua/bukovina/6/41_1.html - detailed map of the Zastavna raion which has the village гБЕМЪВХМ- It's in the north west of the map.

I think Vasilau is a Romanian name for the village бЮЯХКЁБ http://www.bucoda.cv.ua/Tourizm/ukr/u_zast.html - mentions the trade road along the Dnister and long history of the village (had a cathedral built in 1230 lasted until the 17th cent.). These areas are very Ukrainian- across the river is Galicia. Romanians are in the south of the Chernivtsi oblast.


Chernivtsi is my backyard, but I know nothing about WW1 in Bukovyna. http://www.chv.cv.ua/4-07-03/71.htm - I can't translate the whole thing but it mentions the WW1 cemetery in Zven. Also there was a larger cemetery in Chernivtsi (the city was taken by Russians 3 times) for 16000 dead but the Soviets demolished it in 1940. I don't even know where this thing is located in the city. Course of the war: pre1914 A.-H. Then during the war it was changed several times between Austrians, Russians and Romanians. 6-11-1918 important date- Chernivtsi viche votes for joining Bukovyna to the Western Ukr. Nat'l Republic. Days later Romania entered its troops and it's part of Romania till 1940 when the Soviets came.

From what I remember reading, there were some pro-Austrian sentiments because Austria had allowed Ukrainians some freedoms vis-╗є-vis the Poles. Austria would empower Ukrainians and play Ukrainians against the Poles. This is a positive change since Ukes were basically serfs for the Polish aristocrats. Others were confused ; and thought they were Russians. Still others, and these were the ones who prevailed, saw themselves as Ukrainian, part of the same nationality as the Ukrainians in Russia. So to answer who western Ukrainians were cheering for, Austria or Russia, the answer would be no one, as they would be working independence from both of them. Western Ukrainian National Republic and the Ukrainian National Republic both declared independence and later attempted to merge.

[Petro_moskal]

Burrbee

I have a personal memoir from a women who remembers that as a young child, the girls were hidden in huge sacks of grain to hide from the soldiers (she didn't specify which soldiers). These soldiers would pierce the sacks of grain with thier bayonnets until they found someone.

Probably the Austrians or Hungarians. The Russians considered the local (especially the Orthodox) Ukrainians to be their own - I highly doubt that they would do that. To the Austrians and Magyars, however, Ukrainians were pretty low in the ethnic hierarchy of the Empire, so such behavior from their side is far more likely.

Does anyone know what standard procedure was for the Russian or Austrian armies when they reached a village. (Burn houses, steal cattle??? Rape women?)

Once again, such things are far more likely from Austrians. They felt only contempt for the locals and were less religious than most Russian soldiers.