Yurii Kostenko
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine
DOI https://doi.org/10.37837/2707-7683-2018-48
Abstract. Many Austrian citizens of Ukrainian origin actively helped diplomats of the young Ukraine to take the first steps in the development of bilateral relations with the Republic of Austria. The social and cultural life of Austrians of Ukrainian origin in the late 20 and early 21 centuries was concentrated around the Greek Catholic Church of St. Barbara in Vienna. With the restoration of Ukraine’s independence, their leading associations, in particular the Austrian Union of Ukrainian Philatelists, were reformatted, and the Ukrainian-Austrian Association was created, which implemented many interesting projects. A significant contribution to the dissemination of positive information about Ukraine in the world was made by the magazines of these associations: “Visti SUFA”, “Austrian-Ukrainian review”, “KyiViden”. In the Austrian capital during these years fruitfully worked outstanding cultural figures: composer and choirmaster A. Hnatyshyn, master of artistic embroidery K. Kolotylo, artists Kh. Kurytsia-Tsimmerman, L. Mudretskyi.
During nearly one and a half century, starting from 1772, a great part of the western Ukraine – firstly Galicia and then Bukovyna – formed part of the Austrian Monarchy. Interests of Ukrainians of these Crown Lands were represented in the Austrian Parliament – the Reichsrat − by the so-called “ruthen” parliamentarians, among which was Mykola Vasylko, the first Ambassador of Ukraine to Vienna in the early 20 century. Many talented Ukrainian youth studied at Austrian universities. Prominent figures of national culture visited Vienna for a long time, including Lesia Ukrainka, Mykhailo Drahomanov and Ivan Franko. There were also many student- and labour societies. The independence of the Ukrainian state opened new horizons for cooperation between philatelists of the two countries, in particular, the exchange of philatelic material – new stamps, envelopes, etc.
Keywords: Diaspora, Austria, philately, culture, art.
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