M. Hrushevsky

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distinguished видатний, визначний

chair кафедра

creation створення

to research досліджувати

Mykhailo Hrushevsky, born on September 29, 1866, in Kholm, died on November 25, 1934, in Kyslovodsk, North Caucasus. The most distinguished Ukrainian historian, principal organizer of Ukrainian scholarship, prominent civil and political leader, publicist and writer, head of the Shevchenko Scientific Society and Academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences from 1929. Hrushevsky's father was a Slavist and pedagogue. In 1869 the family moved to the Caucasus where Hrushevsky graduated from the classical gymnasium in Tiflis (1886). Hrushevsky graduated in 1890 from the Historical-Philological Faculty at Kyiv University where he was a student of V. Antonovych. He remained at Kyiv University to prepare his candidate's thesis, published as "A Survey of the History of Kyiv Land from the Death of Yaroslav to the End of the 14th Century", 1891, and then received a master's degree for the dissertation in 1894. In 1894, on the recommen­dation of V. Antonovych, Hrushevsky was appointed professor of the newly created Chair of Ukrainian History at Lviv University.

Upon arriving in Lviv Hmshevsky became the director of the Historical-Philosophical Section in 1894. Soon after arriving in Lviv he began to work towards the creation of a Ukrainian University there, beginning with the organization of popular lecture series and a summer school.

In 1898 the first volume of his monumental "History of Ukraine — Rus" was published in Lviv. By 1937 another nine volumes, covering Ukrainian history to 1658, had appeared in Lviv and Kyiv. This work was the first major synthesis of Ukrainian history ever written.

Hrushevsky was one of the founders of the National Democratic Party of Halychyna.

In 1917 he was elected the Chairman of the Central Rada.

Under his direction, this body soon became the revolutionary parliament of Ukraine. Hrushevsky supported newly formed Ukrainian Party of Socialist Revolutionaries, the majority party in the Central Rada. On April 29, 1918, he was elected the President of the Ukrainian People's Republic.

A coup delectated by P. Skoropadsky overthrew the government of the Ukrainian People's Republic. This ended Hrushevsky's involvement in government, although he continued his political activity and public work.

Hrushevsky soon resumed his work as the central figure in Ukrainian scholarship. He organized a series of academic commissions to research Ukrainian history and folklore, and directed the training of new historians as the holder of the Chair of Modern Ukrainian History. He revived and edited "Ukraina" (1924— 30), which became the main organ of Ukrainian studies. The difficult conditions of life in semi-free­dom and the persecutions led to a deterioration of Hrushevsky's health. He died in Kyslovodsk, where he had gone for medical treatment and was buried in Kyiv in the Baikov's cemetery.

Answer the following questions:

1. What was the title of Hrushevsky's monumental work, the first volume of which was published in Lviv in 1898?

2. When was Hrushevsky elected as a President of the Ukrainian People's Republic?