Ukrainian nationalism. Politics, Ideology, and Literature, 1929–1956

Abstract

After the Soviet Union broke up and the Iron Curtain was removed, new nationalisms emerged in Eastern Europe, sparking political and scholarly debates. Few topics have been more fraught with controversy than Ukrainian nationalism. In both the political and academic worlds, exchanges have taken place over the actions of nationalists during the Second World War, over how to characterize the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN)—the radical right-wing movement founded in 1929—and over decisions to erect monuments to its leaders. The OUN is admired by many contemporary Ukrainians, including the Svoboda Party, as a national liberation movement that fought against both Nazi and Soviet oppressors.