70 YEARS OF CYM IN AUSTRALIA

This year marks an important time in the life of CYM Australia – 70 years from the establishment of CYM on this continent. It’s revival here in Australia requires some understanding of the history of the revival of CYM in the West after World War II.

After the end of the second World War, thousands of young Ukrainians found themselves stranded in Germany and other close neighbours such as Austria and Belgium. These were young people who has been forcibly removed from their homeland of Ukraine and used as war fodder to man factories or work in coal mines in Germany, Austria & Belgium. In 1946 there were about 50,000 young Ukrainians under 30 years of age in these places. There were also about 10,000 former young Ukrainian fighters in Italy.

Unfortunately as a result of the Yalta Agreement between Russia & the West, many Ukrainians & Eastern Europeans were forced to return to the ‘Soviet Paradise’, and were then either interned in labour camps or murdered. It was no wonder then that the young people who managed to stay were fiercely opposed to Moscow, especially with information they received about the heroic efforts of the UPA against Russia in their homeland.

In this context CYM was revived in Germany by former CYM members and other Ukrainian activists, who gathered in Munich in 1946 to form the Central Organisational Bureau for CYM. The first Oseredok/Branch of CYM was established in the American Zone on the 10 June 1946 in Augsburg Germany with membership composed of 18-30 year olds. By July there were seven Branches and by the end of 1946 there were 24 Branches. It did not take long that year for Branches to also be established in Austria and Belgium. By 1948 there were 68 Branches with 6282 members (Central Committee CYM, 2011).

The first CYM Congress took place in Augsburg from the 20-24 March 1947, with delegates representing 3,700 members from 46 Branches. This Congress ratified  a program for CYM based on the principles of ‘God & Ukraine’ but updated to meet the new circumstances, the CYM Constitution, the CYM flag and the CYM Emblem. Delegates also chose the first Central Committee of CYM.

In 1949 there was a mass exodus of Ukrainians and many other nationalities from Europe. As refugees they went to America, Canada, England, Australia & even to Africa. By 1950 CYM existed in 14 countries with 8,000 members.

By 1949, the Central Committee of CYM had managed to contact many CYM members who had settled in Australia, and helped them to start organising the first national body and branches. Because of the enormous distances between settlements of Ukrainians, the first organisers of CYM had to operate almost in isolation from each other. According to the books CYM in the Diaspora (Central Committee CYM, 1954) and Ukrainians in Australia Tome 1, (AFUOA, 1966) the first organisers of CYM were: O Jankivskyj, O Tarnawskyj, V Jankivskyj, M Vreszko, Ch Mischuk, B Ban, L Sklypkowycz, V Poilishko, V Shumskyj, J Kusej, O Nahirnyj and O Kavunenko.

The first organised CYM groups were established in places like Greta Migrant Camp in Northern NSW in 1949 where there were large numbers of young people, before they were allocated work under their tear contracts elsewhere. On 2 May 1950, the Central Committee of CYM authorised M Z Hrabyk to organise a National Committee in Australia. The organising committee consisting of Messers Hrabyk, A Atamaniuk and V Burak, immediately started preparing for the first all Australian CYM Congress/Zyizd. This took place in Melbourne in May 1951. The first elected Australian CYM President was Mr V Vasylko who later resigned and was replaced by M P Soroka who called the second Australian Congress in Sydney. At the Second Zyizd Mr Soroka was re-elected by delegates from 6 Branches with 200 members.

Holovy/Presidents Ukrainian Youth Association Australia (CYM)

  • 1951 – В Василько/V Vasylko  – I Zyizd/ Melbourne (П Сорока/P Soroka covered part of the kadencia)
  • 1952 – П Сорока/P Soroka – II Zyizd/Melbourne
  • 1954 –  О Матіаш/O Matiash – III Zyizd/ Melbourne
  • 1956 – С Місько/S Misko/– IV Zyiz/ Melbourne (V Kotczumbas covered part of the kadencia)
  • 1961 – В Майковський V Majkovskij – V Zyizd/Melbourne
  • 1963 – В Майковський М V Majkovskij – VI Zyizd /Sydney (О Чубатий/O Chubatij covered part of the kadencia)
  • 1965 – О Чубатий/O Chubatij – VII Zyizd
  • 1968 – В Чор/V Chor – VIII Zyizd/Sydney
  • 1971 – Л Новицький/L Novyczkij – IX Zyizd/Sydney
  • 1972 – Ю Менсінський/G Mencinsky -January Extraordinary Zyizd – Sept 1972 Ж Коломиєць/Z Kolomyetcz – XX Zyizd/Melbourne
  • 1978 – М Моравський/M Moravski – XI Zyizd/ Melbourne
  • 1982 – М Моравський/M Moravski/VI Zdvyh CYM Australia/Adelaide; Plenerary/Melbourne
  • 1984 – С Романів/S Romaniw – XIII Zyizd /Melbourne
  • 1987 – С Романів/S Romaniw – XIV Zyizd/ Melbourne
  • 1991 – С Романів/S Romaniw XV Zyizd/Melbourne
  • 1996 – П Дума/P Duma – XVI/Melbourne
  • 1999 – П Дума/P Duma – XVII Zyizd/Melbourne
  • 2002 –  В Сенько/V Senko – XVIII Zyizd/Geelong
  • 2006 –  В Сенько/V Senko/ XIX Zyizd/Sydney
  • 2008 –  П Дума/P Duma – XX Zyizd/Melbourne
  • 2009 – П Дума/P Duma – XXI Extraordinary Zyizd/Melbourne
  • 2011 – С Дума/S Duma – XXII Zyizd/Melbourne
  • 2014 – А Яртим/A Jartym – XXIII Zyizd
  • 2017 – А Дума/A Duma- XXIV Zyizd/Melbourne

Establishment of Oseredky/Branches

NSW

1950 – First groupings of CYM in Murbank/Liverpool Camp.

Sydney – 1951 – organisation of the Oseredok. 13.10.56 – blessing of Oseredok flag & naming of patron as Taras Chuprenka. First Holova – Z Hrabyk.

Newcastle & Lower Hunter – 1953 – planning began to create an Oseredok. Mid 1954 election of the first CYM Committee and Holova. 1958 – Symon Petlura named as patron. First President: M Solomka. 

Greta sub-branch of Newcastle/Sydney – Oseredok was formally set up on 13.3.1960.

Queanbeyan – 24.5.1958 – a sub-branch of the Sydney Oseredok was established with Y Kravchuk as first Committee Chair followed by M Varkholyaka & M Jacyshyn upto 1961 when a major change took place. On 27.9.1961 the sub-branch of Queanbeyan was reformed into an Oseredok with Evhen Konovalets as Patron and M Jacyshyn as Holova.

There were also sub-branches in Orange which started it work with youth on 25.6.1961; and Woolongong which began its formal work with youth on 1.4.1962 and the election of a committee chair – M Olender.

CANBERRA

An Oseredok CYM was formed here in October 1950 with A Atamaniuk, Kucherka, Ch Mischuk & V Dzuba in leadership roles. However, by 1954 it only had 10 members and became defunct, regenerating in 1962 with Z Kolomyetz as Holova. Its patron was polk I Bohun. With only a small amount of membership the Oseredky of Queanbeyan & Canberra were amalgamated.

VICTORIA

Melbourne – 14.1.1951 – the inaugural meeting to establish the Melbourne Oseredok with Mr P Soroka as the first Holova and het Ivan Mazepa as patron.

Geelong – the inaugural meeting for its establishment was in November 1952 and the first Holova was V Panchenko, and its patron Stepan Bandera.

Newborough/Moe – the Oseredok inaugural meeting occurredon 24.4.1960 with V Chuhaj as Holova.  However, on 20.5.1962 the Oseredok reverted to being a sub-branch called Volyn with Ms C Hural as Committee Chair.

QUEENSLAND

Brisbane – the first Oseredok was established in 1952 with the first president being M Seniw. After some difficulties it became defunct and in  1956 two areas set up Oseredky – Oxley with I Panasiuk as Holova and Dara with K Perih as Holova – the two combining into one Committee at the beginning of 1960, with sv Kniaz Volodymyr  Velykij their patron.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Adelaide – the Oseredok had its inaugural meeting in May 1951 but became defunct in 1955. On 27.4.1963 a second inaugural meeting was held to revive CYM, electing V Katruk as its Holova and patron Taras Shevchenko.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Perth – CYM Oseredok had its beginnings here in 1950 headed up by P Kardash & after he left to live  interstate Mr V Kania. After some time o activity the Oseredok became defunct with many people shifting interstate. It was revived in the early 1960’s, but again became inactive until 1967. In 1968 it was formally named ‘Kruty’.

Northam – an Oseredok was formed here in 1955 with R Humeniuk as Holova but became defunct in 1960.