Yevhen Konovalets and Dmytro Dontsov: From Cooperation to Misunderstanding

Abstract

The goal is to investigate the origins, course, and results of cooperation between Ye. Konovalets and D. Dontsov.

Methodology. The methodological principles of scientificity, historicism, criticality, impartiality, systematicity, and verification were observed during the writing of the scientific article. The following research methods were used in the process of writing — problem-chronological, retrospective, and biographical.

Scientific novelty. For the first time in Ukrainian historiography, the activities of Ye. Konovalets and D. Dontsov became the subject of a separate comprehensive scientific study from their acquaintance to their last meeting.

Main results. Ye. Konovalets and D. Dontsov met in Lviv on the eve of the World War I. The centers of acquaintance and periodic meetings were the faculty of law and political knowledge of Lviv University, as well as the Ukrainian Student Union, at the II congress of which in July 1913 they gave reports. The next stage of meetin and cooperation was Kyiv. Chronologically, this stage covers May 1918 — January 1919. The second stage is a collaboration between D. Dontsov and Ye. Konovalets and falls on May 1918 — January 1919. All events took place in Kyiv. D. Dontsov helped Ye. Konovalets and the military formation of Sichovi Striltsi to return to military service in the Ukrainian State. Under the Directory of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UNR), D. Dontsov stayed in Kyiv. Ye. Konovalets was his security guarantor. After the defeat of the Ukrainian National Revolution of 1917—1921, Ye. Konovalets and D. Dontsov met at the beginning of 1922 in Lviv. This year, they managed to resume publication in the magazine “Literary and Scientific Bulletin” whose editor-in-chief was D. Dontsov. After the forced emigration to the countries of Western Europe, Ye. Konovalets’ contacts with D. Dontsov ceased for several years. At the end of the 1920s, Ye. Konovalets, while preparing the creation of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN), tried, through correspondence and other people, to attract D. Dontsov to the OUN. However, he refused to join the OUN categorically and continued to develop independently the theoretical foundations of Ukrainian nationalism The last meeting between Ye. Konovalets and D. Dontsov took place in Paris in March 1934. After that, no constructive work was developed. Conclusions. So, the acquaintance with D. Dontsov opened the way for Ye. Konovalets to understand the state of affairs of Ukraine in Russia. The beginning of cooperation fell on the state-building process in Kyiv under the leadership of P. Skoropadskyi; this time, D. Dontsov was counting very much on firm pro-Ukrainian position of Ye. Konovalets and the Sichovi striltsi. The only joint achievement was the resumption of publication in the “Literary and Scientific Bulletin” magazine in 1922. Before and after the establishment of the OUN, Ye. Konovalets was very hopeful that D. Dontsov would lead the ideological direction of the organization. However, he did not want to do anything with the OUN.