ВИПРОБУВАННЯ ВІЙНОЮ: ЖИТТЯ І ДІЯЛЬНІСТЬ СТЕПАНА ФЕДАКА В 1914–1918 РОКАХ

This article examines the life and socio-political activities of Stepan Fedak, a Ukrainian lawyer, financier, head of the «Dnister» insurance company, and public figure during the First World War. The study examines the transformation of his role from an apolitical participant in selected initiatives to a leading representative of Ukrainian national organizations under the impact of wartime circumstances. Particular attention is given to Fedak’s decision to remain in Lviv on the eve of the Russian army’s entry, his participation in delegations to the Austrian and Russian administrations, as well as the circumstances of his arrests and deportation as «hostage» of the occupying authorities. The article highlights the systemic anti-Ukrainian policies of the Russian General-Governorate in Galicia, manifested in repressions against nationally conscious intellectuals, a policy of Russification, and the paralysis of Ukrainian institutions. Special focus is placed on Fedak’s Kyiv period (June 1915 – August 1916), where he was deported following his arrest in Lviv. The study analyzes the conditions of hostage detention, their adaptation to imperial policies of control, and the limited opportunities for social engagement. Fedak’s contribution to organizing aid for Galician displaced persons and detainees is revealed, including the transfer of money and essential goods, as well as coordination with local Ukrainian organizations. Based on epistolary sources (correspondence with V. Okhrymovych) and memoirs, the article reconstructs a network of mutual assistance that connected Kyiv with remote regions of the Russian Empire and demonstrated the resilience of the Ukrainian community in the midst of a humanitarian crisis. The article further investigates Fedak’s activity after his return to Galicia in autumn 1916, when he took an active part in restoring the network of Ukrainian economic, socio-political, and charitable organizations. His involvement in the work of the National Committee of the Ukrainian National Democratic Party, in charitable projects to support orphans (including the establishment of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky’s Fund), and his election to the Provisional Council of the City of Lviv – where he consistently defended Ukrainian interests amid Polish-Ukrainian disputes – are examined. Particular attention is devoted to Fedak’s role in the state-building processes of 1918, when he briefly headed the Ukrainian Food Office, responsible for the food policy of the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic, took part in negotiations with the Polish side, and sought dialogue aimed at peaceful coexistence. The study is based on a wide range of sources, including memoirs, Ukrainian and Polish periodicals, archival materials, and scientific literature. Fedak’s organizational and charitable activity constituted a significant contribution to the foundations of civil society and Ukrainian statehood. The article concludes that the wartime ordeals propelled him into leading positions within the Ukrainian national movement, transforming him into a symbol of institutional continuity.