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.
