Ievhen Konovalets: A Political Biography

Ievhen Konovalets was killed in Rotterdam on May 23, 1938, by a bomb hidden in a box of chocolates. The murder left the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists without a clear leader. What happened thereafter is a well-known story: the organization split into two competing factions, which would continue to fight each other throughout the Second World War. Much less is known about the figure of Konovalets himself, who has received relatively little scholarly attention both in Ukraine and abroad.

Tobias Wals’research project aims to produce the first English-language biography of Konovalets. It is a political biography, focusing on his ideological ripening in late-Habsburg Lviv, his role in the 1918-1921 Ukrainian struggle for independence, and his ascendance to prominence in diaspora circles. The research revolves around the question of how Konovalets was able to consolidate forces within the Ukrainian diaspora around the OUN, as well as why his organization fell apart so quickly after his death. It also aims to trace Konovalets’s ideological shift from the left end of the political spectrum to the extreme right.

During the Urban Seminar, the historian will present his research project (which is still in an early stage) and plans to discuss materials on Konovalets from Ukrainian archives.

This Seminar will be held in a workshop format. Researchers are invited to discuss scholarly projects, research at various stages of development, and completed research that is being prepared for publication.

Participation in the Urban Seminar requires preliminary reading and discussion of the researcher's text. If you would like to join the Seminar, please email Maryana Mazurak (m.mazurak@lvivcenter.org), and we will send you the materials in advance.