On the question of independence of the Ukraine the Jews
      were split into two camps. On the one side there were the
      assimilated Jews who having been brought up in the
      All-Russian political spirit took a stand hostile to the
      new Ukrainian State. On the other side there were the
      majority of the Jews - the nationalists, Zionists and the
      Jewish Socialist Parties - who declared their sympathy for
      Ukrainian endeavors. The Jews who were themselves an
      oppressed nation welcomed with sympathy the national
      struggle of the Ukrainians.
      The Jews were also split as to their attitude toward the
      socialist program of the new state. The left wing of the
      Bund and Poalej-Zion went hand-in-hand with the left
      Ukrainian parties that were for the exclusion of the
      bourgeoisie from the government. The majority of Jews were
      on the side of those Ukrainian parties that interceded for
      the West-European political system. But in spite of these
      differences, almost all Jewish parties and organizations
      recognized the right of the Ukrainian nation to its
      independence.
      What is the attitude of the Ukrainian government toward the Jews?
      In the Ukraine which together with Galicia has a population
      of 40 millions there live 3 1/2 million (8%) Jews. After
      the Revolution the ruling power in the Ukraine rested in a
      parliament in which all parties of the country, including
      Jewish, were represented. That parliament ("Tsentralna
      Rada") granted the Jews more freedom and rights than they
      had anywhere in Europe at any time. All national
      minorities, of course Jews too, were granted autonomy. It
      must be stressed also that the Central Council (the
      Parliament) set up a Supreme Court to which those lawyers
      were appointed as judges, who had had courage to take a
      stand against the Russian government during the Beilis
      trial.
      Here Margolin narrated the fate of the Ukraine after the overthrow of the
      Tsentralna Rada and during the rule of Hetman Skoropadksy, and then
      continued:
      Hetman's rule lasted only eight months. [After its
      overthrow] the Petlura Government renewed the autonomy of
      national minorities and again appointed Jewish ministers,
      viz. Mr. Goldelman and myself. Jews belong also to the
      diplomatic missions which have been sent abroad by the
      Ukrainian government. The noted Jewish historian, Dr.
      Wischintzer, one of the editors of the Jewish Encyclopedia,
      is the secretary of the Ukrainian legation in England.
      How does this government's attitude agree with the fact of anti-Jewish
      pogroms?
      There is a difference between pogroms which, unfortunately,
      have occurred now in the Ukraine, and pogroms in Russia
      during the tsarist regime. While the tsarist government
      had itself instigated and organized pogroms, the Ukrainian
      government is in no way responsible for them. In November
      1918 I myself saw the proclamations of the government in
      the Ukrainian villages and cities which very vehemently
      condemned the pogroms and explained to the Ukrainian people
      that the Jews are Ukrainian fellow-citizens and brothers to
      whom full rights are due. When, however, demoralization
      had set in the units of the Ukrainian army, its worst
      elements began to plunder. Again the Ukrainian government
      rose vigorously against the pogroms, punishing with death
      the perpetrators of the pogroms and expressing its sorrow
      for the victims. To my regret, I must state that the
      latest pogroms which, as far as I know, took place during
      the months of February and March were exceedingly serious.
      They have been perpetrated by the people of the Black
      Hundred and by provocateurs for the purpose of discrediting
      the Ukrainian government.
      These occurences made a shocking impression upon me, and at
      the end of March I tendered the government my resignation.
      I recognized that fact that the government was blameless; I
      found it, however, hard to occupy an official post in a
      country in which my brothers were slaughtered. My
      resignation was not accepted and the government requested
      me to continue in my official duties, at least abroad. Now
      I am one of the four representatives of the Ukraine at the
      Peace Conference. There is no anti-Semitic tendency in the
      Ukrainian government.
      Margolin denies that Jews are playing an important role in the Bolshevist
      movement, as it is generally assumed. To be sure, there are also Jews
      among the Bolshevists, but among Jews in general the Bolshevists
      constitute merely an insignificant minority. The Jewish Zionist and
      other patriotic organizations received 70% of the votes at all
      elections. There were no Jews at all among the Russian sailors who
      played such an important part in the Bolshevist revolution.
      The fact that there are seemingly so many Jews among the Bolshevists,
      Margolin attributed to the circumstances that Jews distinguish themselves
      in all activity by their great energy, and hence the impression arises
      that there are many Jews in each political party.
      (The Jewish Chronicle, London, May 16, 1919, in F. Pigido (ed.), Material
      Concerning Ukrainian-Jewish Relations during the Years of the Revolution
      (1917-1921): Collection of Documents and Testimonies by Prominent Jewish
      Political Workers, The Ukrainian Information Bureau, Munich, 1956)
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      Symon Petliura Jewish delegation 18Jul1919 Provocation of reactionaries and imperialists
      The delegation asked for granting of an opportunity to Jewish intellectuals
      to work toward strengthening Ukrainian statehood, and for protection of
      the Jewish population against the excesses which have taken place as
      the result of provocation on the part of various Russian reactionaries and
      Polish imperialists who thus wish to discredit the whole Ukrainian cause in
      the eyes of Europe.
      Reception of a delegation
      of Jewish citizens
      by Petlura.
      On July 17 of this year the Commander-in-Chief Petlura received a
      delegation of Jewish citizens at the Office of the Directorate in
      Kamenets-Podolsk. The Delegation included: Dr. Meier Kleiderman, the
      representative of the Jewish community; Alterman, the representative of
      the Zionist organization; Gutman, the representative of the rabbis;
      Kreis, the representative of artisans; Bograd, the representative of the
      Poalej-Zion Party.
      Petlura addressed the Delegation with a short speech in which he declared
      that he himself as well as the government were always standing on the
      side of the Jewish people, and were waging war against those elements who
      incited the unenlightened masses to various excesses against Jews. The
      Commander-in-Chief invited the representatives of the Jewish people to a
      closer cooperation of both peoples for the good of the Ukrainian State,
      for, only with united forces would it be possible to look after the
      interests of both peoples, which had always been identical.
      The Jewish delegation assured the Supreme Commander that all strata of
      the Jewish people, hand-in-hand with the Ukrainian people, would defend
      the independent Ukraine, because only a Ukrainian democratic government
      could guarantee full rights to the Jews. The delegation asked for
      granting of an opportunity to Jewish intellectuals to work toward
      strengthening Ukrainian statehood, and for protection of the Jewish
      population against the excesses which have taken place as the result of
      provocation on the part of various Russian reactionaries and Polish
      imperialists who thus wish to discredit the whole Ukrainian cause in the
      eyes of Europe.
      Petlura pledged himself to apply the severest measures in suppressing the
      crimes of the anti-Jewish agitators, and asked the delegation in
      particular to exert their influence also upon the Jewish population
      behind the battlefront that they should support the Ukrainian Army in its
      struggle against the Bolshevists.
      (Trudowa Hromada, July 18, 1919.)
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      Symon Petliura Decree of Cabinet 18Aug1919 Enemies organize pogroms
      The Ukrainian and Jewish peoples both of whom work at the
      reconstruction of the Ukrainian Democratic Republic, find themselves in
      the face of the common enemies who are trying to sow discord and
      anarchy in order to destroy the Ukrainian Republic which they hate.
      Decree of the Cabinet Council
      of the
      Ukrainian Democratic Republic.
      August 18, 1919.
      (Record of the Proceedings No. 171)
      The Cabinet Council, after hearing the report of the Minister for Jewish
      Affairs, Mr. P.A. Krasny, on the situation as it appeared in connection
      with the anti-Jewish pogroms in the Ukraine - particularly in Kiev and
      in connection with the reaction of public opinion abroad, resolve as
      follows:
      The Ukrainian and Jewish peoples both of whom work at the reconstruction
      of the Ukrainian Democratic Republic, find themselves in the face of the
      common enemies who are trying to sow discord and anarchy in order to
      destroy the Ukrainian Republic which they hate. For this purpose your
      enemies organize pogroms, spin provocative news about pogroms in the
      Ukraine so as to exploit them for their people - with the help of the
      Polish ruling classes, or of the Denikin reactionaries. In deliberately
      lying and provocative reports they are changing arbitrarily the places of
      the pogroms which are arranged in the Ukraine by the Bolsheviks and by
      the reactionary clique who are in close connection with Denikin's and
      Polish reactionary circles' secret plans. In mendacious publications and
      in public letters addressed to the leading representatives of European
      countries, all these happenings are charged to the account of the
      government of the Ukrainian Democratic Republic, although its aim is to
      suppress vigorously all pogroms.
      In view of the fact that such provocations and aims of the Polish and
      Denikin reactionaries endanger the struggle for freedom of the Ukrainian
      Republic as well as the peaceful coexistence of the peoples of the
      Ukraine, the government of the Ukrainian Democratic Republic have set
      themselves the most urgent task of doing away with all possibility of
      provocations, pogroms or other excesses, and of calling to account all
      persons hostile to the Ukrainian State, who are doing the treacherous
      pogrom work in the Ukraine.
      The Government has decided:
      1. To make at once a proposal to the Commander-in-Chief, Petlura that he
      issue an order by which all commanders of the respective bodies of
      troops, from the lowest to the highest ones, would be called to account
      for negligence and tolerating pogrom excesses, and that they would be
      immediately arrested as traitors and handed over to a special
      court-martial which would impose upon them the severest penalty,
      including the death sentence.
      2. To issue an order in the name of the Government and in the name of the
      Commander-in-Chief to the Ukrainian partisans on the other side of the
      battlefront that they also 1. should take a vigorous action against the
      instigators of pogroms, 2. fight against particular treacherous pogrom
      bands and annihilate them - always remembering that the army of the
      Ukrainian Democratic Republic does not tolerate pogroms on its victorious
      march and inflicts the severe punishment upon all the guilty ones.
      3. To appoint immediately a special government commission with extensive
      powers of investigating pogroms and of combating them; the said
      commission to be composed of one representative from the following
      offices: The Commander-in-Chief, the Inspector General, the Minister of
      Justice, the Minister of Internal Affairs, and the Minister for Jewish
      Affairs. The Commission should proceed at once to the frontline to the
      area of liberated cities and other places of the Ukrainian Democratic
      Republic. The Commander-in-Chief should be advised to order an
      authorization with full powers to the Commission.
      4. Through inspections, the bodies of troops and the commissioners of the
      Ukrainian Democratic Republic should be informed about the foreign
      provocative work of the enemies of the Ukrainian Republic, who exploit
      the pogrom excesses for their own purposes.
      5. By means of a special report from the Prime Minister, to inform the
      Directorate of the Ukrainian Democratic Republic of this Decree, and to
      manifest the Government's firm determination and effort in the direction
      of removing completely any possibility of pogroms in the Ukraine.
      6. To issue an appropriate proclamation of the government to the people.
      7. The Minister for Press and Information should initiate an intensive
      campaign against pogrom arrangers; inform the foreign press and foreign
      public about the actual state of affairs, and protest against the
      outrageous slandering of the government of the Ukrainian Democratic
      Republic.
      8. The Minister of Justice should at once take steps that all those who
      are guilty of pogrom excesses, i.e. those who already have been arrested
      as well as those who may be arrested, should be handed over to a special
      court.
      9. This Decree is to be made public.
      (Ukraina, August 21, 1919.)
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      Symon Petliura Army Order No. 131 26Aug1919 Do not stain those deeds
      It is time for you to understand that the peaceful Jewish population, their
      children and women the same as ourselves have been oppressed and
      deprived of national freedom. They can not be alienated from us, they
      have of old been always with us and they have shared with us their joys
      and sorrows.
      Army Order of the Supreme Command
      of the Ukrainian Democratic Republic,
      August 26, 1919.
      No. 131
      Officers and Soldiers!
      It is time for you to realize that the Jews together with the majority of
      the Ukrainian population have recognized the evil of the
      Bolshevist-Communist invasion, and know already where the truth lies.
      The most important Jewish parties, such as: "Bund", "United Jewish
      Socialists", "Poalej-Zion" and "People's Party", have decidedly placed
      themselves on the side of the Ukrainian independent state and are working
      together hand-in-hand for its good.
      It is time for you to understand that the peaceful Jewish population,
      their children and women the same as ourselves have been oppressed and
      deprived of national freedom. They can not be alienated from us, they
      have of old been always with us and they have shared with us their joys
      and sorrows.
      The gallant army which brings brotherhood, equality, and freedom to all
      peoples of the Ukraine should not be lending an ear to various
      adventurers and provocateurs who long for human blood. Likewise, the
      Army should not be a party to bringing a hard lot on the Jews. Whoever
      is guilty of permitting such a heavy crime is a traitor and enemy of the
      country and must be thrust out of human society.
      Officers and soldiers! The whole world cannot but admire our heroic
      deeds in the struggle for freedom. Do not stain those deeds - not even
      accidentally - by disgraceful actions and do not bring down burning shame
      upon our state in the face of the whole world. Our many enemies,
      external as well as internal, are already profiting by the pogroms; they
      are pointing their fingers at us and inciting against us saying that we
      are not worthy of an independent national existence and that we deserve
      to be again forcefully harnessed to the yoke of slavery.
      I, your Commander-in-Chief, tell you that this very moment the question
      of to be or not to be for our independent existence is being decided
      before the International Tribunal.
      Officers and soldiers! The judgement on this question rests in your
      hands, so decide it by showing an armed fist against our enemies
      remembering always that a clean cause demands clean hands. Be sure that
      a severe and lawful punishment by a people's court will overtake all
      enemies of our country; but remember also that vengeance - often the
      result of want of careful consideration - is not the way of the Ukrainian
      Cossacks. I most positively order that all those who are instigating you
      to pogroms be thrust out of the army, and as traitors to the fatherland
      be handed over to the court. Let the court punish them according to
      their crimes by giving them the severest lawful penalty.
      The Government of the Ukrainian Democratic Republic recognizing the harm
      done to the state by the pogroms has issued an appeal to the whole
      population of the Ukraine to withstand all attempts of the enemies who
      might arouse it to anti-Jewish pogroms.
      I command the whole army to obey this appeal and to provide for its
      widest dissemination among comrades-in-arms and among the population.
      This Army Order is to be read to all division, brigades, regiments,
      garrisons and squadrons of the Dnieper and Dniester armies, as well as
      the partisan detachments.
      The Commander-in-Chief:
      Petliura.
      The Chief of Staff of the Supreme
      Commander:
      Junakiv.
      F. Pigido (ed.), Material Concerning Ukrainian-Jewish Relations during
      the Years of the Revolution (1917-1921): Collection of Documents and
      Testimonies by Prominent Jewish Political Workers, The Ukrainian
      Information Bureau, Munich, 1956.
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      Symon Petliura Appeal to Ukrainian Army 27Aug1919 To sow discord among us
      Let the death sentence overtake the perpetrators of pogroms and
      provocateurs. I demand the strictest discipline from you so that not even
      a hair of an innocent's head be touched.
      Appeal of the Commander-in-Chief,
      Petlura,
      to the Ukrainian Army.
      Soldiers of the Ukrainian Army!
      The Ukrainian Republican People's Army of the Dnieper and Dniester
      territories, now united into one army, is advancing victoriously, is
      crushing the enemy, gaining each day new territories of the Ukraine to
      liberate them from the Bolshevist brigands, bringing with them freedom to
      the Ukrainian people as well as the certainty of happy days of living in
      a peaceful and orderly state.
      The Bolshevist anarchy and maladministration, the horrible Red terror,
      the tyranny of the extraordinary inquiry commission [the Cheka] and of
      other criminals for whom there is nothing sacred in life - have sapped
      our people's strength to the utmost and have flooded our steppes with
      human tears and with streams of blood of the innocent.
      Amidst a peal of church bells, with bread and salt, with flowers and
      tears of joy the weary, oppressed and pillaged Ukrainian people are
      greeting you, their valiant warriors, as liberators from the yoke and
      from Bolshevist atrocities, as flesh of their flesh and blood of their
      blood.
      A might national enthusiasm has seized our people at your entry into
      villages and towns, and everywhere a festive reception is awaiting you
      and all this has been brought about by you, officers and soldiers of the
      Ukrainian army!
      You are living now through glorious and never to be forgotten moments of
      your life, and together with you all peoples inhabiting the Ukrainian
      territory are experiencing the same enthusiasm.
      The holy crusade for the liberation of the oppressed, regardless of their
      nationality, for the rule of law and order under freedom and democracy
      and the independence of our republic - these are the ideals in this
      struggle.
      The union of all democratic forces of all nationalities in the Ukraine,
      standing for the independence of our Republic, and their participation in
      the reconstruction of the state will warrant our victory over our
      enemies, and will guarantee to us an independent life subject to no one.
      Our enemies, however, are not sleeping but only watching our every step
      in order to sow discord among us in one way or another, and thus to
      frustrate the immediate realization of our people's efforts.
      The Bolshevists themselves consider the Ukraine Moscow's inheritance
      with the difference that formerly it was the heritage of black Moscow,
      now of a Red one.
      They see that the end of their rule in the Ukraine is already approaching
      because the Ukrainian people themselves have risen against them: but they
      do not give up yet their hope of subjugating the Ukrainian masses. By
      provocations for which they are spending enormous sums of money they want
      to divide us from within, hiring criminal elements who are inciting our
      soldiers to all sorts of outrages and pogroms against the innocent Jewish
      population; in this way they want to stamp our soldiers as
      pogrom-mongers, although these soldiers are bringing liberty to all
      peoples of the Ukraine.
      Our enemies intend thus to split the Ukrainian and Jewish laboring masses
      whose ways, in fact, have been bound together by three hundred years of
      Russian tsarist yoke.
      Our national army must bring equality, brotherhood and freedom to the
      Ukrainian as well as the Jewish citizens who are also supporting actively
      the government of the Ukrainian Democratic Republic. All their parties,
      i.e.: Bund, Obyednantsi, Poalej-Zion and People's Party are standing on
      the principles of the independence of the Ukraine, and are participating
      in the reconstruction of the republic.
      I know myself how the representatives of the Jewish population have
      helped our army and supported our legal republican government.
      The enemies of our state, the Bolshevists, are shooting down not only the
      Ukrainian but also the Jewish people, depriving the others of the barest
      means of living.
      I have the highest esteem for the sacrifices made during this war upon
      the altar of the fatherland by the Jewish population.
      From the reports by the commanders of our brave divisions and corps as
      well from reports by State Inspectors I have already learned that the
      Jewish population brought help to our wounded and sick soldiers, in the
      hospitals which had been built hastily 3-5 kilometers behind the
      battlefronts.
      I have been touched deeply by tears of thankfulness in the eyes of our
      soldiers for the loving care and human aid given them by Jews, and I have
      noted with satisfaction how the soldiers of our army were standing guard
      at the shops and stores of Jews in order to protect them against
      plunderers.
      The restoration of a bridge at Starokonstantyniv - which had been
      destroyed by the Bolshevists - by the Jewish population in an exceedingly
      short time, as well as their help with foodstuffs and underwear testify
      also to the loyal conduct of Jews in relation to our army.
      I am convinced and I ardently hope that in the future such help on the
      part of Jews will occur ever more frequently and that they will continue
      to further the cause of peace in our country.
      The Minister for Jewish Affairs has by a series of measures already
      exercised some influence upon the Bolshevist circles of Jews so that many
      of them no longer support Bolshevism, since they consider it now to be
      their ruin.
      Together with you I call upon the Jewish citizens to go with us and to
      support wholeheartedly our army and our government; then we shall be able
      to affirm that the government of the Ukrainian Democratic Republic and
      you, its army, will finish that great responsible work which you are now
      doing - destroying the power of the Bolshevists and building up our
      independent republic in which each nationality enjoys full rights and a
      peaceful life.
      Officers and soldiers of the Ukrainian Army! The Ukrainian-Jewish
      laboring masses see in you their liberation, and future generations will
      not forget your services rendered to them; history will with pride record
      on its pages your achievements in this struggle. Beware of provocations,
      and have no mercy on provocateurs or on those who execute pogroms, or
      incite the weakest among you to this action.
      Let the death sentence overtake the perpetrators of pogroms and
      provocateurs. I demand the strictest discipline from you so that not
      even a hair of an innocent's head be touched.
      Bear in mind that you are the elite sons of your great nation which wants
      to live its independent life and to be subjugated by no one, and
      therefore keep an unflinching watch on its interests as well as on the
      interests of all those who help you and are well-disposed to you and to
      the liberation of your people.
      Those who are guilty before the Ukrainian people and before the republic,
      no matter what their nationality, shall suffer the severest punishment
      according to law prevailing in the territory of the Ukrainian republic;
      to the innocent, however, you must bring liberation from the hated
      Bolshevist yoke.
      The Republic's and my own cordial thanks to and high esteem for your
      martial bravery, devotion, and self-sacrifice which your offer upon the
      altar of the fatherland, while liberating our Ukraine and the
      nationalities living there - including the Jews - from the Bolshevists.
      May God help us in the great and sacred cause of liberating the nations
      from the heavy yoke of the Bolshevists!
      August 27, 1919
      Commander-in-Chief: Petlura.
      (Ukraina, September 2, 1919.)
      F. Pigido (ed.), Material Concerning Ukrainian-Jewish Relations during
      the Years of the Revolution (1917-1921): Collection of Documents and
      Testimonies by Prominent Jewish Political Workers, The Ukrainian
      Information Bureau, Munich, 1956, pp. 70-72.
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      Arnold Margolin The Ukraine and the Policy of Entente 1921 Russian and Ukrainian pogroms compared
      If the beginning of the demoralization of the Ukrainian army was at its tail,
      by Denikin's army the poison of demoralization came from the head.
      EXTRACTS
      from the book by Arnold Margolin
      "The Ukraine and the policy of the Entente"
      (Memorandum by a Jew and a citizen).
      Publisher C. Efron. Berlin, 1921. Chapter XXIV. Pages 310-315.
      Pogroms of the period of the Directorate, and of Denikin's Army. Parallels.
      - Nations and Governments.
      I have before me the report on pogroms, prepared by the Relief Committee
      for the Victims of Pogroms, at the Russian Red Cross in Kiev. It is
      stated in the report that there were no pogroms during the rule of the
      Central Council, or of Skoropadsky, or during the first two months of the
      Directorate's rule. Pogroms began after defeats that had been inflicted
      upon the troops of the Directorate by the Bolsheviks. The heavier the
      defeats and the farther Petlura's army was compelled to retreat, the more
      cruel was their vengeance upon the innocent Jewish population whom they
      identified with Communists. The slogan: "down with Jews and Communists,"
      or "all Jews are Communists" were raised throughout the Ukraine and
      provoked pogroms everywhere.
      This explanation of the origin of pogroms is quite identical with the
      statement made in Temnytsky's and Vasylko's telegram of August 1, 1919.
      In the course of centuries the entire population of Russia had been
      listening to accusations by the government of Jews being responsible for
      all the evils in the world. The ignorant masses believed even the
      legends about the ritual murder of Christian children by Jews, while even
      the "specialists" in this subject were declaring that Jews kill only
      boys. Karab-Tchevsky tells us in the first part of his memoirs ("What My
      Eyes Saw") that his mother had already in his childhood read to him the