Political life Pavlo Skoropadskyi

cathedral of holy wisdom, kiev.

on 29 april 1918, coup d etat toppled ukrainian people s republic , skoropadsky became hetman of ukraine. same day chrismated bishop nykodym in saint sophia cathedral hetman of ukraine.

the coup d état had been sanctioned imperial german army, in spring of 1918 had occupied kiev , other parts of ukraine. ukrainian republic intent upon repelling invasion bolshevik red army. in return, republican government pledged food stocks, expropriated peasants. german general staff dissatisfied inefficiency , incompetence of republican government, repeatedly failed deliver supplies on time.

skoropadsky accused other ukrainian nationalists of being german collaborator supported wealthy landowners. considered pro-russian , dictatorial. among other things, skoropadsky formed cabinet of russian speakers, tsarists, , slavophiles. simultaneously, committed ukraine federation restored russian empire.

despite these criticisms, contrast earlier socialist rada, government given credit having created effective administrative organization, established diplomatic ties many countries, concluded peace treaty soviet russia, , built many schools , universities, including national academy of sciences of ukraine.

in november 1918 skoropadsky removed power in uprising led social democrat symon petliura , withdrawal of german forces kiev. uprising nominally restored ukrainian people s republic, power vested in directoria, provisional government of 5 directors chaired volodymyr vynnychenko. skoropadsky abdicated on december 14, 1918 , fled berlin.

pavlo skoropadsky (right center)

while living in weimar germany, skoropadsky maintained close personal friendships senior government , army officials originating far military-college days. in later years, however, consistently refused offers collaborate nazis. during world war ii, skoropadsky fled advancing soviet forces , retreating german army. died @ metten abbey in germany after being wounded allied bombing near regensburg, , buried in oberstdorf.

his movement continued 1980s, influencing ukrainian monarchist program based on cossack state model. ended gradually aging of eastern-ukrainian émigré communities. skoropadsky s daughter, olena skoropadska-ott (died 2014), resided in switzerland, visited ukraine several times, , had been honored historical writings.