Reparations and Truth: Why Ukraine Has the Right to Address Poland

If this principle is to be taken seriously, it must apply universally. Colonial domination, denial of self-determination, and the suppression of nations cannot be addressed selectively. In this sense, the history of Eastern Galicia in the first half of the twentieth century remains an unresolved case — one that directly involves Poland and Ukraine.

Historical Background

• November 1918. In Lviv, the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic (WUPR) was proclaimed as an independent Ukrainian state. It possessed a government, an army, its own legislation, and diplomatic missions.
• 1918–1919. Poland, with military support from the Entente and General Haller’s army, launched a war against the WUPR.
• May 1919. Polish forces occupied Galicia; the WUPR army retreated beyond the Zbruch and merged with the Ukrainian People’s Republic.
• 1923. The League of Nations, under pressure from France and Britain, confirmed Galicia as part of Poland. The condition of Ukrainian autonomy was never implemented.

This episode was not a marginal conflict but a violation of the principle of self-determination — a people with state institutions and armed forces was deprived of independence through geopolitical bargaining.

Colonial Rule in Practice

During the twenty years of Polish administration in Eastern Galicia (1919–1939), policies bore all the hallmarks of colonial governance:

• Polonization of education and administration. Ukrainian-language schools were closed or converted.
• Suppression of political rights. Promises of autonomy were ignored.
• Repression of national movements. The “pacification” campaign of 1930 saw punitive operations against Ukrainian villages.

For an entire generation, Ukrainians in Galicia lived under a system designed not for integration but for the erosion of their national identity.

Wider Consequences

Poland’s policy toward Ukrainians did not only damage Ukrainian aspirations. It also weakened the region’s ability to resist Moscow. By crushing Ukrainian independence movements, Warsaw inadvertently strengthened the very power that, in 1939, destroyed Poland’s own sovereignty.

Colonial logic — short-term domination at the expense of long-term stability — proved disastrous for both sides.

Toward a Universal Principle of Justice

If Europe is to take the idea of reparations and historical accountability seriously, then the case of Eastern Galicia must also be acknowledged. For Ukraine, this means:

• recognition of the fact of occupation,
• acknowledgment of the consequences of colonial rule,
• commitment to restoring historical truth and cultural dignity.

This is not about financial claims or political score-settling. It is about consistency. If colonialism is condemned in one case, it must be condemned in all.

Conclusion

Reparations, truth, and memory are not instruments of convenience. They are principles that either apply universally or lose their meaning.

For Ukraine and Poland, a genuine partnership requires recognition of the past in all its dimensions — including the two decades of Polish colonial administration in Eastern Galicia. Only by confronting this history openly can our nations build a future based not on silence, but on truth.