A role of Vasyl Galasa in Polish-Ukraine cooperation on Zakerzonnya of 1945–1947

Vasyl Galasa – «Nazar», «Zenon», «Orlan», «Dniprovsky», «Zenon Savchenko», «O. Nazarevich» – the well-known former leader of various levels of underworld OUN in Ternopil (1941-43), Zakerzonnia (1943-47 years), North-Western Ukrainian Lands (1948-1953 years) In Zakerzonnia V.Galasa served as political-propagandistic assistant (from 1943) and deputy regional leader Y. Starukh (from 1945). In study of problems of the Ukrainian-Polish interaction in Zakerzonnia in 1945-47 years, the important thing is to highlight the role of individual personalities of OUN and UPA in this process. After the year 1944 the Ukrainian ethnic lands behind the Cerzon were under jurisdiction of the Polish state. In spring of the year 1945 Vasyl Galasa with new boundary guide Jaroslav Starukh – «Stjag» defined establishing relations of Krayova Army(AK) with the Polish underworls as a strategic goal and the local Polish population and the administration through coverage of information on national liberation struggle, its purpose, its political platform, campaigning for joint anti-Bolshevik front. To achieve this goal, there were conducted for numerous meetings and negotiations with Poland. He was the author of ideological works. In 1945 he published a pamphlet, «Ukrainian-Polish relations», written under the pseudonym «Zenon Savchenko». It argued the Poles that UPA was not a band that wanted to destroy them, but it was a Union against the Communists who threaten the Poles and the Ukrainians. On the Polish territory there were accounted for the largest number of propagandistic raids in order to increase the anti-Bolshevik front of struggle for liberation of all nations. In May 1945, the UPA Command issued an order on such raids among the Polish population. V. Galasa was just engaged in detailed briefing related to their conduct. Personal contribution of Vasil Galasa in establishing relationships of the Ukrainians and the Poles in Zakerzonnia was argued by positive attitude of OUN towards the Poles and commitment to dialogue and cooperation.