On 25 May 1926, shots rang out on Racine Street in Paris, cutting short the life of Symon Petliura – Head of the Directorate and Chief Otaman of the armies of the Ukrainian People’s Republic. This assassination had consequences far beyond France and influenced the Ukrainian liberation movement, the international perception of the Ukrainian cause, and the struggle for historical memory.
On the centenary of Symon Petliura’s death, on 20 May at 13:00, the War Museum will host the lecture-discussion “The Murder on Racine Street: On the 100th Anniversary of the Death of Symon Petliura.”
Historian Oleksandr Kucheruk, a researcher of the history of the liberation struggles, will speak about the causes, preconditions, and circumstances of the assassination attempt, as well as the role of the Soviet Union in these events. Special attention will be devoted to the figure of Sholom Schwartzbard, the assassin; the high-profile trial against him; the reaction of the Ukrainian émigré community; and the consequences of the murder for the Ukrainian liberation movement.
One hundred years after the death of Symon Petliura, his figure continues to remain one of the key subjects in discussions about Ukrainian statehood, political leadership, and historical memory.
We invite historians, students, museum professionals, and everyone interested in the history of 20th-century Ukraine to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of central Paris.
