On 20 May, at the War Museum, in the space of the exhibition «Mark on the Shield», a lecture-discussion titled «Murder on Racine Street: On the 100th Anniversary of the Death of Symon Petliura» took place. The event was dedicated to the anniversary of the tragic incident that occurred on 25 May 1926 in Paris.
The speaker at the event was PhD in History and Head of the Sector of the National Historical Museum of Ukraine «Museum of the Ukrainian Revolution of 1917–1921», Oleksandr Kucheruk. The event was moderated by Senior Research Fellow of the War Museum Taras Serhiichuk.
During the lecture, Oleksandr spoke about the political preconditions of the assassination attempt on the Head of the Directory and Supreme Otaman of the Ukrainian National Republic troops Symon Petliura, the activities of the Ukrainian political emigration in interwar Europe, and the international resonance of the murder.
He paid special attention to the last days of Symon Petliura’s life, the details and circumstances of the murder on Racine Street in Paris, the figure of Samuel Schwartzbard, and the course of the trial against the assassin. The topic of the role of Soviet special services in using this tragedy in the information and political struggle against the Ukrainian liberation movement was also raised.
During the discussion part, attendees had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the figure of Symon Petliura and his role in modern Ukrainian historical memory. Separate attention was given to the perception of Petliura in contemporary independent Ukraine, particularly in the context of forming the Ukrainian national pantheon.
One hundred years later, this story sounds not like a distant episode of the past, but as a living wound and a reminder of the price of the struggle for statehood. The figure of Symon Petliura is not only about the complex pages of history, but also about choice, responsibility, and faith in Ukraine – values that remain relevant today.
