Organization for the Defense of Lemkivshchyna

The Organization for the Defense of Lemkivshchyna (OOL; Ukrainian: Організація Оборони Лемківщини) is a diaspora membership and cultural organization founded in 1936 in Philadelphia at a congress of representatives of the Committees for Aid to Lemkivshchyna, which had been active in the United States since 1933. Its stated purpose was to organize Lemkos in the United States and Canada, carry out cultural and educational work, and provide assistance to Lemkos in their native lands. The founders were M. Dudra and V. Karbovnyk, and the first chairman was V. Levchyk. Its official organ was the monthly Lemkivskyi Dzvin, published in New York. By 1937–1939 the OOL counted 53 branches. With the onset of the Second World War the organization declined and revived its active work in 1958 in Yonkers, New Jersey, with the arrival of a new emigration wave, when Dr. Yuliian Nalysnyk became its driving spirit. Its main task was aid to Lemkos and all Ukrainians in Poland who had been displaced from their native lands. At that time it had 24 branches and about 1,500 members in the United States and Canada. From 1958 the OOL published the monthly Lemkivski Visti (until 1963 in New York, and from 1964 in Toronto), which in 1979 was transformed into the quarterly journal Lemkivshchyna, along with Lemko Calendars edited by Yuliian Tarnovych-Beskyd. A second period of revival came in the 1970s–1980s, when the newer so-called third immigration arrived in America. Many branches were reactivated and new branches were created (Chicago, Jersey City). On 7 November 1981 the Ukrainian Lemko Museum was opened under the OOL, housed in the bishop's residence in Stamford, Connecticut. It displays examples of Lemko folk dress, Lemko pysanky, reproductions of drawings by Nykyfor, and originals by other Lemko artists, as well as material culture of Lemkivshchyna (including authentic millstones), portraits from the life and work of the OOL, and the OOL archive and library of Lemko studies and the UPA. The first museum-archive referent of the OOL Main Board was Ivan Skvirtnianskyi; from 1970 to 1992 Mykola Dupliak was curator of the museum, and from 1992 to 2013 Stefan Hovanskyi. Today the OOL operates through branches, publishes the quarterly Lemkivshchyna magazine (with electronic issues), offers scholarship awards, organizes events such as a Lemko Pysanka class in Yonkers, and runs fundraising causes including aid to refugees in Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Serbia, the Embroidered Icons Museum of Rev. Dr. Blazejowskyj, the "Book of the Deported" by Eugene Misilo, cross renovation in Swiatkowa Mala and Welka, and a new Lemko Museum. It also maintains an online shop selling books such as 1947, Akcja Wisla: Dokumenty, Annals of Lemkivshchyna volumes, and the Book of Memory of Lemkivshchyna volumes. Its website is lemko-ool.org (and lemko-ool.com), and it continues to be led by Marko Hovanskyi as chairman.

The Organization for the Defense of Lemkivshchyna (OOL) was founded in 1936 in Philadelphia at a congress of representatives of the Committees for Aid to Lemkivshchyna, which had been active in the United States since 1933. Its purpose was to organize Lemkos in the United States and Canada, conduct cultural and educational activities, and provide assistance to Lemkos in their native lands. The founders were M. Dudra and V. Karbovnyk, and the first chairman was V. Levchyk. The official organ was the monthly Lemkivskyi Dzvin, published in New York. In 1937–1939 the OOL had 53 branches. With the beginning of the Second World War the organization declined and revived its active work in 1958 in Yonkers, New Jersey, with the influx of a new emigration, when Dr. Yuliian Nalysnyk became the soul of the organization. Its main task was to aid Lemkos and all Ukrainians in Poland who had been displaced from their native lands. At that time it had 24 branches and about 1,500 members in the United States and Canada. From 1958 the OOL published the monthly newspaper Lemkivski Visti (until 1963 in New York, and from 1964 in Toronto), which in 1979 was transformed into the quarterly journal Lemkivshchyna and Lemko Calendars (editor Yuliian Tarnovych-Beskyd). The second stage of revival of OOL activity was the 1970s–1980s, when the newer, so-called third immigration arrived in America. At that time a significant number of branches revived their activity, and new branches were created (Chicago, Jersey City). On 7 November 1981 the Ukrainian Lemko Museum was opened under the OOL, housed in the bishop's residence in Stamford, Connecticut. There one can view examples of Lemko folk dress, Lemko pysanky, reproductions of drawings by Nykyfor, and originals by other Lemko artists. The material culture of Lemkivshchyna is also well represented (headed by authentic millstones), and various portraits from the life and work of the OOL are exhibited. The OOL archive and the library of Lemko studies and the UPA also found their place there. The first museum-archive referent of the OOL Main Board was Ivan Skvirtnianskyi; from 1970 to 1992 Mykola Dupliak was curator of the museum, and from 1992 to 2013 Stefan Hovanskyi. Throughout its existence, the chairmen of the OOL have been: Oleksa Roman (1933–1936), Dmytro Fenkanyn (1936–1950), Yuliian Nalysnyk (1950–1959), Ivan Skvirtnianskyi (1959–1964), Yuliian Kotliar (1964–1969), Ivan Hvozda (1969–1973), Mykola Hlytskovian (1977–1981), Myron Mitsio (1981–1983), Maria Dupliak (1983–1999), Zeno Hal'kovych (1999–2013), and Marko Hovanskyi (2013–present). In the 21st century the OOL continues its cultural, educational, and charitable activities. It publishes the quarterly magazine Lemkivshchyna (with electronic issues), offers scholarship awards, organizes events such as a Lemko Pysanka class in Yonkers, and runs fundraising causes including aid to refugees in Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Serbia, the Embroidered Icons Museum of Rev. Dr. Blazejowskyj, the "Book of the Deported" by Eugene Misilo, cross renovation in Swiatkowa Mala and Welka, and a new Lemko Museum. It also maintains an online shop selling books such as 1947, Akcja Wisla: Dokumenty, Annals of Lemkivshchyna volumes, and the Book of Memory of Lemkivshchyna volumes. Its website is lemko-ool.org (and lemko-ool.com).

• 2013

  Marko Hovanskyi becomes chairman.

• 1981

  Ukrainian Lemko Museum opened under the OOL in Stamford, Connecticut.

• 1979

  Lemkivski Visti transformed into the quarterly journal Lemkivshchyna.

• 1958

  Organization revives in Yonkers, New Jersey, under Dr. Yuliian Nalysnyk; begins publishing Lemkivski Visti.

• 1937

  OOL has 53 branches (through 1939).

• 1936

  Organization for the Defense of Lemkivshchyna founded in Philadelphia.

• 1933

  Committees for Aid to Lemkivshchyna begin operating in the United States.

A diaspora cultural and aid organization dedicated to preserving Lemko heritage and supporting Lemkos in the homeland and abroad.

• Lemkivshchyna magazine

  Quarterly magazine published by the OOL, with electronic issues.

• Lemkivski Visti

  Monthly newspaper published from 1958, later transformed into Lemkivshchyna.

• Lemkivskyi Dzvin

  Official monthly organ published in New York.

• Annals of Lemkivshchyna

  Book series sold through the OOL shop.

• Book of Memory of Lemkivshchyna

  Multi-volume book set sold through the OOL shop.

1. 1Lemko-OOL | Organization for the Defense of Lemkivshchynalemko-ool.org
2. 2American-Lemko History | Lemko-OOLlemko-ool.org
3. 3History of Lemkivshchyna | Lemko-OOLlemko-ool.org
4. 4Shop | Lemko-OOLlemko-ool.org
5. 5Organization for the Defense of Lemkivshchyna - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Організація Оборони Лемківщини в США - Wikipediauk.wikipedia.org