International connections of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (1920s)

Abstract

The article explores the international relations of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) in the 1920s. It shows that after the establishment of the URCS on April 18, 1918, its primary tasks included assisting prisoners of war, caring for the disabled and orphans, combating famine and epidemics, organizing hospitals and shelters, managing food stations.

The aim of the study is to reconstruct the international cooperation of the URCS. The methods used – comparative and historical, chronological, synchronous, structural, and systemic – allow us to highlight the URCS’s activities, its cooperation with other organizations and societies, interactions with government agencies, and the effectiveness of its work during the period.

The study results show that the URCS’s charitable work was important and productive in the 1920s. International organizations, such as the American Relief Administration (ARA), «Joint», International Workers' Aid, American Mennonite Aid, the Fridtjof Nansen Mission, International Save the Children, and others, maintained direct communication with the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and worked through its structures or with its assistance. It is noted that in European countries, as well as in Canada and the U.S., there were official representatives of the URCS.

The authors emphasize that the contacts between the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and international organizations during the war and famine were constructive and efficient, as the Ukrainian society had relative independence. It is also pointed out that the URCS published the «Bulletin», which contained reviews of the Red Cross movement abroad, chronicles of the activities of the ICRC, the Commissioner of the Soviet Red Cross Society abroad, and other relevant information. The authors emphasize that the second half of the 1920s shows less international activity by the URCS compared to the previous years, which was a common trend among international organizations at the time.