ON THE HISTORY OF THE “FOURTH TECHNICAL GREY ZHUPANS’ SQUAD” SEAL OF THE ACTING ARMY OF UPR, LATE 1918–1919 (FROM THE NMUH FUNDS)

Abstract

The article gives the description of the “4th Technical Grey Zhupans’ Squad” seal. Based on the analysis of the documentary sources, the role of this squad (“kurin”) in the system of the Acting Army of the Ukrainian People’s Republic (UPR) is elucidated. The article spans the period from 14th November 1918 to 6th December 1919, during which Ukrainian State changed into Directoria of the UPR. The UPR’s Army had to resort to guerilla methods that started with 1st Winter Campaign. Technical squads, the 4th Technical Grey Zhupans’ Squad in particular, are only mentioned by chance in the researches on the Ukrainian Armed Forces and their branches that fought for the revived UPR. But the 4th Technical Squad’s formation and military experience have not been subject of a separate investigation yet. The history of the Grey Zhupans or ‘the Greys’ is connected with the military events of the First World War and the Ukrainian Revolution of 1917-1921. The Armed Forces of the UPR were built in the battles against the Bolshevik, White, and Polish armies. Technical squads in the infantry of the Acting Army of the UPR were not numerous. Engineering troops – several engineering and telegraph “sotnias” (“hundreds”) began to appear in January 1919. In the context of 1919 battles the Technical Grey Zhupans’ Squad acted under hard war conditions and as a part of different divisions.

Key words: the UPR, Acting army of the UPR, sigillography, seal “4th Technical Grey Zhupans’ Squad”, the National Museum of Ukrainian History