Semen Yakerson – the Captain of the Army of the Ukrainian People’s Republic

Abstract

The purpose of research is to analyze a life path of the Jew Semen Samuilovych Yakerson and motives for his participation in the Ukrainian national democratic revolution of 1917–1921. Methodological basis of the study is represented by principles of: historical authenticity, objectivity, systematicity, scientificity, comprehensiveness and such special methods as general scientific: analytical, logical, classification; historical: historical and genetic, retrospective, comparative and historical; interdisciplinary: source and archival studies, terminological, structural and systematic analysis. Scientific novelty consists in the complex research of the biography of Semen Yakerson as the choice of service to the Ukrainian state-building process. Conclusions. The study of a life path of the Jewish officer of the Ukrainian army Semen Samuilovych Yakerson (November 30, 1897 – March 27, 1951) gave grounds to emphasize that his way is characteristic of many young representatives of Jewry who joined the struggle for the development of a sovereign Ukrainian statehood. Having left his environment he entered the military educational institution and, according to our assumption, dreaming of his own state, he deliberately joined the Ukrainian army of the time of the Central Rada. Holding different positions, he showed initiative and his knowledge, skillfully performed military tasks together with the units entrusted to him. The defeat of the national liberation struggle did not distract him from Ukrainian affairs. While doing a degree in hydraulic engineering he graduated from the Ukrainian Academy of Economics (in Podebrady), founded by the Ukrainian emigration. After graduation, he started building bridges and roads on the lands of Transcarpathia. He witnessed the Second World War events in Prague. Owing to his wife, he was saved from the destruction ghetto. After the war, he continued his work as a builder until leaving the world.