Volodymyr Sichynskyi
Encyclopedia
Volodymyr Sichynskyi was a Ukrainian
émigré
architect
, graphic artist, and art historian.
Volodymyr Sichynskyi was born to the family of Ievtym Sitsinskyi in Kamianets-Podilskyi
, Podolia
guberniya
,
Russia, which is in present-day Ukraine
.
He graduated from the Kamianets Technical School in 1912, and then continued his studies at the St. Petersburg Institute of Civil Engineers (1912-1917) and at Charles University in Prague
(1924-1927). During the interim between St. Petersburg and Prague
, he taught at the Kamianets Gymnasium (1918-1919), helped organize the Architectural Institute in Kiev
(1918-1919) and served as director of the construction department of the Podolia Governorate.
After fleeing from Soviet rule to Lviv
, he taught at the Academic Gymnasium there (1921-1923) and then moved to Prague. In Prague, he worked on his doctoral degree, taught at the art-school "Studio" (1923-1945), and served as a lecturer of the history of art at the Ukrainian Higher Pedagogical Institute (1923-1933). He received his Ph.D. and was promoted to the rank of professor on October 5, 1927.
He also chaired the Library and Bibliographic Commission of the Ukrainian Society of Bibliophiles in Prague from 1927 and served as the society's president (1934-1943). In 1930 he co-founded the Association of Independent Ukrainian Artists in Lviv. From 1930 he was also a full member of the Shevchenko Scientific Society
in Lviv. Sichynskyi was appointed an assistant professor of art history on January 25, 1940 at the Ukrainian Free University
, and then was promoted to associate professor on March 22, 1942.
From 1943-1945, he was imprisoned and tortured by the Gestapo
in Prague
and in Berlin
. A postwar refugee in Germany, in 1949 he emigrated to the United States where he continued to teach at the Ukrainian Technical Institute in New York City
. He died on June 25, 1962 in Paterson, New Jersey
, aged 68.
In addition to teaching, Sichynskyi worked as an architect designing churches, schools, and many private and public buildings in Ukraine
, Slovakia
, Brazil
, Canada
, and the United States
. He designed the Redemptorist Church of the Holy Spirit in Michalovce
(1933-1934) and the Boiko-style wooden Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Nizny Komarnik, just south of the Dukla mountain pass
(1937), both in Slovakia
; the Ukrainian churches in Whippany, New Jersey
(1949), and Pôrto Uniao, Brazil
(1951); and the Orthodox
cathedral in Montreal
(1957).
Sichynskyi published over 500 articles, books, and reviews. He is the author of works on Ukrainian art, culture, architecture, engraving and printing, industry, and foreign sources on the history of Ukraine. Two bio-bibliographies of Sichynskyi have been published:
In addition, proceedings of a conference devoted to Sichynskyi have been published under the editorship of Viacheslav Kolomiiets in Kiev in 1996.
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
émigré
Émigré
Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has "migrated out", but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile....
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, graphic artist, and art historian.
Volodymyr Sichynskyi was born to the family of Ievtym Sitsinskyi in Kamianets-Podilskyi
Kamianets-Podilskyi
Kamyanets-Podilsky or Kamienets-Podolsky is a city located on the Smotrych River in western Ukraine, to the north-east of Chernivtsi...
, Podolia
Podolia
The region of Podolia is an historical region in the west-central and south-west portions of present-day Ukraine, corresponding to Khmelnytskyi Oblast and Vinnytsia Oblast. Northern Transnistria, in Moldova, is also a part of Podolia...
guberniya
Guberniya
A guberniya was a major administrative subdivision of the Russian Empire usually translated as government, governorate, or province. Such administrative division was preserved for sometime upon the collapse of the empire in 1917. A guberniya was ruled by a governor , a word borrowed from Latin ,...
,
Russia, which is in present-day Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
.
He graduated from the Kamianets Technical School in 1912, and then continued his studies at the St. Petersburg Institute of Civil Engineers (1912-1917) and at Charles University in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
(1924-1927). During the interim between St. Petersburg and Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, he taught at the Kamianets Gymnasium (1918-1919), helped organize the Architectural Institute in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
(1918-1919) and served as director of the construction department of the Podolia Governorate.
After fleeing from Soviet rule to Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, he taught at the Academic Gymnasium there (1921-1923) and then moved to Prague. In Prague, he worked on his doctoral degree, taught at the art-school "Studio" (1923-1945), and served as a lecturer of the history of art at the Ukrainian Higher Pedagogical Institute (1923-1933). He received his Ph.D. and was promoted to the rank of professor on October 5, 1927.
He also chaired the Library and Bibliographic Commission of the Ukrainian Society of Bibliophiles in Prague from 1927 and served as the society's president (1934-1943). In 1930 he co-founded the Association of Independent Ukrainian Artists in Lviv. From 1930 he was also a full member of the Shevchenko Scientific Society
Shevchenko Scientific Society
The Shevchenko Scientific Society is a Ukrainian scientific society devoted to the promotion of scholarly research and publication. Unlike the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine the society is a public organization that was reestablished in Ukraine in 1989 after almost 50 years of exile...
in Lviv. Sichynskyi was appointed an assistant professor of art history on January 25, 1940 at the Ukrainian Free University
Ukrainian Free University
The Ukrainian Free University is a private graduate university located in Munich, Germany.-History:The Ukrainian Free University was established in Vienna, January 17, 1921. The idea to organize a Ukrainian university-in-exile came from Ukrainian academics, some of whom had held chairs at...
, and then was promoted to associate professor on March 22, 1942.
From 1943-1945, he was imprisoned and tortured by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
and in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. A postwar refugee in Germany, in 1949 he emigrated to the United States where he continued to teach at the Ukrainian Technical Institute in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He died on June 25, 1962 in Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
, aged 68.
In addition to teaching, Sichynskyi worked as an architect designing churches, schools, and many private and public buildings in Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He designed the Redemptorist Church of the Holy Spirit in Michalovce
Michalovce
Michalovce is a town on the Laborec river in eastern Slovakia, with a population around 40,000. It is the biggest town of the Michalovce District in the Košice Region.-Geography:...
(1933-1934) and the Boiko-style wooden Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in Nizny Komarnik, just south of the Dukla mountain pass
Dukla Pass
The Dukla Pass is a strategically significant mountain pass in the Laborec Highlands of the Outer Eastern Carpathians, on the border between Poland and Slovakia, and close to the western border of Ukraine....
(1937), both in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
; the Ukrainian churches in Whippany, New Jersey
Whippany, New Jersey
Whippany is an unincorporated area located within Hanover Township in Morris County, New Jersey. Whippany's name is derived from the Whippanong Native Americans, a tribe that once inhabited the area...
(1949), and Pôrto Uniao, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(1951); and the Orthodox
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
cathedral in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
(1957).
Sichynskyi published over 500 articles, books, and reviews. He is the author of works on Ukrainian art, culture, architecture, engraving and printing, industry, and foreign sources on the history of Ukraine. Two bio-bibliographies of Sichynskyi have been published:
- Volodymyr Sichyns'kyi: arkhitekt, mystets'hrafik, mystetstvoznavets, doslidnyk - by Ivan Keivan (Toronto, 1957)
- Volodymyr Sichyns'kyi: biobibliohrafichnyi pokazhchyk - (Lviv, 1996).
In addition, proceedings of a conference devoted to Sichynskyi have been published under the editorship of Viacheslav Kolomiiets in Kiev in 1996.