Austria-Hungary Ukrainian in the Austrian Army?

[Tom Y]

A friend asked me to make a copy of this photo for him. It's his wife's grandfather, a Ukranian national. What's a Ukranian doing in the Austrian Army in Italy?

[Guest Rick Research]

Mittel-Europa's shifting borders. "Western Ukraine" of Soviet days was... "Eastern Poland" to the Poles.

[Tom Y]

So now we have Pole in the Austrian Army in Italy. I thought Poland was Germany and Russia's pingpong ball.

Edited September 10, 2008 by Tom Y

[Alex K]

So now we have Pole in the Austrian Army in Italy. I thought Poland was Germany and Russia's pingpong ball.

My Grandfather was a "Ukrainian" (West Ukraine) and served at the time in the Austro-Hungarian army, As Rick states, that part of the world at the time was Poland to the Poles, but Ukrainian to the Ukrainians, although not a "Country" as such.

If memory serves me right Galicia in Western Ukraine (East Poland) was part of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

regards

Alex K

[Tom Y]

Galicia. Now I understand. Damn shifting borders. Who needs 'em?

[Alex K]

Galicia. Now I understand. Damn shifting borders. Who needs 'em?

Yup, that part of the world has had some serious border changes and "Overlords" over numerous centuries. A political and ethnic mish-mash with each side claiming ownership. Without getting "Political" about it, Ethnic Ukrainians in the region always felt that they belonged neither to the Polish group or for that matter the later soviet group, but that's another story.

At the time the photo you posted was taken, ?I suspect that it was Austro-Hungarian so would fit in with the general time-frame. and would therefore explain why he served in Italy, since Austria-Hungary participated in the 1914-18 War. (There because I was told to be there)

regards

regards

Alex

[Gordon Craig]

Tom Y,

Here is a link to a map of Austria-hungary in 1914. A good part of what is now the Ukraine was part of Hungary in the dual monarchy. Sorry that the map is in Hungarian but that is my home right now.

Cheers,

Gordon

http://www.mek.iif.hu/porta/szint/egyeb/te...19/aushun19.gif