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Olena Zalizniak SOPHIA RUSSOVA (1856—1940) Sophia Russova, one of the cele brated Ukrainian patriots, was a hard worker all her mature life. She devoted her life and efforts to the cause of Ukrainian people and Ukraine. In her youth she was en gaged as an educator on which subject s'he wrote several books. As a champion of liberty and jus tice she was inclined to view the Czarist despotism with reproof and criticism. This caused her many persecutions, -even impris onments. She greeted ardently the revo lution in Russia in March, 1917» and with great enthusiasm the National Revolution in Ukraine as well as the declaration of her in dependence on January 22, 1918. In the newly formed government of Ukraine she was a member of the Ukrainian Central Rada (par liament), she also held the post o-f an inspector of schools and served as professor of pedagogy at the University of Kamenets Podol sky. At that time she ihad organized, together with other prominent Ukrainian women, the National Council of Women of Ukraine, of which S'he was elected the first president. This work had been possible only as long as Ukraine remained a free country, but all these acti vities ceased after the long and bloody defensive war when Uk raine fell under tihe yoke of Rus sian communists. The bolshevik invaders brought with them ter ror, persecutions, and enslave ment of the people. Under sudh conditions, even worse than under Czarist regime, it was absolutely impossible for freedom-loving men and women to continue their work for the people» notably in the field of education. Having lost all freedom of action, Sophia Rus sova decided to escape from the communist rule to freedom. In 1922 s'he had -crossed the border in the dark of the night and soon ar rived in Prague, capital* of Czechoslovakia, wih-еге she started anew her educational and organi zational, activities among thou sands of Ukrainian refugees. She then was of an opinion that the •communist occupation of Ukraine would be only of short duration, and thus she must prepare the Ukrainian youth in exile for ser vice in free Ukraine, as well as use all facilities available to in form the free world of the plight of Ukraine under Red occupa tion. S'he became a professor of pedagogy at the Pedagogic Insti tute in Prague, and there publish ed her books on education. Professionally a teacher of ex ceptional talent, Sophia Russova was also an acclaimed leader in the actions of Ukrainian women’s organizations.. As .president of the National Council of Women of Ukraine (in exile), she kept clos'e relations with tlhe International Council of Women in Zurich, Switzerland, and through her efforts the or ganization headed by her became a member of the International Council of Women. She likewise maintained intimate intercommu nications with the International Union for Political Rights of Wo men and the Women’s Interna tional League for Peace and Free dom. For ten years (from 1923) Russova was representing the Ukrainian women's organizations at conventions in The Hague, Co- i^enhasren, Rome, Prague and Greno'ble. Her courageous speech es Cm French') on insufferable conditions in Ukraine, her infor mations on brutal Polish perse cutions of Ukrainians in West Uk raine evoked sympathy of the delegates from both hemispheres. Thev marveled at the enthusiasm p.nri coi.u'age of this
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