![Oleksander Hrekov NKVD](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Oleksander_Hrekov_NKVD.jpg)
Oleksander Petrovych Hrekov ( uk, Олександр Петрович Греков) (4 December 1875 – 2 December 1958) was a general of the
Imperial Russian Army,
Ukrainian People's Army
The Ukrainian People's Army ( uk, Армія Української Народної Республіки), also known as the Ukrainian National Army (UNA) or as a derogatory term of Russian and Soviet historiography Petliurovtsy ( uk, Пет ...
, military professor and one of the most prominent personalities in the
History of Ukraine
Prehistoric Ukraine, as a part of the Pontic steppe in Eastern Europe, played an important role in Eurasian cultural contacts, including the spread of the Chalcolithic, the Bronze Age, Indo-European migrations and the domestication of the hor ...
. He was better known as the commander-in-chief of the army of the
West Ukrainian National Republic
The West Ukrainian People's Republic (WUPR) or West Ukrainian National Republic (WUNR), known for part of its existence as the Western Oblast of the Ukrainian People's Republic, was a short-lived polity that controlled most of Eastern Gali ...
during the
Polish-Ukrainian War and architect of the
Chortkiv offensive
The Chortkiv offensive ( uk, Чортківська офензива) (7–28 June 1919), sometimes also referred to as the June Offensive, was a surprise military operation by the Ukrainian Galician Army (UHA) on the newly founded Second Polish ...
in which the
Ukrainian Galician Army
Ukrainian Galician Army ( uk, Українська Галицька Армія, translit=Ukrayins’ka Halyts’ka Armiya, UHA), was the Ukrainian military of the West Ukrainian National Republic during and after the Polish-Ukrainian War. It w ...
advanced against the Polish army.
Background
Hrekov was born into a Russian family whose estate was near
Glukhov in Sopychi,
Chernigov Governorate
The Chernigov Governorate (russian: Черниговская губерния; translit.: ''Chernigovskaya guberniya''; ), also known as the Government of Chernigov, was a guberniya in the historical Left-bank Ukraine region of the Russian ...
. Today most of the territory belongs to the village of Sopych,
Hlukhiv Raion
Hlukhiv Raion ( uk, Глухівський район) was a raion in Sumy Oblast in Central Ukraine. The administrative center of the raion was the town of Hlukhiv, which was administratively incorporated as a city of oblast significance and di ...
, on the border with the
Russian Federation
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
. His father Petro Havrylovych Hrekov was a lawyer and a large landowner of the
Chernigov Governorate
The Chernigov Governorate (russian: Черниговская губерния; translit.: ''Chernigovskaya guberniya''; ), also known as the Government of Chernigov, was a guberniya in the historical Left-bank Ukraine region of the Russian ...
and his mother was Maria Hryhorivna Preobrazhenska. According to family legend, the Hrekov's family were descendants of a Greek who was part of the delegation accompanying
Sophia Paleologue
Zoe Palaiologina ( grc-x-byzant, Ζωή Παλαιολογίνα), whose name was later changed to Sophia Palaiologina (russian: София Фоминична Палеолог; ca. 1449 – 7 April 1503), was a Byzantine princess, member of ...
as she moved to
Muscovy in 1472 when marrying
Ivan III of Russia
Ivan III Vasilyevich (russian: Иван III Васильевич; 22 January 1440 – 27 October 1505), also known as Ivan the Great, was a Grand Prince of Moscow and Grand Prince of all Rus'. Ivan served as the co-ruler and regent for his blin ...
, Grand Prince of Moscow. The Hrekov family attained the status of nobility as a reward for their service to
Peter the Great.
On the insistence of his father, Hrekov completed the law school of
Lomonosov Moscow State University
M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU; russian: Московский государственный университет имени М. В. Ломоносова) is a public research university in Moscow, Russia and the most prestigious ...
in 1897. Later, after surprising enrollment into the Moscow military school, he graduated it in 1899 and the
Nicholas General Staff Academy
The General Staff Academy () was a Russian military academy, established in 1832 in St.Petersburg. It was first known as the Imperial Military Academy (Императорская военная академия), then in 1855 it was renamed Nichola ...
in 1905 after three years of study (along with another Ukrainian general
Volodymyr Sinclair).
Career in the Russian Army
Since 1905 Hrekov served in the
Leib-Guard Egersky Regiment. From 1908 taught political and military history at the military academy. Prior to
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
at first (1907) he served at the 3rd Grenadier Division (Moscow) and later (1908) relocated to
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
to the 1st Guard Division. There Hrekov received his first award, the
Order of Saint Stanislaus of III degree, as well as promotion to captain. Along with his military service the future general was giving lectures in the Pavel Infantry School (uchilishche). Since 1910 Hrekov worked at the headquarters of the
Petersburg Military District
The Leningrad Military District was a military district of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. In 2010 it was merged with the Moscow Military District, the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet to form the new Western Military District.
Hi ...
. In 1910 he also received an assignment of the first adjutant of Guard forces, similar to the chief of Guard intelligence. One of his duties was a close security of the royal family of
Nikolai II
Nicholas II or Nikolai II Alexandrovich Romanov; spelled in pre-revolutionary script. ( 186817 July 1918), known in the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer,. was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Congress Pol ...
. In 1911 he was promoted to
Lieutenant Colonel and received his second award, the
Order of Saint Anna
The Imperial Order of Saint Anna (russian: Орден Святой Анны; also "Order of Saint Anne" or "Order of Saint Ann") was a Holstein ducal and then Russian imperial order of chivalry. It was established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Hol ...
of III degree. In 1912 Hrekov defended his dissertation on the ''History of military art'', becoming an extraordinary professor which today is a
candidate of sciences
Candidate of Sciences (russian: кандидат наук, translit=kandidat nauk) is the first of two doctoral level scientific degrees in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. It is formally classified as UNESCO's ISCED level 8, "d ...
. Hrekov also became a professor of the Military Art Department at
Nikolas Academy General Staff. At the start of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
he was appointed as the chief of staff for the 74th Infantry Division which was stationed at the rear. There Hrekov met with another future Ukrainian general
Mykola Yunakiv
Mykola Yunakiv ( uk, Микола Юнаків) (December 6, 1871 Chuhuiv, Kharkov Governorate – August 1, 1931 Tarnów, Poland) was a Ukrainian general, military pedagogue. He was a general in the army of the Russian Empire and the Ukrainian ...
. After a request to send him to the frontlines, Hrekov was appointed as the chief of staff for the 1st Guard Division. In 1915 he was promoted to
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
. In April 1917 he distinguished himself in fighting near
Tarnopol
Ternópil ( uk, Тернопіль, Ternopil' ; pl, Tarnopol; yi, טאַרנאָפּל, Tarnopl, or ; he, טארנופול (טַרְנוֹפּוֹל), Tarnopol; german: Tarnopol) is a city in the west of Ukraine. Administratively, Ternopi ...
and was awarded the
Order of St. George
The Order of Saint George (russian: Орден Святого Георгия, Orden Svyatogo Georgiya) is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. Originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) a ...
of IV degree. The same year Hrekov was promoted to general.
Career in the Ukrainian Army
In December 1917 he switched to Ukrainian service where his first assignment was the 2nd Serdyuk Division which was only starting to form and at that time consisted out a small officer corps. One of the Hrekov's first remarkable subordinates on the side of the
Ukrainian People's Army
The Ukrainian People's Army ( uk, Армія Української Народної Республіки), also known as the Ukrainian National Army (UNA) or as a derogatory term of Russian and Soviet historiography Petliurovtsy ( uk, Пет ...
was a colonel
Petro Bolbochan. At one time the Russian prime-minister
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov. ( 1870 – 21 January 1924), better known as Vladimir Lenin,. was a Russian revolutionary, politician, and political theorist. He served as the first and founding head of government of Soviet Russia from 1917 to 1 ...
was offering 50,000 rubles in silver for the head of colonel Bolbochan. During the same time Hrekov was appointed the chief of the Kiev Military District and was partially involved in the formation of the
Sich Riflemen Halych-Bukovyna Kurin (Battalion) led by
Yevhen Konovalets
Yevhen Mykhailovych Konovalets ( uk, Євген Михайлович Коновалець; June 14, 1891 – May 23, 1938), also anglicized as Eugene Konovalets, was a military commander of the Ukrainian National Republic army, veteran of the Uk ...
. The unit became the main supporter of the
Central Rada
The Central Council of Ukraine ( uk, Українська Центральна Рада, ) (also called the Tsentralna Rada or the Central Rada) was the All-Ukrainian council ( soviet) that united deputies of soldiers, workers, and peasants deputi ...
and
Mykhailo Hrushevsky
Mykhailo Serhiiovych Hrushevsky ( uk, Михайло Сергійович Грушевський, Chełm, – Kislovodsk, 24 November 1934) was a Ukrainian academician, politician, historian and statesman who was one of the most important figure ...
. After the fall of Kiev early in 1918 Hrekov retired from the Ukrainian People's Army. From December 1918 until January 1919 he was assigned to undertake negotiations with French forces occupying
Odessa on behalf of the
Directorate of Ukraine
The Directorate, or Directory () was a provisional collegiate revolutionary state committee of the Ukrainian People's Republic, initially formed on November 13–14, 1918 during a session of the Ukrainian National Union in rebellion against Sk ...
. After a conflict with Petliura and leftist Ukrainian politicians, he was forced to resign his post and on 16 May 1919 assumed command of the
Ukrainian Galician Army
Ukrainian Galician Army ( uk, Українська Галицька Армія, translit=Ukrayins’ka Halyts’ka Armiya, UHA), was the Ukrainian military of the West Ukrainian National Republic during and after the Polish-Ukrainian War. It w ...
offered to him by
Yevhen Petrushevych
Yevhen Omelyanovych Petrushevych ( uk, Євге́н Омеля́нович Петруше́вич; June 3, 1863 in Busk, Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, Kronland of Austro-Hungary – August 29, 1940 in Berlin, Germany) was a Ukrainian law ...
.
The Galician army faced against the better equipped the
Heller's Army was pushed from
Lviv
Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukrain ...
all the way to
Husyatyn at
Zbruch
The Zbruch ( uk, Збруч, pl, Zbrucz) is a river in Western Ukraine, a left tributary of the Dniester.[Збруч] river. Hrekov's presence there electrified the Galician soldiers, who were on the verge of defeat at the hands of the Poles during their
war against them; many veterans of that war recalled the period under his command as the high point of their war experience. Under Hrekov's command, between 9 June and 5 July the army of the West Ukrainian People's Republic experienced its greatest success during the
Chortkiv offensive
The Chortkiv offensive ( uk, Чортківська офензива) (7–28 June 1919), sometimes also referred to as the June Offensive, was a surprise military operation by the Ukrainian Galician Army (UHA) on the newly founded Second Polish ...
, when the Poles were thrown back over . Soon, however, the Polish forces were able to recover half of their yielded territory and stabilize the frontlines. As a result, Hrekov became quite popular among the Ukrainians of eastern
Galicia. Following a conflict with the leadership of the
West Ukrainian National Republic
The West Ukrainian People's Republic (WUPR) or West Ukrainian National Republic (WUNR), known for part of its existence as the Western Oblast of the Ukrainian People's Republic, was a short-lived polity that controlled most of Eastern Gali ...
(it is rumored that the head of the West Ukrainian National Republic was pressured by Petliura to let Hrekov go, because Petliura feared Hrekov's popularity and disliked his opposition to Petliura's socialist policies
Yaroslav Tinchenko, ''General Oleksander Hrekiv: Military Actions and Fate'', ''Journal of Memorial'' pg. 34
(Ukrainian)) Hrekov and his family left for Romania in July 1919.
Life in Emigration
In 1920 he moved to Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
. While there, he edited the journal "Ukraina" but adopted a pro-Polish orientation that discredited him in the eyes of much of the Ukrainian émigré community. In the 1930s he became close to a circle of Russian émigrés but at the end of that decade returned to the Ukrainian community, where he tried in vain to create an organization of "Ukrainian cossacks." Arrested by the Soviet occupation
Occupation commonly refers to:
*Occupation (human activity), or job, one's role in society, often a regular activity performed for payment
*Occupation (protest), political demonstration by holding public or symbolic spaces
*Military occupation, th ...
authorities in 1948 he was taken to Lukyanivska Prison in Kiev, he was exiled to Ozerlag camp of the Gulag
The Gulag, an acronym for , , "chief administration of the camps". The original name given to the system of camps controlled by the GPU was the Main Administration of Corrective Labor Camps (, )., name=, group= was the government agency in ...
before being released in 1956, whereupon he returned to Vienna.
Currently a street in Lviv
Lviv ( uk, Львів) is the largest city in western Ukraine, and the seventh-largest in Ukraine, with a population of . It serves as the administrative centre of Lviv Oblast and Lviv Raion, and is one of the main cultural centres of Ukrain ...
is named after Hrekov.
Personal life
Oleksander Hrekov married Natalia Ivanivna Kabat in 1905, a daughter of '' Hofmeister'' of the Higher Court, secret adviser and senator. His wife's family was of Hungarian descent. They had a son Oleh (1914–1942) and a daughter Yelyzaveta (1906-?).
Hrekov had two sisters Anna and Yulia as well as three brothers: Kostiantyn who became attorney, Hryhoriy - a military officer, and Mykola who was an engineer and railway specialist.
Honours and awards
* Order of St. Vladimir
The Imperial Order of Saint Prince Vladimir (russian: орден Святого Владимира) was an Imperial Russian order established on by Empress Catherine II in memory of the deeds of Saint Vladimir, the Grand Prince and the Baptize ...
, 3rd and 4th classes
* Order of Saint George
The Order of Saint George (russian: Орден Святого Георгия, Orden Svyatogo Georgiya) is the highest military decoration of the Russian Federation. Originally established on 26 November 1769 Julian (7 December 1769 Gregorian) a ...
, 4th class
* Order of St. Stanislaus
The Order of Saint Stanislaus ( pl, Order Św. Stanisława Biskupa Męczennika, russian: Орден Святого Станислава), also spelled Stanislas, was a Polish order of knighthood founded in 1765 by King Stanisław August Ponia ...
, 2nd and 3rd classes
* Order of St. Anne, 3rd and 4th classes
References
On-line articles
*
Encyclopedia of Ukraine
General Oleksander Hrekov (Ukrainian)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hrekov, Oleksander
1875 births
1958 deaths
People from Sumy Oblast
People from Chernigov Governorate
Ukrainian nobility
Defence ministers of Ukraine
Imperial Russian Army generals
Generals of the Ukrainian People's Republic
Ukrainian Galician Army people
Ukrainian people of World War I
Russian military personnel of World War I
Ukrainian people of the Polish–Ukrainian War
Recipients of the Order of Saint Stanislaus (Russian), 2nd class
Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd class
Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 3rd class
Ukrainian people in the Russian Empire
Russian untitled nobility