Jaargang / Année 8, 2002, nr. 1 - Gewina

28--------------------------------- Nieuwe publicaties I Publications n\centes
of many distinguished Ukrainians, including former editor of the Ukrainian Weekly,
Walter Dushnyk, two Metropolitans (Sterniuk and Hermaniuk), a bishop (Malanchuk),
as well as a score of prominent Ukrainian community leaders, professionals, scholars,
scientists, writers and poets who, at one time or another, were a part of the Ukrainian
student community in Louvain.
There were three distinct periods in the history of Ukrainian students at the
University. In the 1920's on the initiative of Metropolitan Sheptytsky, first to arrive
were theology students. Soon afterwards grants were given also to lay students from
Western Ukraine. The war put a stop to the inflow of new candidates. A second
period, 1945-1959, included students who were young refugees in Western European
countries, predominantly Germany and Austria, and also, towards the end, some
American and Canadian born or raised students. Two came even from a far-off
Panama. With very few exceptions, they, like their predecessors, had to face a
language barrier and to survive on meager stipends they received from various
charities and foundations. A new generation arrived in the 1960's tluough 1980's.
Many of them were born in Belgium or France, their knowledge of French language
was better than that of Ukrainian, and quite a few of them were children of the
former leuvanists. All in all 295 students passed through the corridors of Louvain
University.
Zenon Tatarsky, besides his editorial work, has written a number of articles in the
book, among them an outstanding presentation of the early pre-war period based on
the archival materials of Andrij Kishka. Over 30 authors contributed to the making
of the book that documents student activities, events, and includes short biographical
outlines. These are supplemented by photographs, copies of documents and other
materials, and, finally, with a statistical data sheet on who, when, what of the former
Ukrainian students- the ?liuventsi?.
The book stands out among other books of its genre in a way it presents reliable
information in an orderly manner, provides an in-depth analysis, and contains a
comprehensive historical overview that both relates directly to the students and also
contributes to a better understanding of that period witllin a larger context of
Ukrainian history.
(Darka Hasiuk Marcus)
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