Soim


The Soim was the parliament of the short-lived Republic of Carpatho-Ukraine. The assembly had its seat in Khust.

Background

The establishment of a Soim, an autonomous parliament for the Ruthenian region, had been stipulated in the 11th article of the 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. But the establishment of the autonomous parliament was delayed for many years.

Election

After years of delays election to the Soim was held on February 12, 1939, on the basis of the passing of legislation by the Czechoslovak parliament providing further autonomy for Carpatho-Ukraine on November 22, 1938. 32 members of the Soim were elected from a single constituency. The Ukrainian National Union presented a unity list for the vote. According to results published, 244,922 out of 265,002 votes cast went in favour of the unity list.
Out of the 32 members elected there were 29 Ukrainians, 1 Czech, 1 German and 1 Romanian. The German deputy was Anton Ernst Oldofredi, leader of the German People's Council.
The elected candidates were
NameTownOffice/Profession
lDr. Avgustyn VoloshynKhustPremier of the Government of Carpatho-Ukraine
2Yulian RevayKhustMinister of the Government of Carpatho-Ukraine
3Dr. Mychailo BriaschaykoKhustnotary public
4Dr. Julius BriaschaykoKhustattorney
5Ivan GrygaVyshni Verets'kyfarmer
6Rev. Adalbert DovbakIzkyPriest
7Dr. Mykola DolynayKhustHospital Director of the Hospital, Chust
8Dr. Milosh DrbalKhustattorney
9Augustine DutkaKhustJudge
10Ivan IhnatkoBilkyfarmer
11Dr. Volodymyr KomarynskyKhustHead of Press Department
12Ivan KachalaPerechynrailroad engineer
13Vasyl' KlempushYasinyabusinessman, Yasinya
14Stepan KlochurakKhustSecretary to the Prime Minister
15Vasyl' LatsanychVelykyy Bereznyyteacher
16Mykola MandzyukSevlyushteacher
17Mykhaylo MarushchakVelykyy Bychkivfarmer
18Leonid RomanyukKhustengineer
19Rev. Grigorie MoyshBila Tserkovprotopop
20Dmytro NimchukKhustPresident of the Public Health Insurance Institution
21Anton Ernst OldofrediKhustUnder Secretary of State
22Yuriy PazukhanychKhustschool inspector
23Ivan PerevuznykSerednyefarmer
24Petro PopovychVelyki Luchkyfarmer
25Fedir RevayKhustDirector of the State Printing House
26Dr. Mykola RisdorferSvalyavaphysician
27Dr. Stefan RoschaKhustMinistry of Education officia
28Rev. Yuriy Stanynets'Vonihovopastor
29Vasyl' ShobeyVul'khivtsifarmer
30Avhustyn ShtefanKhustChief of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs
31Rev. FedeleshKhustProfessor of Religion
32Mykhaylo TulykKhustjournalist

Session

The Soim met once on March 15, 1939. The inaugural session had been scheduled for March 2, 1939, but the Czecho-Slovak president Emil Hácha opted not to convene the assembly. In response to the Slovak declaration of independence on March 14, 1939, the regional government of Avgustyn Voloshyn called for an independent Carpatho-Ukrainian state under the protection of the German Reich.
Whilst the session was in progress the time Hungarian troops were on the offensive in Carpatho-Ukraine and Czecho-Slovak forces were retreating westward. Augustin Stefan served as the speaker of the assembly. Stefan Roscha served as the vice speaker of the assembly.
The assembly, with 22 members present, declared the independence of the Republic of Carpatho-Ukraine. The session ratified the constitution of the Republic of Carpatho-Ukraine, with Ukrainian as the official language and a presidential form of governance. The Soim elected Voloshyn as President of the Republic. Yulian Revay was named Prime Minister.
Khust was attacked by Hungarian forces on the same day as the session was held. Carpatho-Ukraine was annexed by Hungary the following day, ending the brief existence of the Republic of Carpatho-Ukraine.

''Tragedy of Carpatho-Ukraine''

The Soim session is depicted in the 1940 movie Tragedy of Carpatho-Ukraine, produced by Vasyl Avramenko.