Soim

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.{{cite book|author=Aldo Dami|title=Destin des minorités|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Bv_OAAAAMAAJ|year=1936|publisher=Sorlont|page=182}}

File:Dvr_flyer_1939.jpgAfter years of delays, election to the Soim was held on 12 February 1939 on the basis of the passing of legislation by the Czechoslovak parliament providing further autonomy for Carpatho-Ukraine on 22 November 1938. 32 members of the Soim were elected from a single constituency. The {{ill|Ukrainian National Union (1939)|lt=Ukrainian National Union|uk|Українське національне об'єднання}} (UNO) presented a unity list for the vote. According to results published, 244,922 out of 265,002 votes cast (92%) went in favour of the unity list.{{cite book|title=Opinion: Official Publication of Ukrainian Canadian Veterans' Association|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3WArAQAAMAAJ|volume=3–5|year=1947|publisher=UCVA|page=79}}

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 (Deutsche VolksRat, DVR).

The elected candidates were:{{cite book|title=The Trident|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uI1JAAAAMAAJ|volume=3-4|year=1939|publisher=Published by Organization for Rebirth of Ukraine.|pages=12, 22}}{{cite book|author=Peter George Stercho|title=Diplomacy of Double Morality: Europe's Crossroads in Carpatho-Ukraine, 1919-1939|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kbRBAAAAIAAJ|year=1971|publisher=Carpathian Research Center|page=408}}

The Soim met once on 15 March 1939.{{cite book|author=Stephen Denis Kertesz|title=Diplomacy in a Whirlpool: Hungary Between Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ehsqAAAAYAAJ|year=1974|publisher=Greenwood Press|isbn=978-0-8371-7540-9|page=45}} The inaugural session had been scheduled for 2 March 1939 but the Czecho-Slovak president Emil Hácha opted not to convene the assembly.{{cite book|author=Volodymyr Kubiĭovych|title=Ukraine, a Concise Encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nhdKAQAAMAAJ|year=1963|publisher=Ukrainian National Association|page=855}} In response to the Slovak declaration of independence on 14 March 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.{{cite book|author=Paul R. Magocsi|title=A History of Ukraine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t124cP06gg0C&pg=PA615|year=1996|publisher=University of Toronto Press|isbn=978-0-8020-7820-9|page=615}} Augustin Stefan served as the speaker of the assembly.{{cite book|title=The Ukrainian Quarterly|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KklpAAAAMAAJ|volume=34–35|year=1978|publisher=Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.|page=412}} Stefan Roscha served as the vice speaker of the assembly.{{cite book|author=Paul R. Magocsi|title=An Historiographical Guide to Subcarpathian Rusʹ|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gABpAAAAMAAJ|year=1973|publisher=Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, Harvard University|page=247}}

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.{{cite book|author1=Ivan Katchanovski|author2=Zenon E. Kohut|author3=Bohdan Y. Nebesio |author4=Myroslav Yurkevich |title=Historical Dictionary of Ukraine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-h6r57lDC4QC&pg=PA69|date=11 July 2013|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-7847-1|pages=69–70}} 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.

The Soim session is depicted in the 1940 movie Tragedy of Carpatho-Ukraine, produced by Vasyl Avramenko.{{cite book|author=Alan Gevinson|title=Within Our Gates: Ethnicity in American Feature Films, 1911–1960|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bsoUXGZSxZcC&pg=PA1061|year=1997|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-20964-0|pages=1060–1061}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{Verkhovna Rada}}

{{Ukrainian elections}}

Category:Carpatho-Ukraine

Category:Defunct national legislatures

Category:Law of Ukraine

1939

Category:Elections in Carpatho-Ukraine

Category:1939 in Ukraine