The Greek Catholic Church and the Problem of Ruthenian Desertion in Przemyśl, January 1915: Documents from the Kriegsarchiv, Vienna

This article explores the problem of Ruthenian desertion in the Habsburg Fortress of Przemyśl during the siege of 1914-15. The fortress garrison contained tens of thousands of Ukrainian-speaking soldiers, whom commanders viewed with deep distrust. When, after November 1914, desertion grew among these men, the Fortress appealed for help to the Greek Catholic Church. The article examines the local bishop’s efforts to strengthen loyalty and the motives behind the desertions. It argues that not Russophile sympathies – as the Fortress Command feared – but rather Habsburg persecution and the harsh conditions of siege alienated Ukrainian-speakers. Correspondence between the Fortress and the bishop held in the Kriegsarchiv, Vienna is reproduced in original German and in English translation at the end of the article.