There is a difference between pogroms which, unfortunately,
have occurred now in the Ukraine, and pogroms in Russia
during the tsarist regime. While the tsarist government
had itself instigated and organized pogroms, the Ukrainian
government is in no way responsible for them. In November
1918 I myself saw the proclamations of the government in
the Ukrainian villages and cities which very vehemently
condemned the pogroms and explained to the Ukrainian people
that the Jews are Ukrainian fellow-citizens and brothers to
whom full rights are due. When, however, demoralization
had set in the units of the Ukrainian army, its worst
elements began to plunder. Again the Ukrainian government
rose vigorously against the pogroms, punishing with death
the perpetrators of the pogroms and expressing its sorrow
for the victims. To my regret, I must state that the
latest pogroms which, as far as I know, took place during
the months of February and March were exceedingly serious.
They have been perpetrated by the people of the Black
Hundred and by provocateurs for the purpose of discrediting
the Ukrainian government.
These occurences made a shocking impression upon me, and at
the end of March I tendered the government my resignation.
I recognized that fact that the government was blameless; I
found it, however, hard to occupy an official post in a
country in which my brothers were slaughtered. My
resignation was not accepted and the government requested
me to continue in my official duties, at least abroad. Now
I am one of the four representatives of the Ukraine at the
Peace Conference. There is no anti-Semitic tendency in the
Ukrainian government.
Margolin denies that Jews are playing an important role in the Bolshevist
movement, as it is generally assumed. To be sure, there are also Jews
among the Bolshevists, but among Jews in general the Bolshevists
constitute merely an insignificant minority. The Jewish Zionist and
other patriotic organizations received 70% of the votes at all
elections. There were no Jews at all among the Russian sailors who
played such an important part in the Bolshevist revolution.
The fact that there are seemingly so many Jews among the Bolshevists,
Margolin attributed to the circumstances that Jews distinguish themselves
in all activity by their great energy, and hence the impression arises
that there are many Jews in each political party.
(The Jewish Chronicle, London, May 16, 1919, in F. Pigido (ed.), Material
Concerning Ukrainian-Jewish Relations during the Years of the Revolution
(1917-1921): Collection of Documents and Testimonies by Prominent Jewish
Political Workers, The Ukrainian Information Bureau, Munich, 1956)
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Symon Petliura Jewish delegation 18Jul1919 Provocation of reactionaries and imperialists
The delegation asked for granting of an opportunity to Jewish intellectuals
to work toward strengthening Ukrainian statehood, and for protection of