The Ukrainian House in Przemyśl

It is not only a building with a beautiful interior. It is also people, an idea, an amazing story.

The turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in Galicia saw the construction of National Houses by the local Ukrainian community – these were modern Ukrainian culture, education and civic centres. The Ukrainian community living in Przemyśl also decided to build such a centre.

They were led by Dr Teofil Kormosh, whose organisational acumen resulted in the construction of the Narodnyi Dim – the Ukrainian House, in 1904, financed from the contributions of the local Ukrainian community. The house was an important landmark, and served as proof of the community’s potential and commitment.

Other Ukrainian Houses were established in such cities as Lviv, Stryi, Ternopil and Kolomyya, and their construction could take up to 15 years. In the case of Przemyśl, only 15 months passed from the laying of the cornerstone until the official opening. The Ukrainian House in Przemyśl was so large, modern and beautifully decorated that it was known as the Pearl of the River San.

The place was popular with local residents, and not only those of Ukrainian descent. It hosted concerts, theatre plays, training courses, rehearsals and youth club meetings, and featured a reading room and a candy shop.

The heart of the building is the beautifully decorated theatre room, festooned with ornaments from various regions of Ukraine. The stage saw performances by such artists as Ivan Franko, Solomiya Krushelnytska, Les Kurbas and Modest Menzinsky. The cinema ‘Apollo’ had its home here,

and the house used to be at the centre of many civic and cultural activities after the outbreak of World War II. After the war and the subsequent deportations and emigration of the region’s Ukrainian population, the Ukrainian community life in Przemyśl died down. In 1947, the Ukrainian House in Przemyśl was taken away from the now-tiny Ukrainian community by the communist government, and the once-thriving centre became empty. After more than ten years, some Ukrainians began to return to Przemyśl from their exile, eager to live in the land of their ancestors. The Ukrainian House worked like a magnet due to its history and tales of its golden age, as well as a hope for restoring the Ukrainian community of old.

By the end of the 1950s, local Ukrainians began petitioning for the Ukrainian House to be returned to them, unaware of how long and arduous a process that would be. When they finally understood that the communist government would not grant them their request, they began to rent some of its rooms – in a bid to protect as much of the building from deterioration as possible. At the same time, they continued their efforts to have the house returned to the Ukrainian community, all the while filling its rooms with their output and eagerness to act and create. This way, the house once again became a place for meetings, integration and cultural activism.

Narodnyi Dim – the Ukrainian House, was returned to the Ukrainian Community after 64 years when the Association of Ukrainians in Poland purchased the building for 1% of its value in 2011. Three generations of Ukrainians living in Poland protected the building, a place they considered important, restoring its original function in the hope that they would once again become hosts in their own house. Some did not live to see the day.

After the building was reacquired, it was decided that a complete renovation was in order – a reconstruction and modernisation from the foundations to the roof, so that it could serve its community for years to come. The renovators are trying to preserve as much of the building’s original substance as possible. Despite the ongoing renovation, there is always something going on here, including meetings, concerts, conferences, presentations and rehearsals. The house lives: it talks, sings, tells stories and dances. It connects. It is a centre for Ukrainian culture, integration, dialogue and informal education that is open to all residents.

After 22 February 2022, the house also opened its doors to refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. Its beautiful heart – the theatre room, has served as a place of respite for thousands of people seeking shelter from the conflict. Today, the Ukrainian House continues to offer assistance and support to refugees, as well as hosting cultural, educational and integration-focused events. Several elements are still in need of renovating, including the theatre room, basements and the facade. Our dream is to restore the house and be able to fully tap its potential.

Narodnyi Dim – the Ukrainian House in Przemyśl – it’s not only a building with a beautiful interior. It is also people, an idea, an amazing story. It is the future.