Nobilitas Obligat / Noblesse Oblige

Ukraine’s history of the 20th–21st centuries is an ongoing path of struggle for the right to be oneself. From the Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, who were the first in the modern era to take up arms for Ukrainian statehood, through the soldiers of the Army of Ukrainian People’s Republic and other participants in the Ukrainian War of Independence, to the underground fighters of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the soldiers of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army: each generation of Ukrainians accepted its own battle. In the 1990s, this tradition was continued by the volunteers of the Ukrainian National Assembly – Ukrainian People’s Self-Defence, who headed to the front lines, understanding that imperial Russia had not abandoned its intention to subjugate Ukraine, so it was worth trying to stop it on foreign territory before it invaded Ukraine. Today, this same historical baton is carried by the soldiers of the Defense Forces of Ukraine, who, with weapons in their hands, defend not only the territory, but also the right of Ukrainians to their own memory, culture and future.

Ukrainian women have always been an integral part of this struggle. They fought in the ranks of the Sich Riflemen and the Ukrainian troops in 1917-1920, served as liaisons and medics in the underground networks of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, participated in the volunteer movement of the modern war, and today serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine on an equal footing with men. Their struggle often did not end upon returning from the front line: our women became scientists, writers, public figures and volunteers, preserving the memory of the liberation movement and passing it on to future generations. It is precisely due to this joint effort of men and women that the Ukrainian tradition of resistance has never been interrupted, even in the darkest of times.

At the heart of the Ukrainian struggle the concept of the philosophy of the deed lies—an active, strong-willed action aimed at affirming the national idea. In his time, Dmytro Dontsov contrasted passivity, rationalistic doubt or conformism with the priority of will, determination and readiness to fight. In this system, an individual is conceived not as an observer, but as a creator of history, realizing oneself through action and service to a higher purpose—the nation. S/He is convinced that freedom is not gained with words, but is secured with action, sacrifice and responsibility.

For Ukrainian warriors, war has never been an end in itself: it has become a duty to the nation. That is why Ukrainian veterans—both men and women— are not merely people of the front line.

After the defeat of the liberation struggle, the interned officers and soldiers, while in exile, did not give up: they established cultural centers, wrote memoirs, cherished historical memory and educated new generations of Ukrainians. Similarly today, veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war are returning to civilian life to build communities, volunteer, engage in education and create a strong state. This is true nobility. For nobility is not a privilege of origin. It manifests itself in the willingness to take responsibility for one’s country both in the front line and after the victory. And it obliges.

Curators: Kyrylo Dorolenko, Hanna Skorina, Maryna Riabchenko