IVAN SEMANIUK (MARKO CHEREMSHYNA), A “PEASANT” LAWYER FROM THE HUTSUL REGION

Abstract

The article deals with the professional legal activity of Ivan Semaniuk, a Ukrainian lawyer, public figure, novelist, known as Marko Cheremshyna. The paper studies his way of life, the reasons for choosing a legal profession, his professional and public activity. Ivan Semaniuk received his legal education at the University of Vienna, during his studies he took an active part in the social life of local Ukrainian students, he was a member of the student societies “Rodyna” (“Family”), “Prohress” (“Progress”), “Sich”. He was the head of the latter one in 1899–1900. In Vienna he was also engaged in literary work, he wrote prose, published a collection of short stories “Karby” as well as translations of some works from other languages. In 1906 he finished his legal internship in the Austrian capital and received a doctorate in law.

In October 1906, I. Semanyuk began his official legal practice in the office of the Ukrainian lawyer Mykola Lagodynsky in Deliatyn, and stayed in the mountain town for six years. He organized “Sich” society branches in the villages, conducted educational and cultural activities, helped his patron to win a seat in the Vienna parliament in both 1907 and 1911, and conducted advocacy work during his stay in Vienna. He gained recognition and authority among the local Hutsul population as he was a good legal defender and adviser for them.

In October 1912, he opened an independent legal office in Sniatyn in the so-called Pokuttia region and, thus, he became the first permanent Ukrainian human rights activist in this county. He continued to work there for a decade and a half and he started to be recognized as a “peasant” lawyer, who would defend poor, uneducated, oppressed peasant clients who needed legal and moral protection.

In addition to providing legal assistance, I. Semaniuk was active in public life, he was a member of all local cultural, educational and economic societies such as “Prosvita” (“Enlightmnt”), “Silsky Hospodar” (“Farmer”), “Sich”. During the existence of the West Ukrainian People’s Republic (ZUNR), he held the post of the  Deputy Mayor of Sniatyn, he was a member of city and county councils and organized the educational life of the county. In the 1920s, he was elected a member of the city’s sideline council, was a legal adviser to the mayor, and his actions served to protect the rights of Ukrainians from the arbitrariness of the county administration. His office remained a center for providing services to poor Ukrainian clients. It was there where young Ukrainian lawyers had their legal practiced and gained experience in public work.

His professional activity and legal protection of Ukrainians became a manifestation of his moral duty fulfillment as he strived to serve his own people since his student days, and this way of thinking was closely observed until the end of his life.

Keywords: lawyer, University of Vienna, doctor of law, I. Semaniuk, M. Cheremshyna, legal activity, Sniatyn.