80-year-old stencils of OUN and UPA calling to fight against Stalin and Hitler uncovered in Volyn

Metal plaques were unearthed in western Ukraine that date back to 1943, featuring stencils used by insurgents from the Organisation of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The stencils call for freedom and independence from Soviet and German occupiers. 

The stencils, measuring 53 by 23 centimeters, were discovered accidentally in a yard during construction work. They had been buried 1.5 meters deep for at least 80 years. 

Oleg Dergay, the director of the Berestechko National Historical Museum, said the stencils were used to apply text to government buildings. “One or more people would fix the plaque in the chosen spot, paint over it, and quickly flee,” said Oleg Dergay. 

The inscriptions, written in both Ukrainian and Russian, include calls for the overthrow of the Bolshevik regime and the creation of an independent state. They contain slogans such as “Long live the independent Ukrainian state,” “For the independent states of all oppressed nations,”  and “Death to Hitler and Stalin!” 

Dergay noted the unique font and the presence of grammatical errors. For instance, instead of the Russian letter “и,” the Ukrainian “і” is often used, suggesting that the person who made these stencils was not fully proficient in Russian. Damaged or poorly constructed letters were reinforced with aluminum and copper wires, as well as metal rivets.

After years underground, some inscriptions are difficult to read. Dergay attempted to restore the plaques by hand, noting their historical significance. The stencils are now exhibited at the Berestechko National Historical Museum.

Copy editing: Terra Friedman King

Photos: history.rayon.in.ua