Western Ukraine

Fischer 1-102 | Michel I-91 (listed under "Westukraine") | Years of issue 1918-1919

Western Ukraine (or the Western Ukrainian People's Republic) was a short-lived republic that existed in late 1918 and early 1919. The republic managed to issue about a hundred postage stamps during its brief existence, all but two of which are overprints on existing stamps of Austria and Bosnia Hercegovina.

The first four stamps, called the Lwów issue, were in use only for two days:

1
(Austria Michel 185)

2
(Austria Michel 186)

3
(Austria Michel 188)

4
(Austria Michel 222)

Lion with inscription "Zakhidno-Ukrainska Narodna Republika"
(Western Ukrainian National Republic)

 

The second series of stamps are called the Kołomyja issue:

5
(Austria Michel 221)

6
(Austria Michel 185)

7
(Austria Michel 187)

8
(Austria Michel 189)
10 on 12 heller

Surcharged Austrian stamps, denominated in shahiv
(inscription: Ukr.Nat.Rep.)

 

A provisional set of stamps:


9

10a

10b

 

The first Stanisław issue:

11
(Austria Michel 185)
3 heller

12
(Austria Michel 186)
5 heller

13
(Austria Michel 187)

14
(Austria Michel 188)
10 heller

15
(Austria Michel 189)

16
(Austria Michel 221)
15/15 heller

17
(Austria Michel 222a)
20/20 heller

18
(Austria Michel 224)

19
(Austria Michel 194)
40/40 heller

20
(Austria Michel 195)
50/50 heller

21
(Austria Michel 196)
60/60 heller

22
(Austria Michel 197)
80/80 heller

23
(Austria Michel 199)
1/1 krone

24
(Austria Michel 204)

25
(Austria Michel 201/204/209)

26
(Austria Michel 202/206)

27
(Austria Michel 207)

 

Provisional overprint issue:

28
(Austria Michel 185)
3/3 heller

29
(Austria Michel 186)
5/5 heller

30
(Austria Michel 187)
6/6 heller

31
(Austria Michel 188)
10/10 heller

32
(Austria Michel 189)
12/12 heller

33
(Austria Michel 190)
15/15 heller
pale red

34
(Austria Michel 221)
15/15 heller
brown red

35

36
(Austria Michel 224)
30/30 heller

37
(Austria Michel 194)
40/40 heller

38
(Austria fieldpost
Michel 65)
50/50 heller

39
(Austria postage due
Michel 63)
50/42 heller

 

The second Stanisław issue. Overprints on postage due stamps from Bosnia Hercegovina.

40
(Bosnia Michel 1)

41
(Bosnia Michel 2)

42
(Bosnia Michel 3)
3/3 heller

43
(Bosnia Michel 4)
4/4 heller

44
(Bosnia Michel 5)
5/5 heller

45
(Bosnia Michel 6)

46
(Bosnia Michel 7)
7/7 heller

47
(Bosnia Michel 8)
8/8 heller

48
(Bosnia Michel 9)
10/10 heller

49
(Bosnia Michel 10)
15/15 heller

50
(Bosnia Michel 11)
20/20 heller

51
(Bosnia Michel 12)
50/50 heller

 

Provisional overprints on Austro-Hungarian fieldpost stamps Fischer 53-72:

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61
25/25 heller

62
30/30 heller

63
40/40 heller

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71
10/10 kronen

 

Provisional overprint issue on Austro-Hungarian fieldpost stamps Fischer 73-75.

72
10/10 heller

73
20/20 heller

74
40/40 heller

 

The Vienna issue. Provisional overprints on Austria Fischer 185-189, 194-199, 208-211, 221, 222a and 223-224:

75

76

77

78

79

80

81

82

83

84

85

86

87

88

89

90

91

92

93

Ukrainian trident-in-shield arms
(inscription: abbreviation for "Western Ukrainian National Republic")

 

The third Stanisław issue. Overprints on Austro-Hungarian fieldpost stamps.

94
(Fischer 69)

95
(Fischer 69)

96
(Fischer 70)

97
(Fischer 69)

98
(Fischer 72)

99
(Fischer 69)

100
(Fischer 65)

 

Overprint issue on Austrian postage due stamps 55 and 56.

101

102

 

Glossary

After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian empire, the People's Republic of Western Ukraine proclaimed its own state, which was controlled by the Ukrainian National Council from 1 November 1918. Western Ukraine comprised the areas of eastern Galicia, Bukovina and Transcarpathia. It included the towns of L'viv, Kołomyja and Stanislav. On 19 October 1918, Western Ukraine was proclaimed an independent republic. The Pokuttya area was occupied by Romania by the end of November and late July, the Eastern Galicia area was seized by the Poles. The Poles held on to it during the Polish-Russian war between 1919 and 1920 and it remained part of Poland until 1939.