Ivan Bobersky in snowshoes. Winnipeg. 1932. Oseredok
His life story is somehow the epitome of the entire turbulent era of the late XIX and early XX centuries in a unique way; it is a model of Ukrainian patriotism, genuine loyalty to the national idea, far-sighted concern for the future, for young people, for sports; a model of responsibility, hard work, willpower, and nobility.
Oksana Vatseba, teacher
Ivan Bobersky was a Ukrainian teacher, public figure, the first popularizer of Ukrainian physical culture to awaken the people’s national consciousness, and an authorized representative of the ZUNR (Western Ukrainian People’s Republic) government in the United States and Canada.
Ivan Bobersky was born on August 14, 1873, in Dobrohostiv, Lviv region. He received his higher education at the universities of Lviv, Vienna, and Graz. He studied methods of physical education and sports in Germany, Sweden, the Czech Republic, and France.
In 1900 he returned to Lviv and began implementing the knowledge he had gained in Europe. He popularized physical education and sports. In 1901, together with his colleagues, he created the Teachers’ Circle to train gymnastics teachers and initiated the construction of a stadium in Lviv. He actively participated in the activities and development of the Sokil (“Sokil-Batko/Sokil-Father”) society. He was the first to introduce Ukrainian sports terminology, which was widely used in the western region of Ukraine before the outbreak of World War II.
During the First World War, Ivan Bobersky took part in the formation of the Legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen and joined the work of the Main Ukrainian Council. During 1918-1919, he held the position of propaganda assistant at the State Secretariat of Military Affairs of the Western Ukrainian People’s Republic.
Since 1920, Ivan Bobersky has been an authorized representative of the ZUNR (WUPR) government in the United States and Canada and later a representative of the St. Raphael’s Ukrainian Immigrants Welfare Association in Canada. While in America, he extensively researched Ukrainian immigrants, delving into their daily lives and gathering information on Ukrainian publishing companies, educational institutions, and literary works. He motivated Ukrainian immigrants to establish sports clubs and engage in sports activities through his lectures and guidance.
Bobersky assisted Ukrainians in moving to America. Back in 1925, Vasyl Avramenko, a young choreographer residing in Galicia, requested assistance from Bobersky in acquiring travel authorization for a trip to America. Bobersky not only provided the necessary assistance but also helped him to solve both domestic and work issues.
From 1932, I. Bobersky lived in his wife’s homeland, Tržić (then Yugoslavia). He died on August 17, 1947, in Tržić (now a city in Slovenia).
In one of his letters of 1925 to his senior comrade Ivan Bobersky, V. Avramenko rightly noted: “…Your golden name will be remembered as long as the Ukrainian people live.”
