Ethnic and Confessional Politics of the Reich in Occupied Ukraine (1941-1944)

Abstract

Orthodox church life in Ukraine from the summer of 1941 to the spring of 1944 was characterized by a sharp confrontation between two Orthodox churches, administrative centers of which were located in Volyn, in Lutsk and Kremenets. The Autonomous Orthodox Church (APC) was headed by an archbishop (from December 1941 - Metropolitan) Alex (Gromadsky). After his tragic death on May 7, 1943, the APC remained virtually without a chapter, since at this time the occupation authorities abolished the traditional system of church management. The Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) throughout its time was headed by an archbishop, and from May 1942 Metropolitan Polycarp (Sikorsky).