Many Ukrainians are racking their brains after hearing about the exposure of the underground ABN radio station in Belgium. At every step, I am asked about it. But many people in other countries are also interested in this, but they have no one to ask. Although I have never written to newspapers, I nevertheless dared to take this step to calm their curiosity and give some explanations to those who read about this exposure in “Ukrainian Word” from Paris and “Ukrainian News” from Ulm.
Working at the underground radio station of the ABN, named after Gen. Taras Chuprynka, will remain one of my best memories because I was able to do a small service to Ukraine again after many years. It was the first time I had to work with such large devices and in such a responsible position. In the first days, I encountered great difficulties. The devices had to be used for transmissions, but it was also necessary to take care to protect against dampness and cold. We began to work stubbornly for 12–14 hours a day. After a few days, the walls were covered with plaster, there was a new floor, doors and electrical installation. We were glad that we could boldly look our leader, who had arrived, in the eyes and say: ” The order has been carried out.” The Chairman of the Central Committee of the ABN, Mr. Yaroslav Stetsko, often visited us. The work continued to develop. In addition to the equipment, there was a separate editorial office in a separate place with an appropriate number of people. After a short time, we began to broadcast for two hours a day.
Christmas Eve approached imperceptibly. It was my first Christmas Eve in a foreign land, far from my friends who represented my family. And reading into the microphone the lines of the excerpt from “Chico”: “and although the red rooster often crows on peasant roofs, although carts clink on distant roads in freezing blizzards and in sandy lands, taking away their relatives, the poor uncle opens the barn doors, greased to prevent creaking, to the boys. Old grandmothers whisper prayers and cook a meal… and the Spirit walks along the land, the messenger of the One who was born on the holy night… calling everyone — young and strong, old and frail, everyone whose heart is not covered with mould.” I was far away in my thoughts, among those who went to the call of that Spirit. Those who do not spare life or blood in the defence of His sanctities. I knew that we weren’t the only ones meeting the first star so alone, because back in the homeland, they met it in much worse circumstances than I did.
But unfortunately, I could not perform my duties for long, because on 6.02.1951 I was arrested. The interrogations began. When asked if someone had persuaded me to do this work, I replied: I had to have a weapon, because I expected a communist attack at any moment. In the evening, five heavy gendarmerie trucks drove to the place where the radio station was, which surrounded the entire area. At one o’clock in the morning, they arrived back, bringing with them my friend R.R., who had arrived in the evening to control the equipment. On 7.02. in the morning, ten policemen arrived from Brussels and began further interrogations. At the time of the arrest, the audition editors and another group were accidentally absent. During the interrogations, I stated: The radio station was the property of the ABN. I worked at the radio station alone and sometimes, as you know, they came to help me. I cannot say the names of those people, because I do not know them. As for my salary, I did not take a single sotka, except for the one that paid for food. When asked if you know what awaits you for this? I replied: Yes, but I am not afraid, because with my imprisonment, you will not stop the fight against Bolshevik-Russian imperialism. At the same time, I find it strange that at a time when the whole world has understood this danger that threatens it from the east, some states still cannot understand that by stopping the anti-communist struggle, they are increasing the threat to the whole world.
That same afternoon, we were taken to Vervet for further investigation, which lasted one month. On 10 March, we stood trial. When the president of the court asked me if I knew that I had acted in violation of Belgian laws, I replied: Our radio station never opposed the Belgian government. But on the contrary, we defended all the nations enslaved and threatened by the Bolsheviks, including the Belgian one. When asked if I knew that without police permission, it was not possible to keep weapons, I replied: Yes. But I did not keep weapons as a criminal, but only to defend the apparatus and I myself gave the weapons to the police. After a short trial, my friend and I were sentenced to one month in prison and a fine of 100 francs. and Mr. M.
ter. for 1 month, for two years behind bars. I was moved when, after the trial, the Chairman of the Central Committee of the ABN and the Belgians present shook our hands, congratulating us on our release. But at the same time, I was saddened that when the Belgian people understood the importance of our liberation struggle, at that time, some Ukrainians were calling us traitors, criminals, etc. And I wonder who the criminals and provocateurs are? I wonder if those who wrote about that event in “Ukrainian Word” from Paris and “Ukrainian News” from Ulm, when they heard our broadcasts, assure us that we were pretending to be a belligerent Ukraine? Because after what they write, it turns out that they did not hear. Therefore, I repeat the beginning of the Ukrainian broadcast, and those who wrote that we were broadcasting as a Belligerent Ukraine, let them think about whether that is how Belligerent Ukraine could address emigration, or is it disgusting? And I wonder if this is “stupidity or provocation”? / as the Ukrainian word says /.
The Ukrainian beginning sounded: “Now follows the Ukrainian programme”! Listen! Listen! The ABN radio station, named after Gen. T. Chuprynka, is speaking. To fathers, to sons, to those who have been oppressed, but not defeated. Listen, people of Kyiv, Lviv, Poltava, Drohobych, Donbas, Listen, Ukrainian People! The ABN radio station, named after Gen. T. Chuprynka, is speaking. It is speaking to everyone who has Ukrainian blood flowing in their veins. Whose hearts beat in their chests, filled with love for Ukraine and hatred for its enemies. Listen, those oppressed and persecuted in the mountains, steppes and forests. Listen, Ukraine, fighting today and the one that will fight tomorrow. Listen, brothers in grey overcoats, in silver epaulettes, in ordinary epaulettes, who stand guard over the prison, whose prisoners are you, your parents and your children. Listen, you Christ-sellers, who betrayed and are betraying your brothers for party tickets, for a full belly, for the benefits of your meagre life. Listen, you kanchuchniks. The ABN Radio Station, named after Gen. T. Chuprynka, speaks. Listen, People of your sovereign truth. / days and hours, waves follow / K.V.
Editor’s Note. We have submitted the memoirs of a friend from the radio station’s security. In the next issue, we will submit the memoirs of one of the editorial staff members who served the ABN radio station named after Gen. T. Chuprynka.
Handwritten addition at the bottom of the page:
I voluntarily agreed to do this work. What I did, I did quite consciously. When asked why I was holding a weapon, I replied:
