Stepan Bandera (1909–1959), leader of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and symbol of Ukraine’s independence struggle.

Early Life and Education

Stepan Bandera was born on January 1, 1909 in Staryi Uhryniv, Halychyna (today Ivano-Frankivsk region) into a Greek Catholic priest’s family. His surname, of Spanish origin, means “flag.”

As a child, he suffered from joint rheumatism. Because of the First World War, schools in his village closed, so he studied at home with private teachers. From an early age, Bandera trained himself for struggle through prayer, physical endurance, and discipline.

In 1919, during the Polish–Ukrainian War, he entered Stryi Gymnasium. There he developed leadership qualities, giving lectures to fellow students and showing strong character. Although health issues prevented him from joining the scouting group Plast at first, he later became a member and quickly stood out as a resilient and disciplined youth.

Stepan Bandera as a Plast scout of the “Chervona Kalyna” troop. Photo taken in 1929 or 1930.

Student and Early Activism

In 1928, Bandera enrolled at Lviv Polytechnic to study agronomy, but soon dedicated himself fully to the underground work of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN).

He also became active in the cultural movement, working with Prosvita to deliver educational lectures in villages. At the same time, he served as a messenger and distributor of underground publications for the Ukrainian Military Organization. In 1929, he officially joined the OUN, falsifying his age to qualify. Despite his youth, he quickly gained influence as an organizer and speaker.

Rise in the OUN

By 1933, Bandera was appointed regional leader of the OUN in Western Ukraine. He built clandestine armed groups, organized commemorations for fallen soldiers, and promoted national unity.

That same year, the OUN launched the campaign for Ukrainian schools. Thousands of students protested against Polish domination, refusing to use Polish in classrooms and demanding Ukrainian teachers. Bandera’s leadership turned these protests into a mass movement.

He also orchestrated actions against Soviet agents to draw attention to the Holodomor (1932–1933). On his orders, 18-year-old Mykola Lemyk assassinated a Soviet representative in Lviv, bringing global awareness to the famine engineered by Moscow.

Trial and Imprisonment

In 1934, Bandera and his comrades organized the assassination of Polish Interior Minister Bronisław Pieracki. Arrested and tried in Warsaw in 1936, Bandera received the death penalty. When he heard the sentence, he shouted: “Long live Ukraine!” The verdict was later commuted to life imprisonment.

Bandera spent over five years in Polish prisons, enduring isolation and hunger strikes. He remained committed to the nationalist cause and became a symbol of resistance.

World War II and Arrest by the Nazis

On June 30, 1941, the OUN under Bandera proclaimed the Act of Restoration of the Ukrainian State in Lviv. This act angered Nazi Germany, which opposed Ukrainian independence. Bandera refused to withdraw the declaration and was arrested.

He spent most of the war imprisoned in Sachsenhausen concentration camp, while many OUN members were persecuted or executed by the Nazis. Despite propaganda myths, Bandera and the OUN considered both Nazis and Soviets to be occupiers.

Family Tragedy

Bandera’s family paid a heavy price. His father was executed by the Soviets in 1941. His brothers, Vasyl and Oleksa, died in the Auschwitz concentration camp after brutal torture. His sisters suffered long years in Soviet camps.

Assassination in Munich

After the war, Bandera continued to lead the OUN in exile. Soviet intelligence (KGB) repeatedly attempted to assassinate him. On October 15, 1959, he was killed in Munich by KGB agent Bohdan Stashynsky, who used a special poison-filled pistol.

Legacy

Stepan Bandera remains one of the most debated and influential figures in Ukrainian history. For many Ukrainians, he symbolizes the struggle for independence against both Nazi and Soviet totalitarianism. His legacy continues to inspire generations in the fight for freedom and national dignity.