In the reading room of the Scientific and Technical Library, Lviv Polytechnic, a meeting was held with Petro Franko’s grandchildren, Liuba and Petro Haluschak. This important event gathered a lot of people who wanted to learn more about the youngest son of Ivan Franko – a well-known teacher, a leading specialist in Ukrainian physical education, theoretician and practitioner of the gymnastics and sports movement in Galicia, public, cultural, educational, military and political activist, writer and journalist Petro Franko. The event was moderated by Andrii Sova, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor of Ivan Boberskyi Lviv State University of Physical Culture.
At the event there was discussed such an important aspect as the formation of Petro Franko’s worldview, his pedagogical work, creative heritage, and military activities. It is important that photos, documents and other things from the private archive of the Halushchak family were also shown.
«Petro Franko is the youngest son of Ivan Franko. From an early age, he was a very inquisitive, interesting, active boy. He conducted chemical experiments, had the ability to learn foreign languages, and loved sports. He took many traits from his father, because he was also a writer, translator, and scientist who patented 36 milk processing inventions. We have preserved a description with a drawing of one of these inventions. I remember an interesting episode when, after reading the novel «Boryslav Laughs», he approached his father – Ivan Franko – and said that the text was not finished. In response, he heard that he could add it himself if he wanted. That’s what he did, so it was he who finished it and published in 1930», said Liuba Halushchak, granddaughter of Petro Franko.
The military and political activities of Petro Franko were also discussed at the event. The Legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, the ZUNR, the Galician Army – these are all different formations in which he actively took part. The grandson of Petro Franko, Petro Halushchak, shared stories about this.
«My grandfather has really come a long way, because he started in the legion of Ukrainian Sich Riflemen, distinguished himself in the battles on Mount Makivka and in many others. Many facts from this period of his life are not known for sure. Also, no one mentions the participation of Petro and Taras Franko in the defense of Lviv. At that time, Petro had already held a high military rank and commanded one of the fronts. After all, at that time, Lviv was divided into four fronts, approximately as our whole Ukraine is now – into northern, southern, western and eastern. So, he commanded one of these sections of the front. Regarding participation in the Ukrainian Galician Army, I have a special attitude to these events, because my second grandfather also served there during the First World War. He was familiar with Petro Franko and told me a lot about him.
Petro Franko is called the founder of the aviation of the Galician Army. He himself made a number of sorties, got into accidents, was shot down, there is even information that he was captured in enemy territory. There are different versions about this».
