Education
At the turn of the 20th century, there were only three universities for Ukrainians, at Kyiv, Lviv, and Chernivsti. If you were Cossack or Russian, they were open to all. If you were Jewish or Ukrainian or Polish, you would be allowed to apply, subject to quotas.
They were, nonetheless, places where some clever Ukrainian peasants could receive the gift of time to reflect, and the philosophical tools to think. Thinking is one of the things oppressive regimes cannot afford to allow people to do.The language of the universities was overwhelmingly Russian or Polish. In 1906, most courses at Lviv University were given in Russian. There were 185 Polish courses, 19 in Ukrainian, 14 in Latin, and 5 in German (Canadian Institute of Ukrainian Studies, 2001). You had to be a polyglot to survive at a university in your own country.
As a result of such obstacles, there were extremely few educated Ukrainians. Even a few intellectuals, however, can influence a great many leaders who filtered back into Ukrainian society with ideas of national self-determination and respect for one’s culture. Ukrainian teachers were a formidable force. Like the Church, an educated cadre was a chess piece carefully positioned. Its value would become apparent as the game progressed.