Historical Treasures: Customs Officials Seize Rare 1914 Newspaper Supplement

During the customs inspection of an international postal shipment from Odesa to the USA, Kyiv customs officials uncovered significant historical artifacts: the original supplement to the Ukrainian newspaper «Rada» dated February 25, 1914, and a postcard featuring a self-portrait of Taras Shevchenko, printed in 1946 in Austria.

The newspaper supplement was a commemorative edition celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the great poet. The «Rada» newspaper was published in Kyiv from 1906 to 1914 and played a crucial role in the cultural and political life of Ukrainians, managed by the patron Yevhen Chykalenko.

The postcard was created by Ukrainians living in Tyrol and Vorarlberg after World War II to honor the memory of the Kobzar.

The importance and cultural value of these artifacts have been confirmed by experts from the National Museum of History of Ukraine.

Both findings are limited-issue printed materials with significant cultural and historical value. A proper certificate for their export was not provided to customs officials.

As a result of the customs violation, a protocol was drawn up by the Kyiv customs under Article 473 of the Customs Code of Ukraine, and the cultural artifacts were seized. The case materials will be forwarded to the court.

Additional Information:

The secretary of the «Rada» newspaper, who managed all newspaper and editorial documentation from 1906 to 1907, was a young journalist named Symon Petliura. During the nation-building years of 1917-1921, the «Rada» newspaper was referred to as a school of civic and political development.

The postcard is a rare preserved example of foreign printing, attracting high interest among collectors and related to honoring the memory of Taras Shevchenko.