Peter Savaryn

Peter Savaryn
CM
6th President of the World Congress of Free Ukrainians
In office
1983–1988
Preceded byIvan Bazarko
Succeeded byYuri Shymko
Chancellor of the University of Alberta
In office
1982–1986
Preceded byJean Beatrice Forest
Succeeded byTevie Miller
Personal details
Born(1926-09-17)September 17, 1926
Zubrets, Second Polish Republic (now in Ternopil Oblast, Ukraine)
DiedApril 6, 2017(2017-04-06) (aged 90)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Political partyProgressive Conservative
SpouseOlga Prystajecky
Alma materUniversity of Alberta
OccupationLawyer
Military service
Allegiance Germany
Branch/service Waffen-SS
Unit SS Galizien

Peter Savaryn CM (September 17, 1926 – April 6, 2017) was a Ukrainian-born Canadian lawyer. During World War II, he belonged to the Waffen-SS Galician Division, part of the SS military wing of the Nazi Party.[1][2] The Waffen-SS, a branch of the Nazi elite corps SS under Heinrich Himmler, systematically took part in crimes against humanity in Eastern Europe in the wake of Operation Barbarossa, the Yugoslav campaign (1941—1945) and the extermination (concentration) camps, which were guarded by SS personnel.[3] Savaryn was among the approximately 2,000 Waffen-SS Galicia fighters allowed to immigrate to Canada, who would have done so under false testimony.[4]

Savaryn arrived in Canada in 1949, and attended the University of Alberta (B.A. 1955, LLB 1956). Savaryn was a partner in the law firm Savaryn & Savaryn. He was married to Olga (Olya) Prystajecky (1951) with whom he had three children. He served as Chancellor of the University of Alberta from 1982 to 1986 and was involved with the university Board of Governors and Senate.

Savaryn was the president of the Ukrainian World Congress, at the time called the World Congress of Free Ukrainians, from 1983 to 1988.[5] He was also president of the Progressive Conservative Association of Alberta and vice-president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.[6][7]

Savaryn was awarded an honorary degree in 1987 from the University of Alberta, and was also awarded Order of Canada the same year. He died on April 6, 2017.[8] In 2023, after international scrutiny and outrage when the Canadian government honoured fellow SS Galician veteran Yaroslav Hunka, the Governor General of Canada Mary Simon expressed "deep regret" for Savaryn's award of the Order of Canada in a response to an enquiry from The Forward magazine.[4]

  1. ^ Rudling, Per Anders (2012). "'They Defended Ukraine': The 14. Waffen-Grenadier-Division der SS (Galizische Nr. 1) Revisited". The Journal of Slavic Military Studies. 25 (3): 329–368. doi:10.1080/13518046.2012.705633. ISSN 1351-8046. S2CID 144432759.
  2. ^ "University of Alberta facing calls to return thousands more in donations connected to Waffen SS veterans". The Globe and Mail. October 2, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  3. ^ https://www.dhm.de/lemo/kapitel/der-zweite-weltkrieg/kriegsverlauf/waffen-ss
  4. ^ a b Golinkin, Lev (October 4, 2023). "Exclusive: Canada apologizes for honoring another veteran from unit that fought with Nazis". The Forward. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  5. ^ "UCC expresses condolences for Loss of Peter Savaryn - The Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) official website". www.ucc.ca. April 9, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  6. ^ "Peter Savaryn". HeRMIS. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  7. ^ "Peter Savaryn (1982-1986)". University of Alberta. Retrieved April 13, 2017.
  8. ^ "Peter Savaryn Obituary". The Edmonton Journal. April 8, 2017. Retrieved April 13, 2017.