From the Memoirs of Uliana Lubovych (real name Ulna Starosolska, Lviv, 1912 – New York, 2011):
“Sokil-Batko Square in Lviv—on weekdays, it is alive with sports training, games, and exercises; on holidays, it hosts athletic competitions, dugout ball matches, tackles, or dance performances by schoolchildren, as well as Plast’s spring celebrations. Whether it’s a regular day or a festive occasion, the square is a vibrant meeting place, attracting not only sports enthusiasts but also those who simply come to watch. The atmosphere is one of joy, enthusiasm, and fun. What a perfect place for young people to gather!
Today, a celebration is taking place. Tall rows of schoolchildren march across the square to the sound of a brass band. Spectators either watch from the sidelines or stroll along the dusty paths beyond the ramparts surrounding the square. Near booths selling cold drinks and ice cream, groups of children gather excitedly. Meanwhile, young people—girls and boys—form lively clusters, glancing at the marching schoolchildren before wandering off, tossing jokes back and forth like balls in play, laughing as their witty remarks are skillfully returned.”
— Uliana Lubovych, I Will Tell You About Kazakhstan: Essays from My Experience. Winnipeg-Toronto: New Way Publishing House, 1969. P. 86.
The event captured in the image takes place at the stadium of the Ukrainian Sokil-Batko, likely during the third and final Regional Sokil gathering in 1934. The first Ukrainian gymnastic society, Sokil (Sokil-Batko [Father Falcon]) was founded in Lviv on February 11, 1894. The model was the charter of the Czech Sokol (1862, founded by Miroslav Tyrš). The goal of the society was fostering national unity, strength, and dignity among Ukrainians while also promoting endurance, agility, entrepreneurship, and discipline. Beyond gymnastics, Sokil placed significant emphasis on firefighting and tourism. The society’s first chairman, serving until 1900, was the renowned architectural engineer Vasyl Nahirnyi. By 1900, Sokil had expanded its activities across Galicia, leading to the emergence of independent Sich societies, which in 1912 united to form the Ukrainian Sich Union. Lviv hosted the first regional congress of Sokil-Batko in 1911, followed by the second in 1914—known as the Shevchenko Congress—which brought together 12,000 members of Sokil, the Ukrainian Sich Union, and Plast for a massive demonstration. This congress took place in Sokіl-Batko Square, a site acquired in 1910. To ensure Sokil-Batko had its own stadium in Lviv and remained independent of Polish authorities, the society purchased the Tor Cyklistów (cycling track) in Stryiskyi Park and transformed it into a sports complex. The newly built “Ukrainian Garden” cost 133,855 Austrian crowns and measured 190 m x 120 m. It featured a 160 m x 70 m soccer field with a 270-seat grandstand, three tennis courts, athletics tracks, and a 400-meter bicycle track.