In this Dad Tangent, we explore what life was like when Ukraine was split between two very different empires: Russia in the east and Austria-Hungary in the west. It’s the 1800s, and depending on which side of the imperial border you lived on, your daily reality could be wildly different—laws, language, religion, and even your chances of publishing a poem without getting arrested.

We’ll dive into village life, schools, culture, and politics to see how two Ukraines developed side by side—and how those differences still echo today. One empire tried to erase Ukrainian identity, the other just sort of… tolerated it. Kind of.

It’s a history double feature—same people, different rules. Let’s unpack it!