Open AccessBASIC DIRECTIONS, ASPIRATIONS AND DILEMMAS IN THE CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL AND NATIONAL LIFE OF THE RUTHENIANS IN YUGOSLAVIA (1945–1970)
Author(s) -
Janko Ramač
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
kiïvsʹkì ìstoričnì studìï
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2524-0757
pISSN - 2524-0749
DOI - 10.28925/2524-0757.2018.1.6373
Subject(s) - intelligentsia , ukrainian , national identity , communism , political science , diaspora , period (music) , ethnic group , the republic , sociology , newspaper , gender studies , law , media studies , politics , theology , philosophy , linguistics , physics , acoustics
After the end of the Second World War and the creation of the Federative People’s Republic of Yugoslavia (since 1963 the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia) the Ruthenians in the new state, although a small national community, could accomplish their national rights, among them the most important were: the right of gaining education in their native language; founding of cultural, educational and national organizations, the right to be informed and have publications in their native language etc. In the period after the war, as well as in the interwar period, the Ruthenian community encountered many dilemmas, opposing views and polemics concerning the basic issues on their ethnicity and national identity. The part of the Ruthenian intellectuals advocated of the Ruthenians as members of the Ukrainian nation, striving to establish stronger cultural, educational and national connections with Ukraine and Ukrainian Diaspora. On the other hand, a part of intelligentsia, which leaned on the authorities and the Communist Party, advocated a pro-Ruthenian attitude, claiming that the Ruthenians living in this region were autochthonous, special Slavic people and that they didn’t have their Motherland. Yugoslav authorities seemingly didn’t participate in the discussions and polemics between the two Ruthenian options, but nevertheless they supported the protagonists of the pro-Ruthenian orientation and favored the attitude that the Ruthenians didn’t have their Motherland. As the most signifi cant achievement of the Ruthenian community in Yugoslavia in that period was the education in the Ruthenian language in the eight-year elementary school, publishing of weekly newspapers, magazines, annual books — calendars, literary works, radio shows in the Ruthenian language, establishing cultural and artistic societies, drama clubs, music festivals etc. Another signifi cant success was establishing connections and cooperation with Ukraine and Ukrainians in Diaspora in the fi eld of literature, publishing, science and mass culture. Certainly, there was a rise and fall in that cooperation, mostly depending on the attitude of the authorities towards the concrete actions and their protagonists.