Prosvita Activities in Volyn During the Interwar Period

Abstract

After the end of World War I, as a result of the collapse of the Habsburgs and the Romanovs empires, new states appeared on the map of Europe, or rather those that restored their independence. This attempt was made by Ukrainians too. However, for internal reasons and the influence of external factors, Ukraine as a sovereign state did not take place. Bolshevik Russia took most of its territory, later creating the USSR, which supposedly should represent the federation entity of independent states, but in fact was the same totalitarian Russia as it was during the Romanov monarchy. The part of Western Ukraine lands fell under the domination of neighbouring countries. In fact, the above said also refers to the western part of the historical Volyn, which during the interwar two decades was the part of Poland. Now it is Volyn, Rivne and part of Ternopil Oblasts of Ukraine. Taking into account what is happening now, the author would like to dwell briefly on the activities of Ukrainian educational organizations of the time in Volyn. In particular, the Prosvita (Enlightenment), which in the time of Austria-Hungary originated in Galicia and extended its activities to other Ukrainian lands. The Polish authorities of Volyn saw in the Prosvita the threat to Polonization of the region, and tried to restrict its activities, and subsequently promoted the formation of a loyal Volyn Ukrainian Association, which could replace the banned Prosvita. However, the majority of residents of the province were Ukrainians and the VUA essentially continued the work of the Prosvita, although formally using other methods. It should be noted that with the beginning of World War II and the incorporation of Western Volyn into the USSR, the authority of the latter, guided by the principles of its political and ideological doctrine, eliminated here not only Polish domination, but also fundamentally destroyed social and cultural organizations, both Ukrainian and Polish, that have stopped the development of the civil society for decades.