Batiar
Encyclopedia
Batiar a popular name for a certain class of inhabitants of the nowadays Ukrainian city of Lviv
.
It is a part of the city's subculture, the Lviv's "knajpa" lifestyle, and became a phenomenon at the beginning of the 20th century although takes its roots somewhere in mid 19th. It declined after the Soviet occupation and following Soviet rules, although it seems to be recovering at the turn of the 21st century.
, some of its policemen were Hungarians and they brought the term to the local dialect from their native language.
Definition by the Encyclopedia Britannica:
and the majority of city's population was of Polish ethnicity. It was the name of lower-class inhabitants of Lviv (the "elite of Lviv's streets"). Batiars spoke their distinctive version of the Polish language
, which was called Bałak and was a variant of Lwów dialect
. A typical batiar in common imagination was usually financially challenged, but honest and generous urban citizen with a great sense of humor. Among most famous batiars, there were such names as radio personalities Kazimierz Wajda
and Henryk Vogelfänger
of the highly popular Wesoła Lwowska Fala radio show, as well as football star Michał Matyas, who played for Pogoń Lwów
and the national team of Poland.
The name is still in local use, but this time in the Ukrainian language
. Now batiars are the playboys of the Ukrainian Piedmont
, as Eastern Galicia is sometimes referred to, and are easily identified by exquisite manners, stylish attire, and an obligatory attribute of every batiar lyaska, a staff or a walking stick
.
(the Labor Day), the Day of Worker's Solidarity. Batiars also adopted the proletarian motto: Batiars of all countries unite!.
At the rise of batiar's culture the Lviv's Polish-Jewish poet Emanuel Szlechter wrote the lyrics to the song, very well known in prewar Poland, Tylko we Lwowie which became the anthem of batiars, and the accompanying music was written by another ethnic Jew the Polish-American Henryk Wars
(Henryk Warszawski). The Ukrainian repertoire of that song is performed by Yurko Hnatovsky
(in retro
-psychedelic
style) and Zosya Fedina.
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
.
It is a part of the city's subculture, the Lviv's "knajpa" lifestyle, and became a phenomenon at the beginning of the 20th century although takes its roots somewhere in mid 19th. It declined after the Soviet occupation and following Soviet rules, although it seems to be recovering at the turn of the 21st century.
Roots of the Term
Origins of the term are probably Hungarian, as while in 19th century Lviv was a part of Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, some of its policemen were Hungarians and they brought the term to the local dialect from their native language.
Definition by the Encyclopedia Britannica:
History
It became widely used when Lviv constituted a part of interwar PolandSecond Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
and the majority of city's population was of Polish ethnicity. It was the name of lower-class inhabitants of Lviv (the "elite of Lviv's streets"). Batiars spoke their distinctive version of the Polish language
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, which was called Bałak and was a variant of Lwów dialect
Lwów dialect
The Lwów dialect is a local variety of the Polish language characteristic of the inhabitants of the city of Lviv , now in Ukraine. Based on the substratum of the Malopolonia dialect, it was heavily influenced by borrowings from other languages spoken in Central Europe, notably German and Yiddish,...
. A typical batiar in common imagination was usually financially challenged, but honest and generous urban citizen with a great sense of humor. Among most famous batiars, there were such names as radio personalities Kazimierz Wajda
Kazimierz Wajda
Kazimierz Wajda , stage name Szczepko, was a Polish actor, comedian. He worked and lived in prewar Polish Lwów . Together with Henryk Vogelfänger he was a star of the radio comedy duo "Szczepko and Tońko", which was widely popular in Poland and abroad. Three movies were made also, along with...
and Henryk Vogelfänger
Henryk Vogelfänger
Henryk Vogelfänger , stage name Tońko, was a Polish actor. He worked and lived in prewar Lwów . Together with Kazimierz Wajda he was the star of the radio comedy duo "Szczepko and Tońko", which was widely popular in Poland.-Filmography:-External links:...
of the highly popular Wesoła Lwowska Fala radio show, as well as football star Michał Matyas, who played for Pogoń Lwów
Pogon Lwów
LKS Pogoń Lwów is a former Polish professional sports club which was located in Lwów , and existed from 1904 until the outbreak of World War II in 1939. It was the second oldest Polish football club behind other teams from Lwów - Czarni and Lechia...
and the national team of Poland.
The name is still in local use, but this time in the Ukrainian language
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
. Now batiars are the playboys of the Ukrainian Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
, as Eastern Galicia is sometimes referred to, and are easily identified by exquisite manners, stylish attire, and an obligatory attribute of every batiar lyaska, a staff or a walking stick
Walking stick
A walking stick is a device used by many people to facilitate balancing while walking.Walking sticks come in many shapes and sizes, and can be sought by collectors. Some kinds of walking stick may be used by people with disabilities as a crutch...
.
Quotes
A woman of a batiar could not have been called a batiarka, manners didn't allow. However, to become a batiar's koliezanka that was an honor for a dame.Cultural influence
The Batiar's Day in Lviv replaced the Soviet holiday of the 1st MayInternational Workers' Day
International Workers' Day is a celebration of the international labour movement and left-wing movements. It commonly sees organized street demonstrations and marches by working people and their labour unions throughout most of the world. May 1 is a national holiday in more than 80 countries...
(the Labor Day), the Day of Worker's Solidarity. Batiars also adopted the proletarian motto: Batiars of all countries unite!.
At the rise of batiar's culture the Lviv's Polish-Jewish poet Emanuel Szlechter wrote the lyrics to the song, very well known in prewar Poland, Tylko we Lwowie which became the anthem of batiars, and the accompanying music was written by another ethnic Jew the Polish-American Henryk Wars
Henryk Wars
Henryk Wars was a Polish and later American pop music composer. He wrote the music for 50 films in the interwar period in Poland and sixty more in the United States...
(Henryk Warszawski). The Ukrainian repertoire of that song is performed by Yurko Hnatovsky
Yurko Hnatovsky
Yuri Hnatovsky is a Ukrainian retro and jazz performer. His first album Snizhnist was released in 2006, featuring Yulia Lord.- Biography :Yuri Hnatovsky was born in Lviv...
(in retro
Retro
Retro is a culturally outdated or aged style, trend, mode, or fashion, from the overall postmodern past, that has since that time become functionally or superficially the norm once again. The use of "retro" style iconography and imagery interjected into post-modern art, advertising, mass media, etc...
-psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
style) and Zosya Fedina.
Batiars of XXI century
The Lviv urban subculture continues to develop with time trying out different styles. Among the most prominent representatives are Vova zi Lvova, Boys from Bandershtadt (1990s), and many others.Sources
- Witold Szolginia, Batiar and his balak (in Polish)
- Homo leopolensis essay from under the "microscope of pan Yurko"
- Defenition of Betyar by encyclopedia Britannica
- The Batiar's Day report by "UkrInform"
- Phenomenon of Lwow's "knajpa"
- Biesiady i Combry from Agencja Artystyczna (Ta-joj, Europo! - Biesiada Lwowska)
- Batiar's of the Ukrainian Lviv