Ukrainophilia
Encyclopedia
Ukrainophilia is the love of and/or identification with Ukraine
and Ukrainians
; its opposite is Ukrainophobia. The term is used primarily in a political
and cultural
context. "Ukrainophilia" and "Ukrainophile" are the terms used to denote pro-Ukrainian sentiments, usually in politics and literature. Ukrainophilia was severely persecuted by the imperial Russian government. Ukrainian-language books and theater were banned.
in the first half of the 19th century, among Polish writers of the so-called "Ukrainian school" and later among ethnic Poles in Ukraine, who wrote poems and songs in the Ukrainian language
. The Ukrainophile movement also developed among ethnic Ukrainian intellectual
s in the Russian Empire
and Galicia in the second half of the 19th century. Ukrainophiles sought to preserve and develop the Ukrainian language
, literature
and culture. They called for the introduction of the Ukrainian language in Ukrainian schools and the autonomy from the Russian Empire
, that would allow for national self-determination of Ukrainians
and free development of Ukrainian culture.
Ukrainophilia in the 19th century included various degrees of intensity, from the simple love of one's people all the way to passionate nationalism and independence.
The Ukrainophile movement in Russian literature led to the publishing of books and textbooks in the Ukrainian language. Ukrainophile intellectuals published a number of journals: Osnova
in St. Petersburg (1861-62), Chernigovskiy Listok, Samostaine Slovo, Hromadnytsia, Pomyinytsia. They also sought to popularize the Ukrainian language by publishing pamphlets in Ukrainian. Ukrainophiles of the Russian Empire also created a network of Ukrainophile organizations, the most important of which were in St. Petersburg, Moscow
, Kiev
, Kharkiv
, Chernihiv
, Poltava
and Odessa
, which actively sought to organize Ukrainian-language instruction in schools.
After the Russian Empire crushed the Polish uprising of 1863
, the Russian government put intense pressure on the Ukrainophile movement (Valuyev Circular in 1863, Ems Ukaz
in 1876), but the movement continued flaring up, especially in early 1870s and late 1880s. After the movement was repressed, most of its members turned their attention away from political organizing to literary work, such as creating Ukrainian dictionaries, writing Ukrainian books, developing the discipline of Ukrainian studies
. During the Soviet period the Ukrainophile movement was characterized as a "burgeois-national" movement.
in Russia, North America and elsewhere. There are also invidual cases among non-Ukrainians, such as that of the famous French actor Gerard Depardieu
, who has said that he had fallen in love with Ukrainian culture and has spent a considerable amount of time in Ukraine.
Some European nations, notably Poland, are also quite Ukrainophile today, as Poland has become the closest Ukrainian ally in the EU. Canada has also shown Ukrainophile tendencies, owing in part to large Ukrainian diaspora. Canada, for example, was the first nation in the world to recognize national independence of modern Ukraine.
During the period of its modern independence, the nation of Georgia
has also become quite Ukrainophile. The study of Ukrainian language and influence of Ukrainian culture increased greatly. The Georgian president Saakashvili has even learned the Ukrainian language
and speaks Ukrainian when talking to Ukrainian news channels. This is due, in part, to increased Russian hostility, prejudice and discrimination against Georgians, and the corresponding rise in anti-Russian feelings in Georgia and rejection of Russian culture and language.
In the 90's many jewish people came from the former Soviet Union especially from Ukraine to Israel, the jewish people who adopted the culture's of the countries that they were in, felt very proud of the place's that they came from, even to this today Jews that came from Ukraine are still influenced by Ukrainian culture, such as language and food etc..
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
and Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
; its opposite is Ukrainophobia. The term is used primarily in a political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
and cultural
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
context. "Ukrainophilia" and "Ukrainophile" are the terms used to denote pro-Ukrainian sentiments, usually in politics and literature. Ukrainophilia was severely persecuted by the imperial Russian government. Ukrainian-language books and theater were banned.
History of Ukrainophilia
Ukrainophilia arose as a movement in PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
in the first half of the 19th century, among Polish writers of the so-called "Ukrainian school" and later among ethnic Poles in Ukraine, who wrote poems and songs 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....
. The Ukrainophile movement also developed among ethnic Ukrainian intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
s in the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and Galicia in the second half of the 19th century. Ukrainophiles sought to preserve and develop 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....
, literature
Ukrainian literature
Ukrainian literature is literature written in the Ukrainian language. Ukrainian literature had a difficult development because, due to constant foreign domination over Ukrainian territories, there was often a significant difference between the spoken and written language...
and culture. They called for the introduction of the Ukrainian language in Ukrainian schools and the autonomy from the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, that would allow for national self-determination of Ukrainians
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
and free development of Ukrainian culture.
Ukrainophilia in the 19th century included various degrees of intensity, from the simple love of one's people all the way to passionate nationalism and independence.
The Ukrainophile movement in Russian literature led to the publishing of books and textbooks in the Ukrainian language. Ukrainophile intellectuals published a number of journals: Osnova
Osnova
The Ukrainian magazine Osnova was published in 1861-1862 in St Petersburg. It contained articles devoted to life and customs of the Ukrainian people, including regular features about their wedding costumes and traditions...
in St. Petersburg (1861-62), Chernigovskiy Listok, Samostaine Slovo, Hromadnytsia, Pomyinytsia. They also sought to popularize the Ukrainian language by publishing pamphlets in Ukrainian. Ukrainophiles of the Russian Empire also created a network of Ukrainophile organizations, the most important of which were in St. Petersburg, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Kharkiv
Kharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
, Chernihiv
Chernihiv
Chernihiv or Chernigov is a historic city in northern Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Chernihiv Oblast , as well as of the surrounding Chernihivskyi Raion within the oblast...
, Poltava
Poltava
Poltava is a city in located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the administrative center of the Poltava Oblast , as well as the surrounding Poltava Raion of the oblast. Poltava's estimated population is 298,652 ....
and Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
, which actively sought to organize Ukrainian-language instruction in schools.
After the Russian Empire crushed the Polish uprising of 1863
January Uprising
The January Uprising was an uprising in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth against the Russian Empire...
, the Russian government put intense pressure on the Ukrainophile movement (Valuyev Circular in 1863, Ems Ukaz
Ems Ukaz
The Ems Ukaz, or Ems Ukase , was a secret decree of Tsar Alexander II of Russia issued in 1876, banning the use of the Ukrainian language in print, with the exception of reprinting of old documents. The ukaz also forbade the import of Ukrainian publications and the staging of plays or lectures in...
in 1876), but the movement continued flaring up, especially in early 1870s and late 1880s. After the movement was repressed, most of its members turned their attention away from political organizing to literary work, such as creating Ukrainian dictionaries, writing Ukrainian books, developing the discipline of Ukrainian studies
Ukrainian studies
Ukrainian studies - interdisciplinary field of research dedicated to Ukrainian language, literature, history and culture in a broad sense.- Ukrainian studies outside Ukraine :A number of research institutes outside of Ukraine focus on Ukrainian studies...
. During the Soviet period the Ukrainophile movement was characterized as a "burgeois-national" movement.
Ukrainophilia Today
Ukrainophilia exists among the Ukrainian diasporaUkrainian diaspora
The Ukrainian diaspora is the global community of ethnic Ukrainians, especially those who maintain some kind of connection, even if ephemeral, to the land of their ancestors and maintain their feeling of Ukrainian national identity within their own local community.-1608 To 1880:After the loss...
in Russia, North America and elsewhere. There are also invidual cases among non-Ukrainians, such as that of the famous French actor Gerard Depardieu
Gérard Depardieu
Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu is a French actor and filmmaker. He is a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, Chevalier of the Ordre national du Mérite and has twice won the César Award for Best Actor...
, who has said that he had fallen in love with Ukrainian culture and has spent a considerable amount of time in Ukraine.
Some European nations, notably Poland, are also quite Ukrainophile today, as Poland has become the closest Ukrainian ally in the EU. Canada has also shown Ukrainophile tendencies, owing in part to large Ukrainian diaspora. Canada, for example, was the first nation in the world to recognize national independence of modern Ukraine.
During the period of its modern independence, the nation of Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
has also become quite Ukrainophile. The study of Ukrainian language and influence of Ukrainian culture increased greatly. The Georgian president Saakashvili has even learned 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....
and speaks Ukrainian when talking to Ukrainian news channels. This is due, in part, to increased Russian hostility, prejudice and discrimination against Georgians, and the corresponding rise in anti-Russian feelings in Georgia and rejection of Russian culture and language.
In the 90's many jewish people came from the former Soviet Union especially from Ukraine to Israel, the jewish people who adopted the culture's of the countries that they were in, felt very proud of the place's that they came from, even to this today Jews that came from Ukraine are still influenced by Ukrainian culture, such as language and food etc..