Re: inteview with a Rusyn

Subject:

Comments:
: The guy is a radical with little real following or political backing. There is no reason to pay any attention to Dr. Turjanica (not a Ukrainian or "Rusyn" name by the way)because it's meaningless drivel with no popular support (votes). In effect his is an organization with few followers possibly Russian extremists incapeable of launching political attacks in an overwhelmingly Ukrainian Transcarpathian Ukraine (aka Carpathian Ukraine). : : : Interview With Dr. Ivan Turjanica : : Chairman of Obscestvo Podkarpatskich Rusinov (The Society of Subcarpathian Rusins), : : Prime Minister of the Provisional Government of Subcarpathian Rus', and Professor at Uzhorod University : : : : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Interview and translation by Tom Trier, Rusin Association Member, January 26, 1995 : : copyright © 1995,1996 by the Rusin Association of Minnesota - all rights reserved : : : : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : : : Dr. Turjanica, we have heard of the Rusins' efforts to gain autonomy and even independence in Subcarpathian Rus'. As an important step in achieving this goal, a Provisional Government of Subcarpathian Rus' was set up in May 1993. Could you tell us about the background for the founding of the Provisional Government and a little about the current situation of the Rusins in Ukraine? : : The Society of Carpatho-Rusins has in collaboration with other nationality groups - Slovaks, Hungarians, Gypsies, Rumanians and Germans in our region - established a Provisional Government. We have taken every step to build up the state of Subcarpathian Rus'. As you know, our land was liquidated as a state unit by the Ukrainian government in 1946. The territory was divided between three neighboring states: Slovakia, Ukraine and Rumania, and the annexation took place according to an agreement signed on the 29th of June 1945, that is during the reign of Joseph Stalin. It was also in 1945, the Rusin nationality was abandoned. Nevertheless, our nationality is known worldwide today. But the new Ukrainian Republic does not recognize our nationality. As Rusins today we are not allowed to speak our native language, we do not have an official newspaper, no Rusin television or radio, and no schools. Ukraine continues the genocide against the Rusin nation. We fight to establish the historic justice and to rebuild our historic land: Subcarpathian Rus'. : : How would you characterize the relations between the Subcarpathian Provisional Government and the official Ukrainian government? : : The official Ukrainian government ignores us completely. As you probably know, on December 1, 1991, a regional plebiscite took place in the Transcarpathian region. In spite of Kravchuks position as Chairman of the Supreme Soviet in Kiev, he arrived here in Uzhorod to destroy our way to autonomy personally. The Ukrainian government put strong pressure on the population, and the regional power, the National Council of Transcarpathia, was also hard pressed. Kravchuk made use of the local authorities to devalue the importance of the plebiscite and a range of national-chauvinistic activities were initiated from Western Ukraine. Eventually the plebiscite was carried out and 78% of our population voted for autonomy in the region. This in spite of the fact that Kravchuk changed the designation from autonomous region to "a special self-governing territory", within the republic of Ukraine. People were very surprised about this when they showed up to give their vote. Likewise, the present leader of Ukraine disregards our right to self-determination. In 1994, before he was elected president, I met Leonid Kuchma, who promised that as soon as he would be president, he would do all in his might to allow the region to carry out its autonomous status. But he has not done anything - Kuchma and Kravchuk as well as the other Ukrainian leaders are in favor of legalizing the criminal political process initiated by Stalin. They want to continue the genocide of the Rusin population. As far as I am concerned, I work as a professor of biochemistry at Uzhorod University and teach in Russian, since I am prohibited to teach in my native language. All the time I am threatened with dismissal if I do not begin teaching in Ukrainian. The policy of assimilation continues - a policy based on the national-chauvinistic policy of the Ukrainian leaders. The imperialism continues, as well as the false creation of Ukrainian history. : : Why don't the Rusins of Subcarpathian Rus' try to get influence on politics through active participation in the Ukrainian parliament elections? : : The matter is that we do not want to take part in the official elections. We believe that we are not a part of Ukraine. And because we are occupied, we cannot be active in Ukrainian elections. I have been standing for election to the parliament in Kiev, but I did so only in order to get an opportunity to make the press deal with our problems. Afterwards I resigned from the election campaign, even though I might have been elected. We do not wish to build our Rusin state within the framework of a foreign republic. The agreement of annexation was entered into by the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia. Ukraine has no connection with this issue. But on January 22nd, 1946, after two years of military occupation of our land, our state was liquidated by the Ukrainian Supreme Soviet. When Ukraine requested the USSR to ratify the annexation, the Soviet Union agreed. During this process of liquidation some members of the Rusin government fled to Czechoslovakia. But the greater part were sent to Moscow and killed there. President Voloshyn did not want Carpatho-Ukraine to become a part of Ukraine. Therefore he died in Moscow. And finally in 1946, our state had been liquidated. : : What is your approach to the regional (oblast) parliament and governmental body - the 51 member Transcarpathian National Council of People's Deputies? : : We are not opposed to the work of local organs. This is different from running for elections to the parliament in Kiev. Thus there are several Rusins in the Regional Council of Transcarpathia. I am also a deputy to the Council. The result of the 1991 plebiscite was confirmed by the Council on May 30, 1993. The Council decided that our region not only in theory, but also in practice should begin operating as a self-ruling territory. There is a law now, stating that the decision of the people should be carried out. But only a few members of the Council are ready to follow up on this decision. There is a strong pressure on each of the regional deputies. The greatest pressure is directed toward influential members such as factory managers, directors of university facilities, etc. Therefore, nothing is being done to realize this legal matter. Even though we have sever problems with the Ukrainian authorities individually, there are 8 deputies to the Regional Council, who overtly state that they are Rusins, no matter how hard they are pressed. The others are afraid. They can loose their jobs. The Commissioner of Police in Chust, who is also a deputy to the Transcarpathia Council, has lost his job for saying that he is a Rusin. However, before the Plebiscite, 20 deputies gave their votes for autonomy. At that time I alone was in favor of independence. Today 20 members favor independence. : : How are your relations to Ukrainian organizations in Subcarpathian Rus'? : : The problem is that the Ukrainians refuse to recognize our status as a distinct people. The Ukrainians argue that they are not part of the Russian people, even though they have been living with the Russians for 1,000 years since Kievska Rus'. The Rusins have never been part of Kievska Rus', or Russia or Ukraine. We belong to Europe. If we look back, our first state was the White Croatian principality, which was part of greater Moravia. Later our land was incorporated into the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. We have never been part of neither Kievska Rus' nor Russia. I would like to say to the Ukrainian nationalists" For 347 years Ukraine has been with Russia. It was the Ukrainian leader, Bohdan Chmelnytsky, who built the Russian land. There were numerous small principalities and Chmelnytsky united them. Now Ukrainians want to forget that they have been living with the Russians for such a long time, and that they have so much in common with the Russians in the past. We Rusins have been in the Soviet Union for only 48 years, and in Ukraine for 49 years. Hence there are no historic reasons to justify that we are part of Ukraine or Russia. : : Do you fear that the lack of Ukrainian lack of recognition of the Rusin nationality can lead to violent confrontations in the future? : : For 1,000 years nobody has been killed by Rusin hands, neither Germans, Rumanians, Ukrainians or Russians. If we can look 1,000 years back in history and see that nobody has been killed, we should know that in the future Rusins are not going to kill anyone. This is also the reason we have improved the collaboration between nationalities in Subcarpathian Rus', a joint work by nationalities, which maintains our Provisional Government. It is most important for us to have close ties with all national groups in our region. The real drama is that all these nationality groups are under great pressure from the Ukrainian government. We appeal to the Western World to boycott Ukraine - to press Ukraine to recognize our land and people. I hope and believe that we will achieve sovereignty in the future. : : : : -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- : : Editor's note: To date, nothing has really changed : : : : : I agree that the rights of Hungarians and all other minorities should be adhered to, and they would be in a truly democratic country free of mafia. However, in this country even Ukrainians' culture and language are oppressed, what can we say about others(except Russian)? While some forces in this country are truly trying to reform the system, others want to preserve things the way they are now, because they are benefitting from it. It's a kind of struggle within. Right now, the latter are definitely stronger and control the government, while the former enjoy support of majority of Ukraine's population. Kind of weird, since the government is supposed to represent people... : : : Anyway, the referendum means as much to these people as they want it to mean... And from what I know, Rusyns in Zakarpattia seem not overly concerned about the authonomy issue, and generally agree they aren't a separate nationality. : : : : Dear Cojo, : : : : First of all I would like to thank you that you responded to my message in English. I see this as a sign of willingness to communicate with others. I understand this is a very emotional issue for you and for all those who suffered under communist/Russian opression. I really understand that becasue Hungarian ans German population in my area suffered a lot from the Russians. Just to mention one example, in 1944 all men from the age of 18 up to 60 were taken away to work in mines and other places. They were meant to be destroyed. one third of them never returned. I remember the times when we were together with the local Ruthenians and Ukranians against the Russian cultural and economic opression. And we voted together for the independent Ukraine hopeing that our co-sufferers would help us to achive our cultural goals to. So we voted for autonomy for our region (Transcarpathia) which was sent to the hell of bureucracy and has never been achived. Year by year we experience similar signs of aggression (limitation of communal ethnic rights) to those we both suffered under communism. You are right the the Ukranian people have the right to reclaim their identity. You are also right that every ethnic gourp belongs the the political nation of the Ukraine. Nevertheless not to the cultural nation of the Ukraine. I want that to be respected. I am not saying all the languages sould be state languages. I am saying though that at local levels all the major ethinc groups shoul be allowed to use their languages. The Ukrainian authorities do not seem to be willing to grant that right. And if we look for people who can help us to grant that right we only find the Russian people. This is a dirty political fight. But at the moment ther seems to be no better solution. : : : : I also agree with you that this is not the most importan issue right now in the Ukraine. There are very serious economic problems to be solved. Nevertheless not being able to use your own language in the offices, in which most people cimmunicate in the region, is a source of frustration. : : : : THird, I have to correct you about the USA. In some of the Southern stated Spanish is the second official language. There are many contries wehere up to some levels people can use theri own language even if it is not identical with the language of the main ethnic group of the country. I hope this will help a bit to see how I see this whole debate. : : : I don't think I mentioned USA anywhere, but in US the situation is entirely different in that nothing is capable of threatening the positions of English as the dominant language in the country. : : : : Zsolt : : : I know lots of Zakarpatian people. Yes they do have their own language but they all LOVE UKRAINIAN. They don't have problem with this language and none of them wants to speak RUSSIAN. : : : So I don't know who is paying you to say all this PROPOGANDA.(maybe Russian Nationalists) : : : PUJ DO HYZHI:-) : : : : : : : : : : : : : Thanks for your comment even though I expected an explanation from the one who wrote it. In fact I think what you wrote tells more about you than the comment. Acctually I think the comment is rather sensless and only makes sens to those who share the same assumtion. Here is some chronology for Subcarpathia. I will let you draw the conclusions. : : : : 6th - 7th cent Carpathian Rus' sparsely settled by Slavic tribes know as the White Croats. : : : : 862-863 Byzantine-Greek missionaries, Cyril and Methodius, believed to bring Christianity to Rusyns south of the Carpathians on their way to Greater Moravia. : : : : 898-903 Magyar tribes cross the Carpathians and defeat the Slavic Prince Laborec' at Uzhorod (Hungvar) : : : : 899 Creation of the eparchy of Przemsyl, perhaps by the disciples of Cyril and Methodius, which brought Christianity to the Lemko Region. : : : : 992 Kievan Rus' principality of Galicia begins to expand its influence over the eastern part of the Lemko Region. : : : : 1030's-1050's Hungarian Kingdom begins to establish its authority over the Rusyn inhabited region south of the Carpathians. : : : : 1340's Galicia and the eastern Lemko Region incorporated into the kingdom of Poland : : : : 1396 Prince Fedir Korjatovyc of Podolia settles in Mukacevo and later establishes the Orthodox Monastery of St. Nicholas on Monk's Hill. : : : : Ca. 1440 First Orthodox bishops for Carpatho-Rusyns begin to reign from Mukacevo. : : : : 1595 Union of Brest creates the Uniate church in Poland, including the Lemko Region. : : : : 1646 Union of Uzhorod creates the Uniate church in Hungary, including Subcarpathian Rus' and the Presov Region. : : : : 1692 Orthodox Eparchy of Przemysl joins the church union with Rome. : : : : 1698-1699 Appearance of the first printed books for Carpatho-Rusyns; the Primer (Bukvar) and Cathecism (Katychyzis) of Bishop Joseph de Camillis. : : : : 1703-1711 Carpatho-Rusyns join the unsuccessful rebellion of the Hungarian Prince of Transylvania and lord of Mukacevo, Ferenc Rakoczi II, against the Austrian Habsburg rule : : : : 1733 The last Orthodox bishop of Maramaros county dies and the remaining Orthodox parishes in Subcarpathian Rus' join the church union with Rome. : : : : 1745 The first Carpatho-Rusyns move to the Backa(Vojvodina) region and settle in Ruski Kerestur. : : : : 1771 Creation of an independent Greek Catholic Eparchy of Mukacevo, whose seat is moved to Uzhorod in 1780. : : : : 1772 The Austrian Habsburg Empire annexes Galicia (including the Lemko Region) from Poland. : : : : 1777 Creation of the Greek Catholic Eparchy of Krizevci. : : : : 1778 Establishment of the Greek Catholic Theological Seminary in Uzhorod during the "golden age" of Bishop Andrij Bacyns'kyj. : : : : 1818 Creation of the Greek Catholic Eparchy or Presov. : : : : 1830 Publication of the first grammar of the Carpatho-Rusyn language by Mychal Luckaj. : : : : 1847 Publication of the first school primer of the Carpatho-Rusyn language by Aleksander Duchnovyc. : : : : 1848 Serfdom abolished among Carpatho-Rusyns and other peoples in the Austrian Habsburg Empire. : : : : 1849-1850 Creation of the Uzhorod military district in Hungary with an administration staffed mostly by Carpatho-Rusyns. : : : : 1850 Establishment of the first cultural organization for Carpatho-Rusyns, the Presov Literary Society headed by Aleksander Duchnovyc. : : : : 1867 Appearance of the first Carpatho-Rusyn newspaper published in the homeland, Svit (Uzhorod). : : : : 1872 First railroad lines cross Carpatho-Rusyn territory: Uzhorod connected to rest of Hungary; the L'viv-Budapest line crosses the Lupkiv pass. : : : : 1880's The beginning of massive immigration to the United States, continues to World War I. : : : : 1891 Father Alexis Toth of Minneapolis joins his Greek Catholic parish with the Russian Orthodox Church and begins "the return to Orthodoxy" movement in the United States. In 1994 he is consecrated as St. Alexis by the Orthodox Church in America. : : : : 1892 Establishment of the oldest Rusyn organization in the United States, the Greek Catholic Union, and its newspaper, the Amerikansky russky viestnik. : : : : 1897 Earliest institute for Lemkos, Rusyn Boarding School (Ruska Bursa), opened in Nowy Sacz. : : : : 1906 Appearance of the first book in the Vojvodinian-Rusyn language, a book of poems by Gabor Kostel'nik. : : : : 1911 Appearance of the first Lemko-Rusyn newspaper, Lemko (Nowy Sacz). : : : : 1914 World War I breaks out in August; by October, the Lemko Region is occupied by tsarist Russian troops. : : : : 1914-1915 Deportation of almost the entire Lemko-Rusyn intelligentsia by Austrian authorities to the Talerhof concentration camp near Graz. : : : : 1916 Vatican creates separate administration for Greek Catholics from the Hungarian Kingdom in the United States. : : : : 1917 May League for the Liberation of Carpatho-Russia established in New York City. : : : : 1918 July 23 American National Council of Uhro-Rusyns established in Homestead, Pennsylvania. : : : : 1918 Oct. 31 Austria-Hungary collapses; republic established in the Hungarian empire. : : : : 1918 Nov. Several national councils form during the next three months throughout Carpathian-Rus' and call for unification with either Hungary, Russia, Czechoslovakia, or Ukraine. : : : : 1918 Nov. 12 American National Council of Uhro-Rusyns call for unification of Carpathian-Rus' with Czechoslovakia. : : : : 1918 Nov. 24 Rusyns in the Backa (Vojvodina) join a Serb-dominated national congress at Novi Sad and declare their unity with the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (Yugoslavia). : : : : 1918 Dec. 5 Lemko-Rusyn Republic proclaimed in Florynka, headed by Jaroslav Kacmarcyk; lasts until March 1920. : : : : 1918 Dec. 21 Hungarian republic creates the autonomous region of Rus'ka Krajina with its seat in Mukacevo, headed by Oreszt Szabo. : : : : 1919 May 8 Central Rusyn National Council in Uzhorod votes to unite Carpatho-Rusyn lands with Czechoslovakia. : : : : 1919 July 2 Establishment of the first cultural organization for the Vojvodinian Rusyns, the Rusyn National Education Society. : : : : 1919 Sept. 10 Treaty of St. Germain recognizes unification of Rusyns south of the Carpathians with Czechoslovakia with guarantees for the "widest possible autonomy". : : : : 1919 October Establishment of the first University department of Rusyn studies, the Chair of Rusyn Language and Literature at the University of Budapest. : : : : 1920 The Rusyn American Gregory Zatkovyc appointed first governor of Subcarpathian Rus'. : : : : 1923 Publication of the first grammar in the Backa (Vojvodinian)-Rusyn language by Gabor Kostel'nik. : : : : 1924 Creation of the Pittsburgh Ruthenian Greek Catholic Exarchate in the United States. : : : : 1929 January Establishment of the Lemko Association of the United States and Canada, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. : : : : 1929 February Vatican decree, Cum Data Fuerit, on celibacy and church property causes internal revolt among Greek/Byzantine Catholics in the United States. : : : : 1929 Appearance of the first Vojvodinian-Rusyn newspaper, Ruski novini (Novi Sad) : : : : 1931 Orthodox Eparchy of Mukacevo-Presov established under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Church. : : : : 1933 Establishment of the first civic organization for Lemkos in Poland, the Lemko Association (Sojuz). : : : : 1934 Lemko Apostolic Administration created for Greek Catholics in the Lemko Region; publication of the first Lemko-Rusyn elementary schoolbooks by Metodij Trochanovskij. : : : : 1938 Sept. 19 Creation of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church (Johnstown Diocese). : : : : 1938 Oct. 11 First autonomous government of Subcarpathian Rus' is created, headed by Andrej Brodij. : : : : 1938 Oct. 26 Second Subcarpathian autonomous government created, headed by Avhustyn Volosyn; in November, province renamed Carpatho-Ukraine. : : : : 1939 On March 15, Carpatho-Ukraine declares its independence; it is immediately invaded and annexed to Hungary. : : : : 1941 Establishment of the first scholarly organization for Carpatho-Rusyns, the Subcarpathian Scientific Society in Uzhorod. : : : : 1944 Apr-May Over 100,000 Jews deported from Subcarpathian Rus' to Nazi German death camps. : : : : 1944 Sept.-Oct Soviet Army drives Germans and Hungarians out of Subcarpathian Rus' : : : : 1944 Nov. 26 National Council meets in Mukacevo and calls for unification of Subcarpathian Rus' (Transcarpathian Ukraine) with the Soviet Union. : : : : 1944 Dec. Orthodox Eparchy of Mukacevo accepted into the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). : : : : 1945 March Ukrainian National Council established to represent the political interests of Carpatho-Rusyns in the Presov Region (Slovakia). : : : : 1945 June 29 Czechoslovakia ceded Subcarpathian Rus' to the Soviet Union. : : : : 1945-1946 Nearly 150,000 Lemko Rusyns and 12,000 Presov Region Rusyns forcibly and voluntarily emigrate to the Soviet Ukraine (Ternopil Region). : : : : 1947 In April and May, nearly 35,000 Lemko-Rusyns deported forcibly to western Poland (Silesia) and northern Poland as part of the Vistula Operation. : : : : 1949 On August 28, the Greek Catholic Church is abolished by the Soviet Authorities in Transcarpathia/Subcarpathian Rus'. : : : : 1952 Ukrainian nationality policy implemented in the Presov Region by a decree of the Slovak Communist party; Cultura; Union of Ukrainian Workers (KSUT) established. : : : : 1956 Ukrainian Socio-Cultural Society (UKST) established in Poland, the only legal organization in which Lemko Rusyns are allowed to preserve their heritage. : : : : 1968 Greek Catholic Church restored in Czechoslovakia in June; attempts to restore other Rusyn institutions aborted in the aftermath of the Soviet led invasion on August 21. : : : : 1974 Vojvodina region receives wide-ranging autonomy within Yugoslavia; Rusyns are designated on of the regions five official nationalities. : : : : 1978 Carpatho-Rusyn Research Center established in the United States : : : : 1983 The first Lemko-Rusyn cultural festival (Vatra) held in Czarna, Poland, the Rusin Association of Minnesota is established. : : : : 1989 April The Lemko Association is established for Lemko-Rusyns in Poland. : : : : 1989 Sept. Legal status restored to the Greek Catholic Church in Soviet Transcarpathia. : : : : 1989 Nov. 17 The end of Communist rule in Czechoslovakia; one week later Rusyns in the Presov Region create an initiative group for political and cultural change. : : : : 1990 February The Society of Carpatho-Rusyns is established for Rusyns in Subcarpathian Rus' (Transcarpathia). : : : : 1990 March The Rusyn Renaissance Society is established for Rusyns in Slovakia. : : : : 1990 October The Society of Friends of Subcarpathian Rus' is established for the Czech Republic. : : : : 1990 Dec. The Rusyn Matka Society is established for Vojvodinian Rusyns in Yugoslavia. : : : : 1991 March The first World Congress of Rusyns held in Medziloaborce, Slovakia. : : : : 1991 Dec. 1 Independence of Ukraine confirmed; over 78 percent of the inhabitants of Transcarpathia vote in favor of autonomy for their region. : : : : 1992 May The Organization of Rusyns in Hungary is established. : : : : 1992 Nov. The first Rusyn Language Congress is held in Bardejovske Kupele, Slovakia. : : : : 1993 January The Institute of Rusyn Language and Culture established in Presov, Slovakia. : : : : 1993 May The second World Congress of Rusyns is held in Krynica, Poland; a provisional government for an autonomous republic of Subcarpathian Rus' is formed in Uzhorod. : : : : 1995 January Rusyn literary language for Slovakia is codified and proclaimed before government, state and academic officials in Bratislava