In the footsteps of the Rusyns in Europe: Ukraine, Slovakia, Serbia, Poland and Hungary.

The aim of this monograph is to present the current situation of Rusyns in those European countries where, according to official or estimated statistics, their number is the highest - Ukraine, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and Serbia. In presenting the situation of the Rusyn population in these countries, an attempt has been made to indicate the number of Rusyns in the countries under study and at the same time to point out the problems of obtaining accurate data on Rusyns. Another aim of the research was to find out what the main elements of Rusyn ethnic identity are - here, regardless of geographical differences, religious affiliation, or Byzantine rite (Catholic or Orthodox) stood out in the first place. The research also focused on the use of the Rusyn language and changes in its status, the possibilities of teaching the Rusyn language, and the interest in teaching it among the Rusyns themselves. In addition to these two main aspects of Rusyn identity, other key elements of Rusyn material and non-material culture were also investigated. Emphasis was placed on the use of primarily qualitative methods to refine the available quantitative data. The results presented in this publication are based on both field research and research with Rusyn respondents conducted remotely via electronic communication in 2014-2019. Although this is a five-year period, it is possible to compare the individual Rusyn communities in the five countries studied, at least in part, synchronically (i.e. here and now). Foreword ______________________________________________________ 4 1. Introduction ________________________________________________ 5 1.1. Rusyns ________________________________________________ 5 1.1.1. The formation of the Rusyn nation ______________________ 5 1.1.2. Rusyn statehood _____________________________________ 9 1.1.3. Numbers of Rusyns _________________________________ 12 1.1.4. Rusyns in America __________________________________ 22 2. Ukraine ___________________________________________________ 26 2.1. Introduction ___________________________________________ 26 2.2. Literary research ________________________________________ 27 2.3. Research conducted _____________________________________ 30 2.4. Brief historical overview _________________________________ 31 2.4.1. The earliest history and origins of the Rusyn nation ________ 32 2.4.2. From the Turkish invasion to the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire ____________________________________ 33 2.4.3. Subcarpathian Rus during the Czechoslovak Republic ______ 34 2.4.4. Transformation of Subcarpathian Rus into Transcarpathia ___ 49 History of Subcarpathian Rus on postage stamps __________________ 51 2.4.5. Geographical and conceptual definition from the 20th century to the present day _____________________________________________ 53 2.5. Identity of the inhabitants _________________________________ 55 2.5.1. Language _________________________________________ 57 2.5.2. Education _________________________________________ 62 2.5.3. Media ____________________________________________ 63 2.5.4. Religion and religious holidays ________________________ 64 2.5.5. Art and Architecture _________________________________ 71 2.5.6. Folklore traditions and costumes _______________________ 77 2.5.7. Revitalisation of cultural heritage ______________________ 84 2.6. Conclusion ____________________________________________ 88 3. Slovakia __________________________________________________ 93 3.1. Introduction ___________________________________________ 93 3.2. Literary research ________________________________________ 93 3.3. Research conducted _____________________________________ 96 3.4. History of Rusyns in Slovakia _____________________________ 97 3.4.1. World War II and the post-war period __________________ 100 3.5. The influence of the Greek Catholic Church on the Rusyn ethnic group 104 3.6. Identity in statistical surveys _____________________________ 112 3.7. The current situation of Rusyns ___________________________ 116 3.7.1. Language as an Element of the Ethnic Identity of Slovak Rusyns ________________________________________________ 116 3.7.2. Rusyn cuisine in Slovakia ____________________________ 121 3.7.3. Celebrating the holidays _____________________________ 122 3.7.4. Cultural activities of the Rusyn population in Slovakia _____ 129 3.8. Conclusion ___________________________________________ 134 4. Serbia ___________________________________________________ 136 4.1. Introduction ___________________________________________ 136 4.2. Literary research _______________________________________ 136 4.3. Research conducted ____________________________________ 137 4.4. Brief historical overview ________________________________ 138 4.4.1. Development of the number of Rusyns _________________ 146 4.5. Identity of the inhabitants ________________________________ 155 4.5.1. Religion __________________________________________ 156 4.5.2. Language _________________________________________ 163 4.5.3. Education ________________________________________ 169 4.5.4. Media ___________________________________________ 173 4.5.5. Social activities ____________________________________ 173 4.6. Conclusion ___________________________________________ 178 5. Poland ___________________________________________________ 180 5.1. Introduction ___________________________________________ 180 5.2. Literary research _______________________________________ 181 5.3. Research conducted ____________________________________ 183 5.4. Brief historical overview ________________________________ 183 5.4.1. Population development _____________________________ 195 5.5. Identity of the inhabitants ________________________________ 197 5.5.1. Lemko traditions and holidays ________________________ 203 5.5.2. Architecture ______________________________________ 213 5.5.3. Language _________________________________________ 223 5.5.4. Traditional costumes ________________________________ 226 5.5.5. Organisation ______________________________________ 229 5.5.6. Unclear identity ___________________________________ 232 5.5.7. Relations with the majority society ____________________ 234 5.6. Conclusion ___________________________________________ 236 5.7. Places with Lemko settlements in Poland ___________________ 238 6. Hungary _________________________________________________ 240 6.1. Introduction ___________________________________________ 240 6.2. Literary research _______________________________________ 241 6.3. Research conducted ____________________________________ 242 6.4. Brief historical overview ________________________________ 244 6.4.1. Hungary and national minorities ______________________ 244 6.4.2. Rusyns in Hungary _________________________________ 246 6.5. Identity of the inhabitants ________________________________ 253 6.5.1. Religion __________________________________________ 253 6.5.2. Celebrations and holidays ____________________________ 257 6.5.3. Language ________________________________________ 260 6.5.4. Education ________________________________________ 262 6.5.5. Media and associations______________________________ 263 6.5.6. Kitchen __________________________________________ 264 6.6. Conclusion ___________________________________________ 265 7. Summary ________________________________________________ 267 8. Literature and sources ______________________________________ 270 8.1. Ukraine ______________________________________________ 270 8.2. Slovakia _____________________________________________ 274 8.3. Serbia _______________________________________________ 276 8.4. Poland _______________________________________________ 277 8.5. Hungary _____________________________________________ 279 9. List of illustrations _________________________________________ 281 9.1. Tables _______________________________________________ 284 10. Table of Contents ________________________________________ 285 Kniha je syntetickým výkladem národotvorných procesů v Evropě 19. století. Snaží se zachovat rovnováhu mezi využíváním empirických poznatků a výsledky teoretických analýz moderních společenských věd. Miroslav Hroch. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 275-300) And Index.