«Хай нас розсудить залізо і кров!» : начасність проблематики газети «Стрілець» (1919 р.)

Abstract

The history of creation and peculiarities of functioning have been studied, the thematic dominants of the front-line magazine «Strilets» have been emphasized, the editorial office of which often changed its location (according to the deployment of the Ukrainian army). The geography of the publication has been clarified: Ternopil–Stanislaviv–Stryi–Zalishchyki–Kamyanets-Podilskyi–Borshchiv–Kamyanets-Podilskyi, and it has been also examinated that for some time the newspaper was published under the changed name «Ukrainskyi Strilets». The relevance of the topic of the article has been substantiated – it proves the congruence of the topics and problems voiced by the magazine’s authors a hundred years ago with the dramatic realities of the modern Russian-Ukrainian war. The state of scientific development of the researched topic in modern journalism has been highlighted. Based on the analysis of the publications, the purpose of the press was revealed, which was primarily to deepen the national consciousness of Ukrainians during the war and to strengthen the authority of the Ukrainian army. Attention was paid to internal editorial aspects of the functioning of «Strilets», the circumstances of the change of editor-in-chief of the publication were disclosed. The most active authors of the newspaper were identified, their pseudonyms and cryptonyms were named. The main topics that most often worried the authors of the magazine are highlighted, including: the language issue that is still relevant today, in particular the need to nurture the native language and overcome the linguistic inferiority complex; the construction of an independent Ukrainian state and the unification of all Ukrainian lands from the Syan to the Don; combat achievements of the Ukrainian Galician Army (UGA); memories of the participants in the war events of 1918–1919, biographies of the heads of the UGA, etc. It is shown that thanks to a well-thought-out editorial policy and a well-chosen authorship, «Strilets» was supported by the military leadership and was popular among soldiers. It was found out that many problems that were raised in the military press a hundred years ago remain relevant to this day – Ukrainians are once again defending the independence of their state by military means. Key words: «Strilets» newspaper, army, Ukrainian state, editorial office, publication.