ОСВІТНЬО-ПРОСВІТНИЦЬКА ДІЯЛЬНІСТЬ ЛЕВА ЯСІНЧУКА У ТАБОРОВИЙ ПЕРІОД УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ ЕМІГРАЦІЇ (1944–1949)

Abstract

The article reveals the educational and enlightening activities of the well-known Ukrainian educator, cultural and public leader in Halychyna Lev Yasinchuk in the so-called camp period of the Ukrainian emigration (1944–1949). During 1944–1949 L. Yasinchuk was in one of the Austrian camps for displaced persons, the so-called DP camps in Innsbruck. In the middle of 1940s according to various data more than 21 thousand of the Ukrainians were concentrated in the three western occupation zones of Austria, and they were natives, both from the Western Ukrainian lands and Dnieper region, and the representatives of all classes, strata of the Ukrainian society of that time – intellectuals, workers, peasants, etc. Despite their relatively short period of the existence, these camps became the centers of social, political and spiritual, cultural activity for emigrants, specific mini-societies with their inherent camp culture, which left its mark on the way of the life of the Ukrainian communities even after their settlement in new countries. The author lays the focus on L. Yasinchuk’s describing the different aspects of the Ukrainian emmigrants’ life in the Austrian camps, analyses his participation in organizing the mother-tongue schools, educational actions and activities, conducting the extensive propagandizing activity on disseminating the idea of a native school in the emigrant community. The paper singles out the educator’s merits in establishing together with other Ukrainian activists in Innsbruck the cultural and support society “Brotherhood of Saint Andrew ”, which in addition to providing financial assistance, has energetically developed in many aspects the cultural, educational, literary and artistic, religious life, active publishing activity. The activity of L. Yasinchuk as an inspector of the Ukrainian schools that functioned in the Ukrainian camps under the patronage of this society is covered. The article reveals the content of L. Yasinchuk’s publications in the “Svoboda” magazine, in which the author informs the Ukrainian emigrants in the USA and Canada about the position of displaced persons in the post-war camps of Germany and Austria, appeals to the Ukrainian public and church societies, individual influential leaders with the request to provide the financial assistance, and to support the education etc. Key words: Lev Yasinchuk, Austria, displaced persons, Ukrainian emigration. camp life, national school, charity actions.