ОСОБЛИВОСТІ СІЛЬСЬКОГОСПОДАРСЬКОЇ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ НІМЕЦЬКИХ ПОСЕЛЕНЦІВ ТА ЇХНІЙ ВПЛИВ НА ЕКОНОМІЧНИЙ РОЗВИТОК УКРАЇНСЬКИХ ЗЕМЕЛЬ В КІНЦІ XVIII – НА ПОЧАТКУ XX СТОЛІТТЯ

Abstract

The article compares the social composition of the first colonists on the South of Ukraine and in Volhynia based on the analyzed reasons and preconditions of the state policy of resettlement of foreigners in the middle of the 18th century. A connection is established between the German colonization of the South of Ukraine and the settlement of German settlers on the territory of Volhynia. The natural, climatic and geographical conditions on the South of Ukraine and in Volhynia became the basis for determining the main types of agricultural activity of the colonists. There are agriculture and animal husbandry among them. The agriculture of the German settlers on the South of Ukraine and in Volhynia differed in many respects which was determined by climatic conditions. The biggest differences were observed in the farming system as well as in horticulture and gardening. German colonists in Volhynia due to the similarity of geographical and climatic conditions with their historical homeland didn’t have to change their traditional farming system radically that allowed them to share Western agricultural traditions with the local population to the greater extent than on the South of Ukraine. Although primarily the agricultural activities of the German settlers on the South of Ukraine didn’t meet the expectations of the emperor due to difficulties caused by climatic conditions in the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries the colonists’ economic position strengthened which had a positive effect on the main types of their agricultural activities. Finally German colonists both on the South of Ukraine and in Volhynia actively contributed to the economic development of the regions.