COMMEMORATION OF THE ANNIVERSARIES OF THE JANUARY UPRISING OF 1863 BY THE POLISH COMMUNITY OF L’VIV AT THE TURN OF THE 19th AND 20th CENTURIES (through the prism of L’viv polish journals)

Abstract

It is noted that at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the leading Polish circles of L’viv paid considerable attention to the formation and preservation of a high level of national consciousness and patriotism in Polish society. It is indicated that one of the tools for this was patriotic celebrations, among which the celebrations in honor of the January Uprising of 1863 occupied an important place. It is emphasized that the L’viv Polish community annually celebrated two dates related to this uprising: in August in honor of the members of the National Government executed by the Russian authorities, and in January, commemorating the day the uprising began. The January celebrations were of larger scale. They included memorial services, concert programs, and a patriotic gathering. It is noted that at first the organization of the celebrations was taken care of by Polish youth, and since 1898 by a specially created public committee. It was emphasized that public opinion very carefully controlled the level of patriotic celebrations and the involvement of numerous L’viv public in them. It was found that at the end of the 19th century a certain indifference of L’viv residents to the annual January celebrations was evident. This prompted the Public Committee to expand the circle of organizers of these celebrations and the area of their holding. It is indicated that the 35th, and especially the 40th and 50th anniversaries of the January Uprising were celebrated with great solemnity: services were held in all L’viv churches, grand processions through the streets of the city, concerts and patriotic gatherings. It is noted that at the beginning of the 20th century socialists joined the commemoration of the January Uprising, chanting left-wing slogans. Also, at times, the aggravation of Ukrainian-Polish relations and the general radicalization of attitudes in Galician society lest its mark on the course of the celebrations. Keywords: L’viv, January Uprising, Polish public, patriotic celebrations, memorial services, patriotism.