Correspondence between Volodymyr Hnatiuk and Hiiador Strypskyi as a source of personal cooperation

Abstract

The relevance of this publication lies in the recognition that private epistolary heritage is a crucial source for comprehensive historical research. It is an indispensable component for both a broader understanding of the historical context of events and for a deeper exploration of the biographical data of historical figures. This publication aimed to characterise 23 handwritten letters written by the Transcarpathian scholar H. Strypskyi to the Lviv ethnographer V. Hnatiuk, as well as to analyse the themes of the letters and the socio-cultural issues discussed therein. To achieve this goal, general historical and special methods of historical research were used, namely: critical and comprehensive methods of source analysis, historical-comparative, and biographical. In this publication, based on the processed letters, the ways of cultural unification of Ukrainians in the Austro-Hungarian Empire were analysed, in particular, book trade, joint cultural events, organisation in Transcarpathia reading rooms, concerts, and the collection of manuscript sources. The process of establishing personal contacts between scholars has been explored. Based on the analysis of the letters, the linguistic assimilation of Transcarpathian Ukrainians by the Hungarian authorities has been examined. The study also analyses the spread of Moscophile ideas and the concepts of political Ruthenianism in Transcarpathia, which hindered the rapprochement of the local population with Ukrainians across the Carpathians and ultimately led to the suppression of national revival in the region. The correspondence between V. Hnatiuk and H. Strypskyi, who maintained a warm and friendly relationship, is presented as a prime example, not only of personal ties but also as a source for studying the social atmosphere and cultural-educational situation of Ukrainians in the Habsburg monarchy. This research holds practical value as its materials can be utilised both in academic investigations and in the teaching of regional history at universities and schools