THE CZECHOSLOVAK REPUBLIC AND ITS FIRST PRESIDENT IN THE ASSESSMENTS OF M. SLAVINSKY

Abstract

The article is devoted to the perception of the Czechoslovak Republic and the personality of its first president, T.G. Masaryk, by the famous Ukrainian socio-political, cultural and educational figure Maksym Slavinsky (1868-1945). The research methodology is based on the study and critical analysis of M. Slavinsky's official addresses to the top leadership of Czechoslovakia, his interviews and publications about T. G. Masaryk, essays on international relations and other political journalism. The use of the research principles of historicism, scientific objectivity and systematicity contributed to the study of the peculiarities of M. Slavinsky's perception of the Czechoslovak Republic and the figure of its first president, T. G. Masaryk. The author of the article notes that one of the priority objects of study for Ukrainian emigrants in the interwar period was the Czechoslovak Republic and the figure of its first president T. G. Masaryk. To a large extent, this is explained by the unique support of the authorities of this country for the cultural needs of Ukrainian refugees. In their writings, teaching staff and students of educational and cultural-scientific institutions established in the Czechoslovak Republic repeatedly paid attention to various aspects of T. G. Masaryk's activities, thus expressing gratitude to the Czechoslovak Republic and its leader for their support. It was noted that the peculiarity of the coverage of this topic by M. Slavinsky was that he touched it not as a scientist, but as a statesman, being in 1919-1923 the head of the Extraordinary Diplomatic Mission of the Ukrainian People's Republic in the Czechoslovak Republic, in 1923-1939 - as an emigrant. It was established that as the head of the diplomatic mission of the Ukrainian People's Republic and later as an emigrant, M. Slavinsky evaluated the figure of T.G. Masaryk from the point of view of his political successes. A certain glorification is noticeable in the assessments of the president of Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovak Republic was mentioned in the context of a successful state-building experience, in particular, its democracy, political consolidation of the country, peaceful foreign policy were noted. He assessed the attitude towards Ukraine as neutrality, noted Prague's support for Ukrainian military emigration. The high evaluations of the Czechoslovak Republic were not determined only by the diplomatic tact of the representative of Ukraine. They reflected the serious domestic and foreign political achievements of the young state. As an emigrant, M. Slavinsky did not change his high assessment of the Czechoslovak Republic and its first president, he emphasized their support for the cultural life of Ukrainian emigrants. However, after the destruction of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1938-1939, M. Slavinsky mentioned the unresolved national issue and stated the problems of the country's foreign policy orientation.