Ukrainian archaeologists and museumists under soviet pressure: mid 1920th

Abstract

Listen

Translate article

The objective of this research is to show the forms and methods of influence of the soviet totalitarian regime on Ukrainian archaeologists and museumists in mid 1920th. Soviets aimed at total control over the society from the very beginning of its foundation in Ukraine. Soviets were openly opposed to intellectuals. It was especially drastic in Ukraine as the majority of Ukrainian intellectuals were active participants in the Ukrainian revolution. Also, total control was established over the particular intellectuals, who were known for their opposition to the new regime. Ideological pressure was active during the period of «Ukrainisation» in the 1920th. From the beginning of the regime’s foundation in the 1920th, repressive authorities were trying to control the intellectuals. For this «seksots» were used, and people recruited among intellectuals or «inserted» there. From 1923 and beyond this system was evolving – informers were reporting as to the political views of professors and students, packages of information were formed about those, where notes of informers were saved. PolitBureau CPU has been considering multiple cases against Ukrainian intellectuals and their representatives. In 1923–1925th there were forced resignations of directors and employees of the most important museums of soviet Ukraine. In that period resigned the director of the All-Ukrainian museum named after T. Shevchenko M. Bilyashivskii, Arts Museum of VUAN M. Makarenko, Poltava regional museum M. Rudnytskiy, D. Yavornytskii in Katerynoslav was under pressure as well. The grounds for dismissal were connected to unproper performance of duties: unproper storage of artifacts, and mismanagement. Also, the ground of insufficient «proletatrisation of museums» was used – thus the dismissals were on ideological grounds. In the middle of 1920th there were a couple of types of pressure on museumists and archaeologists: administrative, criminal, and ideological, which are not uncommon in the repressions period. All that took place when the web of informers among the intellectuals was formed with the aim of control and influence. Key words: archaeologists, museumists, 1920th, soviet regime, М. Makarenko, D. Yavornytskii, M. Bilyashivskii, M. Rudnytskiy.