Svitlenko Serhii

Centennial anniversary of T. H. Shevchenko in Kyiv 1914: Public against the imperial power

Section: History and culture through the prism of biographical study

Abstract: The purpose of the research is the historical reconstruction of the process of preparation, progress and results of the anniversary Shevchenko commemorations in Kyiv in 1914 in the context of public opposition to the imperial regime. The methodology of the research is based on a systematic approach, the principles of science and historicism, the use of historical-genetic, historical-systemic and historical-typological methods. The scientific novelty consists in the updating of published and archival documents, materials of the Ukrainian press, memories of contemporaries and the study of the process of public struggle against the Russian imperial forces for the celebration of the 100-year anniversary of Shevchenko in Kyiv in 1914, in the systematic examination of its preparation, the protest movement against the prohibition policy and determining consequences. Conclusions. The initiative in preparation for T. H. Shevchenko’s anniversary in Kyiv belonged to the progressive public, and the work of the Shevchenko Anniversary Commission became the tool of the preparatory process. Preparation for the Shevchenko anniversary caused systematic bans by the imperial forces at the highest state, regional and local levels. This led to the liquidation of the jubilee commission in Kyiv. During February 25-26, 1914, mass protests took place on the streets of Kyiv in the form of demonstrations, strikes, distribution of proclamations, and singing in honor of T. H. Shevchenko. The most active were students of higher educational institutions, representatives of Ukrainian, Russian, Jewish student progressive and radical branches of public organizations and political parties. In support of the commemoration of the anniversary, Kyiv workers announced strikes. Peaceful demonstrators in Kyiv were prevented by the police and mounted Cossacks, and the Black Hundreds staged anti-Shevchenko demonstrations, provocations, fights and riotous actions. Demonstrators, whose ranks included Ukrainians, Georgians, Russians and Jews, were subjected to mass detentions and arrests. The February events in Kyiv had considerable publicity in society, contributed to the consolidation of conscious Ukrainianism, and the growth of Ukrainian national consciousness.

Keywords: Shevchenko’s memorials, historical memory, mass public protest actions, Russian imperial regime, Ukrainian national consciousness, Ukrainian nation building.

  Full-text PDF    https://doi.org/10.15407/ub.25.283     Citation

• Svitlenko Serhii (Active member of the Shevchenko Scientific Society, Member of the National Union of Local Historians of Ukraine, Dnipro, Ukraine, [email protected]) ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3313-9036

Cite:
Svitlenko Serhii (2024). Centennial anniversary of T. H. Shevchenko in Kyiv 1914: Public against the imperial power. Biographistica Ukrainica, (25) 283-308. (In Ukrainan). https://doi.org/10.15407/ub.25.283

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