IMAGES OF RUTHENIA AND RUTHENIANS IN PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE OF POLISH ARISTOСRATS OF HALYCHYNA IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 19TH – EARLY 20TH CENTURY

Abstract

The private correspondence of women from Polish aristocratic families of the 19th century is a large independent group of sources that reflects the worldview, political and everyday ideas, and practices of their time. This article attempts to capture the «Ukrainian theme» in the daily communication of the families of Polish aristocrats in Halychyna. During the 19th century, the world of the Polish aristocracy remained isolated from the rest of the society by social barriers. The perceptions of women in this environment were determined by family traditions, among which historical myths and stereotypes about Poland’s civilizational mission in Eastern Europe played a significant role; conclusions drawn from communica- tion with politically active men from family and comradely environment, among which a dismissive and frivolous interpretation of Ukrainian prevailed as an «obstacle» to solving really important issues; their own observations and impressions from meetings with local Ruthenians, who were mostly reduced to domestic service, workers, and sometimes Greek Catholic priests. Mentions of Ukrainians in the pages of private correspondence of Polish aristocrats are rare. However, the study of a large array of it allows one to catch certain trends and model the main approaches. Among the most prominent themes related to Ukrainians were: romantic notions of the victorious past of Polish «defenders of European civilization» in the Ukrainian steppes; admiration for Ukrainian landscapes (Carpathians, Podillia, Southern Ukraine), part of which was the flavor of the local population; disdain attitude to Ukrainian culture, which stemmed from political prejudices and lack of knowledge of the language; less often – the desire to join the civilizational transformations of Ukrainian society. Far from real life by the walls of the manor, this image hid the possibility of great discoveries, which later had to make its bearers after the rapid destruction of the world familiar to them.