Rusyns and Ukrainians in Czechoslovakia during the period from 1918 to 1938, were ethnic Rusyns and Ukrainians of the First Czechoslovak Republic, representing the two main ethnic communities in the most eastern region of Czechoslovakia, known during that period as the Subcarpathian Rus.
The region of Subcarpathian Rus was the economically poorest region of Czechoslovakia.[ citation needed ] In 1914, the region was referred to by one historian[ who? ] as "little more than a Magyar deer park". [1] Its people were wretchedly[ neutrality is disputed ] poor, having for centuries[ neutrality is disputed ] supplemented the meagre living the mountainous area afforded with seasonal agricultural labor and service in the Hungarian infantry.
Subcarpathian Rus was a hotbed[ citation needed ] of secessionist sentiment throughout the inter-war period. These were manifested by strong cultural and linguistic links with the Ukrainians, in the Soviet Union and interwar Poland. There were also calls for Ukrainian autonomy within the Czechoslovak Republic, and calls for the formation of a Lemko-Rusyn Republic on the northern side of the Carpathians, attempted to unite with this faction.
During World War I, Rusyn leaders had reached an agreement with Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk to secure autonomy to Subcarpathian region within a future Czechoslovak state. [2] The agreement received international sanction in the 1919 Treaty of Saint-Germain. The Paris Peace Conference had also stipulated earlier that year that Subcarpathian Rus be granted full autonomy and promised the territory a diet having legislative power in all matters of local administration. However, the constitution of 1920 limited the provision on autonomy, making reference to the requirements of the unity of the state. All legislation of Subcarpathian Rus was made subject to approval by the president of the republic, and the governor of Subcarpathian Rus was to be nominated by the president. As a result, even the constitutional provision for regional autonomy was never implemented; the regional diet of Subcarpathian Rus was never convened. The issue of autonomy became a major source of discontent. Other grievances included the placement of the western boundary—which left 150,000 Rusyns in Slovakia—and the large numbers of Czechs brought to Subcarpathian Rus as administrators and educators. Political life in Subcarpathian Rus was characterized by a proliferation of political parties and a diversity of cultural tendencies. All Czechoslovak political parties were represented, and a number of indigenous parties emerged as well. Of particular significance were the Ukrainophiles, Russophiles, Hungarians, and communists.
Ukrainophile and Russophile tendencies were strengthened by the large influx of émigrés following the war. [3]
The Ukrainophiles were largely members of the Eastern Catholic Churches and espoused autonomy within Czechoslovakia. [4] Some favored union with Soviet Ukraine. The Ukrainophiles were represented by the local Social democratcs and the National Christian Party led by Avgustyn Voloshyn. They were seen as more friendly towards the government. [3] [5]
The Russophile part of the population was largely Eastern Orthodox and also espoused regional autonomy. [3] They were organized politically in the Carpatho-Russian Labour Party of Small Peasants and Landless (KTP), led by Andrey Gagatko; the Agricultural Federation (AZS), led by Andrej Brody; and the fascist-style Fencik Party. [6] The Czechoslovak National Democracy was generally supportive of the Russophile movement, [5] [7] specifically the Russian National Party (RNP) and later the Russian National Bloc. [8] [7] In the 1929 election, the Russian National Bloc consisted of the RNP, AZS, KTP [9] and the Russian National Union of Vasil Fedak. [7] In the 1935 election, the "Russian Bloc" consisted of RNP and the Fencik Party. [10]
Hungarians populated a compact area in southern parts of Subcarpathian Rus. They were represented by the Unified Magyar Party, which consistently received ten percent of the vote in the region and was in permanent opposition to the government.
The communists, strong in the poor province, attempted to appeal to the Ukrainian element by espousing union with Soviet Ukraine. In 1935 the communists polled 25 percent of the vote in Subcarpathian Rus. The elections of 1935 gave only 37 percent of the Rusyn vote to political parties supporting the Czechoslovak government. The communists, Unified Magyars, and autonomist groups polled 63 percent. [3]
| Parties | 1924 | 1925 [11] | 1929 | 1935 [12] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russophiles | AZS | 8.3% | 11.7% | 18.3% | 14.9% | |
| KTP | 7.9% | 6.3% | 3.6% | |||
| RNP | 1.1% | 1.3% | 9.3% | |||
| Hungarians | MNP | 11.1% | 11.8% | 11.4% | 11% | |
| Others | 2.3% | 0.4% | – | – | ||
| Communist | 39.4% | 30.8% | 15.2% | 25.6% | ||
| Ukrainophiles | SDRPnPR | 8.3% | 7.4% | 8.6% | 9.6% | |
| RKhP | 4.4% | 3% | 3.4% | 2.4% | ||
| Czechoslovaks | RSZML | 5.9% | 13.9% | 29.1% | 19.6% | |
| Others | 0.5% | – | 2.8% | 2.8% | ||
Transcarpathia is a historical region on the border between Central and Eastern Europe, mostly located in western Ukraine's Zakarpattia Oblast.
Jews settled in this small region variously called Ruthenia, Carpathian Ruthenia, Sub-Carpathian Ruthenia or simply Transcarpathia as early as the 15th century. Local rulers allowed Jewish citizens to own land and practice many trades that were precluded to them in other locations. Jews settled in the region over time and established communities that built great synagogues, schools, printing houses, businesses, and vineyards. By the end of the 19th century there were as many as 150,000 Jews living in the region.
Carpatho-Ukraine or Carpathian Ukraine was an autonomous region, within the Second Czechoslovak Republic, created in December 1938 and renamed from Subcarpathian Rus', whose full administrative and political autonomy had been confirmed by constitutional law of 22 November 1938.
Zakarpattia Oblast, also referred to as simply Zakarpattia or Transcarpathia in English, is an oblast located in the Carpathian Mountains in west Ukraine, mostly coterminous with the historical region of Carpathian Ruthenia. Its administrative centre is the city of Uzhhorod. Other major cities within the oblast include Mukachevo, Khust, Berehove, and Chop, the last of which is home to railroad transport infrastructure.
Uzhhorod is a city and municipality on the Uzh River in western Ukraine, at the border with Slovakia and near the border with Hungary. The city is approximately equidistant from the Baltic, the Adriatic and the Black Sea (650–690 km) making it the most inland city in this part of Europe. It is the administrative center of Zakarpattia Oblast (region), as well as the administrative center of Uzhhorod Raion (district) within the oblast. Population: 115,449.
Mukachevo is a city in Zakarpattia Oblast, western Ukraine. It is situated in the valley of the Latorica River and serves as the administrative center of Mukachevo Raion. The city is a rail terminus and highway junction, and has beer, wine, tobacco, food, textile, timber, and furniture industries. During the Cold War, it was home to Mukachevo air base and a radar station.
Rusyns, also known as Carpatho-Rusyns, Ruthenians, or Rusnaks, are an East Slavic ethnic group from the Eastern Carpathians in Central Europe. They speak Rusyn, an East Slavic language variety, treated variously as either a distinct language or a dialect of the Ukrainian language. As traditional adherents of Eastern Christianity, the majority of Rusyns are Eastern Catholics, though a minority of Rusyns practice Eastern Orthodoxy. Rusyns primarily self-identify as a distinct Slavic people and they are recognized as such in Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, and Slovakia, where they have official minority status. Alternatively, some identify more closely with their country of residence, while others are a branch of the Ukrainian people.
Carpathian Ruthenia was a region in the easternmost part of Czechoslovakia which in September 1938 became an autonomous region within that country. On 15 March 1939 it declared its independence as the "Republic of Carpatho-Ukraine"; however, on that same day it was occupied and annexed by Hungary.
Lemko-Rusyn People's Republic, often known also as the Lemko-Rusyn Republic, just the Lemko Republic, or the Florynka Republic, was a short-lived state founded on 5 December 1918 in the aftermath of World War I and the dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It was centered on Florynka, a village in the south-east of present-day Poland. Being Russophile, its intent was unification with a democratic Russia and was opposed to a union with the West Ukrainian People's Republic. A union with Russia proved impossible, so the Republic then attempted to join Subcarpathian Rus' as an autonomous province of Czechoslovakia. This, however, was opposed by the then governor of Subcarpathian Rus', Gregory Žatkovič.
Galician Russophilia or Moscophilia was a cultural and political movement largely in the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, Austria-Hungary. This ideology emphasized that since the Eastern Slavic people of Galicia were descendants of the people of Kievan Rus' (Ruthenians), and followers of Eastern Christianity, they were thus a branch of the Russian people. The movement was part of the larger Pan-Slavism that was developing in the late 19th century. Russophilia was largely a backlash against Polonisation and Magyarisation that was largely blamed on the landlords and associated with Roman Catholicism.
The Second Czechoslovak Republic, officially the Czecho-Slovak Republic, existed for 169 days, between 30 September 1938 and 15 March 1939. It was composed of Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia and the autonomous regions of Slovakia and Subcarpathian Rus', the latter being renamed Carpathian Ukraine on 30 December 1938.
Russian National Autonomous Party was one of political parties of ethnic Rusyns in Second Czechoslovak Republic. It was founded by Štepan Fencik, just ahead of the 1935 Czechoslovak parliamentary election, in March 1935 in Mukachevo. Fencik was elected to parliament. The party published Nash puť.
The Autonomous Agrarian Union, abbreviated AZS was a political party in Czechoslovakia, which fought for autonomy for Subcarpathian Rus' within the Second Czechoslovak Republic. The party was founded as the Subcarpathian Agrarian Union. The party published Russkij vestnik. It was represented in the Czechoslovak parliament by Ivan Kurtyak(ru).
Parliamentary elections were held in Czechoslovakia on 27 October 1929. The Republican Party of Farmers and Peasants, emerged as the largest party, winning 46 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 24 seats in the Senate. Voter turnout was 90.2% in the Chamber election and 78.8% for the Senate. The rightward shift of the 1925 elections was reversed, with moderate centre-left groups increasing their vote shares whilst the Communist Party suffered a set-back.
Elections for deputies to the Czechoslovak parliament from the Užhorod electoral district were held on 16 March 1924. Nine members of the Chamber of Deputies and four senators were elected.
The Eparchy of Mukachevo and Prešov was an Eastern Orthodox diocese (eparchy) of the Serbian Orthodox Church, that existed from 1931 to 1945. It had jurisdiction over regions of Slovakia and Subcarpathian Rusynia, at that time parts of former Czechoslovakia. Its seat was in Mukachevo.
The International Socialist Party of Subcarpathian Rus' was a political party in Subcarpathian Rus', eastern Czechoslovakia. The party was formed in March 1920, by supporters of the now defeated Hungarian Soviet Republic and prisoners of war having returned from Soviet Russia. The party was one of the forerunners of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.
Adolf Dobriansky was a public figure and leader of the Carpatho-Rusyn movement in Subcarpathian Rus', lawyer and writer.
In 1944 and 1945, the Red Army pushed out the Royal Hungarian Army and took control of Carpathian Ruthenia, also called Transcarpathia. In 1945 and 1946, the region was annexed by the Soviet Union from the (Third) Czechoslovak Republic, which the Allies considered to be the legal owner of the territory beforehand.