The Journal of V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. Series History

Foreword

2026-02-22T11:00:25+00:00

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The Closure of Churches in the Kharkiv Region During the Great Terror and on the Eve of the German-Soviet War (1937–1941)

2026-02-22T11:00:26+00:00

The paper aims to study the closure of churches and prayer houses in the Kharkiv region during the Great Terror and the period preceding the German-Soviet war. The relevance and the need for further research on the subject are highlighted, as an analysis of the national historiography shows its insufficiency (most scholars typically confine their analysis to the 1920s – mid-1930s, when the majority of churches and prayer houses in the country ceased to function). The article also reviews the source base of the study and its main components. The article examines the continuous closure by the totalitarian authorities of those few churches and prayer houses which still were open in the Kharkiv region despite the very difficult conditions in 1937–1941. In pursuing an anti-religious policy, the authorities actively used a whole arsenal of schemes and «proven» means to reduce the number of functioning prayer houses. The mass detention of clergy and members of church communities during the Great Terror facilitated the closure of churches by local authorities, who used the situation to act under various pretexts, with subsequent transfer of their premises to various «cultural institutions». After the Great Terror, the authorities widely resorted to social demagoguery for the same purpose, constantly referring to the «will» of the allegedly broad masses of voters when making relevant decisions. In order to close a church, the authorities often used the far-fetched pretext of the allegedly poor or dangerous condition of church buildings. Closed churches and prayer rooms were often demolished, and the building material was reused for the construction of other facilities. As a result of the pressure exerted on every religious denomination, only a few churches stayed open in the Kharkiv region before the German-Soviet war.

Reproductive Functions of Women, Pregnancy, and Childbirth in the Polish Natural History Literature of the 16th Century

2026-02-22T11:00:28+00:00

Polish Humanism flourished through most of the 16th century. That was a time of cultural, religious, and scientific revolution. New ideas spread rapidly in various fields of knowledge, including medicine. According to the beliefs of the era, diseases were treatable, and medicine was seen as a path to healing. Particular attention was now paid to women’s health. European cities began to employ midwives, alongside physicians, on a permanent basis. In the gamut of scientific and popular literature, botanical and medical treatises held a special place. In the 16th century, Polish-language herbals (initially compilations and/or translations) became popular in Poland. The first known original Polish herbal was a treatise by Marcin from Urzędów. Literature of this type was a Renaissance phenomenon, read most avidly by townsfolk. The humoral theory stayed in vogue and served as the foundation of almost every medical treatise. It was predominantly herbals that discussed women’s health at length. However, women were still regarded as inferior beings. In botanical and medical literature, the subject of women’s health was usually reduced to the reproductive functions. Diseases of genitals, successful pregnancies and miscarriages, childbirth, and infertility were addressed. Women were often blamed for the latter. To improve women’s reproductive health were recommended both various herbal remedies and suppositories, compresses, steam baths, thermal waters. Many recipes passed from one herbal to another. The extant sources are inconclusive on two important questions: 1) how often the advice given in the herbals was put to actual use; 2) if so, how effective it was. Whatever the answers are, this type of literature enjoyed great popularity among various social groups, including burghers.

Some Remarks on the Question of the Origin of Villages Owned by the Late Medieval Lviv

2026-02-22T11:00:30+00:00

The spatial and administrative dynamics of settlements with the status of a village is a fundamental component of rural history. In the ethnically Ukrainian part of the Kingdom of Poland (after the Union of Lublin — the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth), villages were divided into four categories. The vast majority belonged to magnates, middle and petty nobility. Some were owned by the both Churches, namely monasteries, hospitals, and the higher clergy. Still another group was in the royal domain. Finally, a small number of villages in the vicinity of self-governing towns were subject to town councils. Early modern documents allow one to find out which villages pertained to that last category. The ones in question were subordinate to the municipality of Lviv. It ought to be noted that the dates of their first mention are known to scholars. The villages of Zubrya and Sykhiv belonged to the Lviv town council, and those of Malekhiv and Sknylivok — to the monasteries of St. Lazarus and St. Spirit, respectively. Therefore the municipal government had indirect jurisdiction over the last two villages as well. Historians still don’t know why some of the lands granted to Lviv acquired the status of a village. The author argues that the large estates on the town’s periphery began to be called ‘village’ gradually and without any established reason. During the Late Middle Ages, each of them was referred to in the municipal documents differently: an estate, a manor, a property. The documents were written in Latin and German (whether it was Early New High German or Early New Low German, or both, is beyond the subject of the article), consequently the designations show even more variety. Unification came in the second half of the 16th century when the municipal chancery adopted Middle Polish.

Town Councils and Their Routine Activities in Volyn Governorate (Late 18th Century – Early 1860s)

2026-02-22T11:00:32+00:00

The paper sheds light on the process of formation of town councils and also on their main activities as the pivot of the county town governance in Volyn governorate. An analysis of the legislation and everyday practices of the Russian Empire allows the author to describe in detail how the centre tried to ensure interaction between its representatives and the townspeople. It is shown that the Charter to the towns (1785) in Volyn governorate applied only to the «privileged» county towns which were able to finance, to an extent, town council activities. St. Petersburg saw in municipal elections an important communication channel between town dwellers and governors. Provincial governments approved the results and thus legitimized elected officials. In the four privately owned county towns there were no councils of any kind. Such failure to comply with the basic law on municipal administration didn’t go unnoticed by the provincial government. When establishing town councils the imperial centre derived its guidance from two principles: election and estate representation. The ethnic diversity on the ground played an important part in formation of town councils as a branch of the judiciary. Only merchants, burghers, guild artisans, and «citizens» (persons recently demoted from petty nobility) enjoyed enfranchisement. The author proves that the town council was constructed by the imperial authorities which copied European models of governance in such a way so that some of urban social strata would take care of local affairs. Elected officials were accountable not to their voters but to the state apparatus, which controlled them and directed their efforts rather towards the raison d’état than their corporate interest. So the limited independence of urban estates seems quite evident.

Remembering in the Soviet Way: Workers’ Memoirs of the 1930s

2026-02-22T11:00:33+00:00

Propaganda and censorship were integral components of the Soviet society. Furthermore, such government programs as the industrialization significantly affected memory of the past and shaped the style and rhetoric of autobiographical narratives. The aim of this paper is to analyze the memoirs of Soviet workers published as a part of the 1930s campaign for writing histories of industrial facilities. For this, a particular case has been chosen: the memoirs of the miner Nikita Izotov, published in Kharkiv in 1934. They provide an illustrative example of a «proper» worker’s autobiography, including such obligatory elements as poor origins, the life before the October Revolution and the one after it, and, last but not least, education and miner’s work. The memoirs show how Izotov’s life story was used for constructing his image as a «new person» and a model for others — how one ought to speak about oneself, the country, and such crucial events as the February Revolution, «the Proletarian revolution», «the revolutionary movement». A strong emphasis was placed on the idea that an exemplary worker should not only work and study but also teach others. At the same time, the image of «the proper worker» was contrasted with the image of the enemy — «the counterrevolutionary», «the class enemy», etc. An analysis of these memoirs allows to draw parallels with memoirs of other workers, e.g. Alexei Stakhanov and Frédéric Legrand, published in the 1930s as well. Critical source analysis, historical-anthropological method, and historical-comparative method are employed. The novelty lies in the examination of 1930s memoirs as a tool of Soviet propaganda and fostering the Soviet identity. The conclusions demonstrate what it meant to “remember in the Soviet way», what had to be included in workers’ memoirs. In addition, the article names the reasons for which Izotov’s text was later criticized in another workers’ periodical. Placing the memoirs in the context of the campaign for writing histories of industrial facilities enables the author to reveal the purpose of such publications in the interwar period.

The Wives of Foreign Specialists in the Ukrainian SSR in the Early 1930s

2026-02-22T11:00:35+00:00

The paper considers the everyday life of the wives of foreign specialists who arrived in the Ukrainian SSR during the first five-year plan. It is based primarily on the memoirs of Antonia Rehman, the wife of an Austrian engineer, and the wife of Karl Schnittern, a German worker (her name is unknown). They lived in the socialist town of New Kharkiv, built to accommodate the staff of the Kharkiv Tractor Plant (hereinafter — KhTZ) in the early 1930s. The purpose is to analyze the contribution of such women to the circulation of knowledge and technology between the capitalist world and the socialist one. It is shown how the wives became accustomed to the space of a socialist town and Soviet consumption habits. The author describes their everyday resistance and actions within the framework of «permitted dissent». The quirks of the Soviet system of distribution of goods and services determined women’s everyday life. They learned the arts of Soviet shopping and Soviet communication. Enjoying an exceptional status in the Soviet society, foreigners tended to demand better service. Furthermore, certain standards of living had been promised to their husbands. The promises were partially fulfilled. Most foreign families had in-house kitchens. In contrast, the houses for Soviet workers were built to maximize «socialization of life». And yet, the Soviet system of distribution could not meet the expectations of foreigners. The author concludes that the allure of Soviet slogans crumbled under the weight of everyday life. Due to the hardships the wives prompted their husbands to terminate or not renew the contracts and return home. That was a significant factor in the transnational circulation of knowledge and technology during the first five-year plan. Thus, the study highlights the gendered dimension of Soviet modernization and shows how everyday practices influenced broader transnational exchanges.

Strategies for Overcoming Childhood Traumatic Memories: The Experience of World War II

2026-02-22T11:00:37+00:00

The paper examines the potentially traumatic impact of a war childhood on the behavioral patterns in the later adult life. The sources include interviews conducted by the author for the War Childhood Museum, following a trauma-oriented approach to collecting oral history. To illustrate the relevance of the children’s experience, the Museum’s ethical principles during the Full-scale invasion, and the methodological approach to exhibitions based on the interviews are described. The intergenerational effects of war trauma on both collective memory and individual psychology is emphasized. Scientific research shows that traumatic events affect several subsequent generations on a physiological level. On the one hand, a high degree of stress is harmful to a species; while, on the other hand, making it more resilient. Thus, denizens of Ukraine are being influenced not only by the current ordeal but also by the cumulative impact of past wars and disasters. Two narratives by respondents born before World War II on the outskirts of Kharkiv were chosen as the focal point of the analysis. The experiences of these two women and the circumstances of their lives are compared. Particular attention is paid to their relationships with the parents (especially — mothers) and the role adults played in their stories — whether as protectors or an additional source of danger. The narratives of Marfa and Vera, though different in tone, illustrate various ways of adaptation to a traumatic reality. Marfa dwells on her painful memories, while Vera tries to reinterpret hers in a positive light. In the context of the current war, this article, hopefully, will help to understand the challenges faced by Ukrainian children and their families, as it includes practical advice on adapting to the present circumstances.

Ukrainian–Russian Relations in the Memory Spaces of Ukrainian Cities (1991–2024)

2026-02-22T11:00:39+00:00

The article explores the dynamics of Russo-Ukrainian relations through the lens of urban memory spaces in Ukraine from 1991 to 2024. It is stated that memorials, monuments, street names, and cultural heritage sites have become pivotal arenas for representing and transforming narratives on those relations. The aim is to study the process of instrumentalization of memory spaces in shaping of a collective identity, emphasizing both their role in reflecting events and wider changes of their social impact. The article comprises examples that show how images of Russo-Ukrainian relations have adapted to significant geopolitical events represented in the memory spaces of Ukrainian cities. Particular attention is paid to the periods of heightened tension (2014 annexation of Crimea and the subsequent war in Donbas, the full-scale Russian invasion in 2022). These events catalyzed widespread processes of decommunization and decolonization, leading to the removal / recontextualization of Soviet-era monuments and street names. The article examines the impact of these transformations on the memory politics, highlighting the promotion of local and national narratives over imperial or colonial ones. The author aims to investigate the images of Russo-Ukrainian relations that are concentrated around the metaphors for «friendship», «brotherhood», «unity», «neighborhood» and their opposites — «hostility», «enmity», «rivalry», etc. The shifts from one metaphor to another in urban spaces are addressed.The author underscores the fluid nature of urban memory defined by a convergence of state policies, local initiatives, and public sentiments. Looking into specific cases from Kyiv, Kharkiv, Pereyaslav, and other cities, the article shows how these spaces serve as mirrors of historical memory and as tools of shaping collective consciousness amid the revision of Russo-Ukrainian relations.

The Jewish Theatrical Network in the Late Empire: “The Troupe Consists Solely of Jews… Resorting to the Use of Jewish Jargon” (1870s–1910s)

2026-02-22T11:00:40+00:00

The paper examines the formation of Jewish theater in the ethnically Ukrainian part of the Russian Empire in the late 19th and the early 20th century. Such a scope allows one to detach oneself from the imperial point of view and the hierarchies it created. Theatre as a spectacle has an old tradition, but in the long 19th century, together with society as a whole, imbued with modernity, it became more democratic. The theatre in the Ukrainian lands, as a reflection of their population, was multicultural: Ukrainian, Polish, Jewish, Russian, etc. The purpose is to consider Jewish troupes as active participants in the Jewish migration within the empire. Its main routes and nodes overlapped with those of the actors. An analysis of the theatrical network as a social group enables us to trace the routes, understand what facilitated the migration and what hindered it. The Pale of Settlement was a significant obstacle, imposing restrictions on everyone in the Jewish theater. The subject is addressed in the context of the Jewish theatrical history as a part of cultural, social and economic development of Ukraine. The presence of theatre in cities subsumed under the interaction between the community and the imperial bureaucracy, as well as Gentile compatriots. The emergence of professional theatre is considered in the context of rapid urbanization, as one of the modern responses to the crisis of the traditional culture. Theatre had a place in the Jewish tradition but challenged it by adopting Yiddish and transition from amateurism. The extent to which the conservative Jewish community was open to those changes indicates the level of its transformation. The Jewish theatrical experience coexisted with experiences of other ethnic communities in Ukraine. Cultural figures and intellectuals paid great attention to theatre. Its repertoire and reactions of the audience showed the relevance of certain themes, the severity of certain problems. The article will help to understand further cultural developments in interwar Soviet Ukraine, as ethnic theaters took an active part in the public life.

Organization of Social Protection in the Provincial Cities of Left-Bank Ukraine (Late 18th – Early 20th Centuries)

2026-02-23T21:55:42+00:00

The paper explores the development of the social welfare system in the provincial cities of Left-bank Ukraine from the late 18th to the early 20th century. The transformation of that system is considered both within the context of institutional changes in the Russian empire and that of modernization in Kharkiv, Poltava, and Chernihiv — the seats of the respective provincial governments. The prominent role of imperial authorities, local governments, and charitable entities in assisting vulnerable groups — orphans, the destitute, the elderly, and the disabled — is highlighted. The ways in which imperial policy shifts encouraged the establishment of welfare institutions — almshouses, shelters, workhouses, etc. — are described. The Office of the institutions of Empress Maria was the pivot of charitable activities fostered by the state and a model for philanthropy throughout the Russian empire. It is shown how urbanization and modernization advanced nongovernmental charities as well. Those charities tended to be multicultural and multidenominational. The contribution of municipal authorities at the turn of the 20th century is examined in detail with their support to existing welfare system and promotion of targeted assistance through parish and city guardianships taken as a focal point. The analysis of the dynamics of welfare in Kharkiv, Poltava, and Chernihiv allows the author to reveal regional differences in its availability and structure. The transition from basic relief efforts to collective social insurance through mutual aid societies, savings-and-loan associations, and pension funds is considered as well. The author concludes that the cooperation between public and nongovernmental entities played a crucial role in adapting the welfare system to the challenges of modernity.

“They Proved to Be More European Than Us”: Polish Engineers in the Industrial Centers of Eastern Ukraine (Later Half of the 19th–Early 20th Century)

2026-02-22T11:00:44+00:00

The data show that the economic development of Eastern Ukraine’s in the early 20th century was truly impressive. The region has been described on numerous occasions in such terms as «the highest pace of production and the best quality», «technological innovations», «technical modernization» and «highly developed in comparison with other industrial areas». That success was achieved by the hard work of many highly energetic and competent people, engineers featuring prominently among them. Engineering combines theory and practice, creativity and responsibility. This was the very essence of the Polish engineers in Eastern Ukraine of the period in question. Kazimierz Bukowski, Józef Dworzańczyk, Józef Krzywicki, Józef Krzyżanowski, Władysław Plenkiewicz, Kazimierz Chrzanowski, Ignacy Jasiukowicz — all of them left their mark on that land. Their contribution to the economic development of the Dnieper–Donets basin in the later half of the 19th century was undoubtedly quite significant, with the factories and mines they directed leading their respective industries and forming the economic foundation of Ukraine to this day. The sources allow us to imagine a general picture of the Polish engineer, quite an impressive one at that. Educated, decent, prudent, amicable, competent, proactive, innovative, caring for their families — as attested by those who worked with and under them in the region. Neither Soviet Marshal K. Voroshilov nor émigré engineer A. Fenin would compliment Poles unless they meant it. While certain typical Polish traits can be discerned in their entrepreneurial activities, the neutral / positive and highly professional stance of those engineers nurtured an economic boom environment at the factories they directed and in the industrial centers of Eastern Ukraine overall.

City at War: Kyiv and Kyivans in World War I

2026-02-22T11:00:52+00:00

The paper describes the life of Kyiv during the First World War — when a city behind the frontlines, a center of civil administration, acquired a new role as the hub for the war effort in Southwestern Land. Societal shifts such as population surge and appearance of military personnel, refugees, deserters, prisoners of war, and soldiers’ widows are discussed. Due to the intensification of hostilities, Kyiv began to house numerous military hospitals. The reasons for the evacuation of certain establishments — especially the university, colleges and secondary schools — in 1915 are addressed. It is noted how the war effort made leading factories to convert their production to military purposes, while the rest, running at a loss, were forced to close. The war affected the urban development, destroyed established patterns, ruined the city’s economy. The quality of life of most Kyivans decreased. At the same time the war tested Kyivans’ survival skills and their willingness to help vulnerable groups. People didn’t just rely on the state, but pooled their resources to support their compatriots. Ethnic solidarity meant much to the Kyivan Poles when they assisted evacuees from Congress Poland. The Kyivan Jewish community and that of Ukrainian intelligentsia also did their best to provide comfort to refugees (in the latter case — especially from the Austrian Galicia). During the wartime a new kind of citizen emerged — that with a social survival strategy, a distrust of the Russian empire and the enemy image it peddled. The protracted warfare and the decline in living standards it caused induced some Kyivans to disregard the social norms. The war made Ukrainians and Kyivans in particular more open to the coming political shifts, more ready to fight for their own identity and independence.

Change of Toponyms as Part of the Urban Space Transformation in Kharkiv (2015–2023)

2026-02-22T11:00:54+00:00

The paper explores the toponymic renaming in Kharkiv from 2015 to 2023 as one of the key aspects of urban space transformation within the context of decommunization and decolonization. The ideological urges — as well as other sociopolitical factors — that caused the changes are analyzed. The author shows how those who introduced the new names tried to reshape the city’s historical and cultural identity. Particular attention is paid to the legality of this process. The so-called Decommunization Law was crucial as a starting point fo the purge of toponyms inherited from the communist regime. Several entities were charged with that task. It was local authorities who primarily make such decisions (in Kharkiv — the city council). In the preparation of those decisions, the toponymic commission — despite its advisory role — is rather important as it drafts recommendations and gives its opinion. The aforementioned law and city council resolutions allow the author to identify three main stages of renaming. The first stage (2015–2016) comprises the most extensive changes in Kharkiv’s urban space, with hundreds of toponyms supplanted. That required historical reflection and active public involvement. The second stage (2016– 2022) was less consistent. Most of the change had been implemented, so the work focused on bringing more accuracy to the process, assigning names to new objects, and ferreting out remnants of the Soviet legacy. The third stage (2022–2023), triggered by Russia’s invasion in Ukraine, prompted a new wave of decolonization campaign. A large number of toponyms related to Russian culture and history were removed. In conclusion the author reflects on the multifaceted nature of renaming: toponyms can be seen as not only spatial reference points but also carriers of ideological and cultural impurity — and a hotbed of public debate.

The Winding Path of the Chariot of the Cossack Mars

2026-02-22T11:00:56+00:00

The author reviews the large comprehensive monograph by O. Sokyrko «Cossack Mars. The State and Army of the Cossack Hetmanate during the Military Revolution, 1648–1764». The significance of that work in the contemporary Ukrainian historiography is determined, its innovative character, as based on the military revolution concept by M. Roberts together with his followers and critics, is emphasized, the merits and controversies are noted, and the theoretical and practical benefits for the domestic reader are highlighted.

The Church on the Borderland

2026-03-02T13:55:34+00:00

The reviewed book is devoted to the process of creating the Bilgorod Eparchy, as part of those transformations that were aimed at organizing church life within the Bilgorod fortified line. Particular attention is paid to the appearance in these territories of the socalled «other» Orthodox, who were believers of the Kyiv Metropolis, and who came to these lands with their customs and peculiarities, determined by the reforms of Metropolitan Petro Mohyla and his successors. Accordingly, the author studies various aspects of the meeting of different church traditions and practices, in particular the attitude of church hierarchs to the Ukrainian population, the forms of interaction of new «colonies» with Kyiv. One of the important conclusions of the book is that the process of implementing Synodal reforms in the Bilgorod diocese had a pronounced «Kyiv character», which was especially evident in the «Little Russian» part of the diocese.

Soviet Material Culture and Its (Un)Seen Temporalities

2026-02-22T11:00:57+00:00

This review gives a summary of the edited collective volume and places it in the context of studies of Soviet material culture and time. The review highlights the main themes showcased in the book, such as material objects, space, communism, clothes and fashion, museums, accommodation, and architecture, all drawn together with the idea of time and its representation in material culture. While paying attention to insightful theoretical and methodological contributions by the editors and authors of the volume, the review invites readers to think further about the meanings of material objects and their temporality in geographically diverse regions of the Soviet Union in historical and contemporary contexts.

Conference “Social Experience, Religious Practices and Everyday Life in the Cities of Central and Eastern Europe in the Early Modern Period”

2026-02-22T11:00:58+00:00

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Serhiy Oleksandrovych Naumov (1958–2025)

2026-02-22T11:00:59+00:00

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