Formation and Activities of Rusin-Ukrainian Societies in the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in the Interwar Period
The article describes the formation and activities of Rusin-Ukrainian public organisations in the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in the interwar period, with a focus on the Rusin People's Society “Prosvita” (Novy Sad), “Domagoy” (Zagreb), the Ukrainian Student Community (Zagreb), the Ukrainian Community in Belgrade, etc. The author identifies the difficulties faced by the Rusin-Ukrainian organisations in their social life. The most common problem was the shortage of educated people, especially in rural areas. There were not so many members of the intelligentsia among immigrants: those educated people who emigrated to the Balkans settled in cities, where they usually worked in the local administration. Despite all the difficulties, the Rusin-Ukrainian social activites in the Yugoslav Kingdom lead to their image of a separate nation, seeking to restore their statehood, preserve their language and faith. The officials of the Kingdom began to form their stance on the so-called “Ukrainian question”, they had not heard of or misunderstood before. The cultural work organized by the Rusin-Ukrainian organisations improved their financial situation, which always remained relevant for migrants.