ORGANIZATIONS OF RUSYNS IN VOJVODINA
(20th century)
* Addresses present organizations in Vojvodina
Two and a half centuries ago, the empress of Austro - Hungarian monarchy decided to populate the region of Southern Hungary (nowadays Vojvodina,Yugoslavia). For various political reasons, people who were chosen to be moved to that piece of the swampy land, were "Ruthens of the united religion", that is Ruthens who's rite was eastern (orthodox), but who accepted union with the Catholic church.
For over 250 years, people who decided to find fortune far away from the place they had been born, presisted in poverty. They faced two epidemies of pleague, two World Wars, three Balkan Wars, and in finally, the Civil War in Yugoslavia. But none of the calamities has shaken their existance so seriousely, like divisions amongst themselves.
Up until 1945, Ruthens were strongly influenced by their church. Greek-Catholic Church was their educator, their hope and their only connection with their national roots. Connections were established in order to supply books and items needed for ecclesial purposes. The connections were very active between two World Wars.
Establishment of the first cultural organization for the Vojvodinian Rusyns, the Rusyn National Education Society was happend in July 2, 1919.
After 1945, when communists took power, church suddenly lost its meaning in public life of Ruthens. Moreover, intelligencia had to accept current trends, and raise generations to come, in atheism.
Society for Rusyn language and Literature was established in Novi Sad in1971.
In 1980, "Alliance of Ruthens and Ukrainians" was formed. Through his efforts, Ruthens restaured feeling of belonging to the Ukrainian nation. Alliance of Ruthens and Ukrainians of Yugoslavia clames that Ruthes who live in Vojvodina are from the Ukrainian origin, thus we should stick together with Ukrainians. Although there are some cultural and language differences between Ruthen population in Vojvodina and Ukrainians in Ukraine, one must take into account that these people were isolated from one another for 250 years. Vojvodina population of Ruthens speak differently than the Ukrainian population of Ruthens ( Transkarpathian Ruthens), Polish Ruthens, Hungarian Ruthens. Only Slovak Ruthens do speak like Ruthens in Vojvodina.
After fall of communism in 1988, another orgaization was formed. At
that point, all countries of Eastern Europe established democracy, and
people with simmilar problems ( Uhro-,Ruthen, Rusyn, Rusin, ...) started
looking for answers. Moreover, this kind of "onthological" problem
existed amongst Ruthen immigrants on the American Continent. "Ruska
matka" was formed in Ruski Krstur."Ruska Matka" says
that it is logical to stick to other people who call themselves "Ruthens",
"Rusyns", "Carpatho-Rusyns", ... According to this
organization, Ukrainian nation and Ruthens are two distinct entities.
For more informations about organizations:
Drustvo za ruski jazik i literaturu
(Society for Rusyn Language and Literature)
Vojvode Putnika 2
21000 Novi Sad
Sojuz Rusinoh i Ukrajincoh Juhoslaviji
(Alliance of Ruthens and Ukrainians of Yugoslavia)
21000 Novi Sad
Ruska Matka
(Rusyn Cultural Foundation)
Marsala Tita 59
25233 Ruski Krstur
tel. (025)