West Ukraine Polonization
decree of first governor of wołyń (volhynia), jan krzakowski: on language in volhynian province , establishing polish official language in accordance 1921 treaty of riga after polish–soviet war in frontiers between poland , soviet russia had been defined. written in ukrainian
territories of galicia , volhynia had different backgrounds, different recent histories , different dominant religions. until first world war, galicia large ukrainian greek catholic population in east (around lwów), , polish roman catholics in west (around kraków), controlled austrian empire. on other hand, ukrainians of volhynia, formerly of russian empire (around równe), largely orthodox religion, , influenced strong russophile trends. both polish officials , ukrainian activists alike, distinguished between galician , volhynian ukrainians in political aims. there stronger national self-perception among galician ukrainians increasingly influenced oun ( ukrainian nationalists ). while ukrainian greek catholic church (ugcc), functioned in communion latin rite catholicism, have hoped receive better treatment in poland leadership saw catholicism 1 of main tools unify nation – poles under stanisław grabski saw restless galician ukrainians less reliable orthodox volhynian ukrainians, seen better candidates gradual assimilation. s why polish policy in ukraine aimed @ keeping greek catholic galicians further influencing orthodox volhynians drawing so-called sokalski line .
due region s history ukrainian greek catholic church attained strong ukrainian national character, , polish authorities sought weaken in various ways. in 1924, following visit ukrainian catholic believers in north america , western europe, head of ugcc denied reentry lviv considerable amount of time. polish priests led bishops began undertake missionary work among eastern rite faithful, , administrative restrictions placed on ukrainian greek catholic church.
with respect orthodox ukrainian population in eastern poland, polish government issued decree defending rights of orthodox minorities. in practice, failed, catholics, eager strengthen position, had official representation in sejm , courts. accusation strong enough particular church confiscated , handed on roman catholic church. goal of 2 called revindication campaigns deprive orthodox of churches had been greek catholic before orthodoxy imposed tsarist russian government. 190 orthodox churches destroyed, of destroyed churches abandoned, , 150 more forcibly transformed roman catholic (not greek catholic) churches. such actions condemned head of ukrainian greek catholic church, metropolitan andrei sheptytsky, claimed these acts destroy in souls of our non-united orthodox brothers thought of possible reunion.
the land reform designed favour poles in volhynia, land question severe, , brought alienation polish state of orthodox volhynian population tended less radical greek catholic galicians.
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