The Rusin Minority in the Second Polish Republic According to Nash Lemko Newspaper

The article examines the state of the Rusin community in the Second Polish Republic according to Nash Lemko newspaper materials. The authors specify the editorial policy of the newspaper, its rubrics and the authors' board, focus on the cultural and social agenda faced by the Lemkos during the interwar period, including the resistance to polonisation: protection of cultural institutions, development of Ukrainian-language schooling, preservation of church and religious identity. The analysis has shown that Nash Lemko did not avoid discussing complex problems related to the Rusins. Thus, the Rusins faced a wide range of economic and household challenges, among which were the barbaric exploitation of natural resources by the state, the lack of land, the reduced demand for Lemko agricultural products, etc. followed by the mass emigration. The authors have proved that the newspaper not only diagnosed the abovementioned difficulties, but also tried to provide advisory assistance in their solution and urged the Lemkos to master new types of economic activity. It has been concluded that the newspaper was a prominent phenomenon of Rusin periodicals. Despite the difficult interwar times, it succeeded in uniting the Lemkos behind the idea of preserving their own cultural identity and fostering national unity.

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