The cultural life of transcarpathia before and during World War I

WWI caused a crisis in civilization, which brought with it the destruction of the old imperialist mentality and formation of new national states. For the oppressed peoples the war was an unexpected historical opportunity to express their national aspirations. Ukraine's role during the war, which became fratricidal, was without doubt, significant. And it is not only the geopolitical factor but also with regard to the numerous human and material losses. Transcarpathia was not left outside the hostilities and this essay characterizes its cultural situation during the war. The specific political and cultural situations of Transcarpathia on the eve of the military activities influenced its future in the post-war division of the world. Carpathian Rusins were a dependent peasant people without their own institutions other than the church. Almost all researchers of Transcarpathian history unanimously agree that at the beginning of WWI there had not yet been established the relevant social, ethno-political, cultural, spiritual and psychological conditions for the social consolidation of Carpathian Ukrainians. The absence of these prerequisites were first of all predetermined by objective reasons. Carpathian Ukrainians did not have a state tradition, an adequate level of social stratification of society, influential community organizations. Perhaps the only unifying factor was the Uniate Greek Catholic Church but its role in the cultural consolidation of Ukrainian lands, for various reasons, was ambiguous or even destructive. At the beginning of the war the Hungarian authorities increased its measure of Magyarization of the region. In particular, the Cyrillic script was abolished and replaced by the Latin, the Julian Calendar was changed and all Slavic hoLidays were banned and LocaL inteLLectuaLs persecuted. Thus WWI had aggravated the aLready difficuLt socio-economic and cuLturaL situation in Transcarpathia and brought about a significant Loss of Life.

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