“Down with Poison in our Houses!": Anti-Alcohol Discourse of Nash Lemko Newspaper

The article examines the anti-alcohol policy of Nash Lemko newspaper (Lviv, 1934-1939) to determine its main aspects. According to the materials of the newspaper, the rapid intoxication of Rusins had a socio-psychological nature: burdened with landlessness, foreign bureaucracy arbitrariness and raising taxes, a typical resident of a mountain village lost the purpose of existence. Drawing on the experience of activists of the European and Ukrainian temperance movements, Nash Lemko systematically promoted a healthy lifestyle among its readers, appealing to their minds both with statistics and criminal chronicles and by means of artistic influence. Despite the unsightly moments (primarily anti-Semitic rhetoric), this policy resulted in a growing understanding among the Lemkos that their problems were mainly caused by their own reckless attitude towards alcohol and nicotine. The authors conclude that the Lemkos adequately responded to this social problem, as was evidenced by the rapid growth in the number of the “Revival” circles in mountain villages, which united Rusins-abstainers. This consolidation was very important for the Lemko community on the eve of the Second World War.

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