A document in the context of the studying national minorities conditions in the ukrainian state (april – december 1918)

Abstract

The purpose of the article is based on the documents, the main trends in the policy of Hetman P.
Skoropadsky and his government towards national minorities have been analyzed. Methodology. In terms
of preparing the research, methods of analysis, comparison, analogy, generalization, structuring were used.
As well as methods of Document Science, Archival Science. The scientific novelty is due to the fact that for
the first time analysis was made on the basis of a documentary array of the main policy trends in relation to
national minorities of the Hetmanate; the reasons for the repeal of the Law on National-Personal Autonomy
and the abolition of national ministries in Russian, Jewish and Polish affairs were clarified. In all the studied
documents (Missive Letter to All Ukrainian People, Law on Elections of Provincial and County Zemstvo
Councillors, Order on Internal Relations in the Ukrainian Army), the emphasis was made on the loyalty of
citizens to the Ukrainian State, not on their ethnic origin, and on the tolerant attitude of the state towards
both the national and religious feelings of citizens. Admission to higher educational establishments was also
democratic in the Ukrainian state. Based not on ethnic but on territorial-state principles, the Hetmanate
did not see the point in the existence of national ministries established by the Ukrainian Central Rada, but
there was its general understanding of the national minorities’ needs and, thus, it often responded to their
requests. Considerable attention has been paid to the coverage of cultural and educational activities of
national minorities. Conclusions. Having analyzed the national policy of the Hetmanateon on the basis of
the documents, we found out that despite some uncertainty it was moderate and did not lead to interethnic
conflicts. By repealing the Law on National Personal Autonomy and National Ministries in Great Russian,
Jewish, and Polish Affairs, Hetman P. Skoropadsky, and his government were guided by the territorial-state
principle, according to which all citizens of the state were equal, regardless of their nationality and religion.
Meanwhile, there was some sufficient support, including financial one, for the national and cultural revival of
national minorities.
Keywords: document, national minorities, national and personal autonomy, Hetmanate, rights, interethnic
relations, cultural and educational policy.