„Mała ojczyzna” w świadomości Ukraińców przesiedlonych z Polski po II wojnie światowej

Abstract

The “Little Homeland” in the consciousness of the Ukrainian citizens displaced from Poland after the Second World War

As a result of the Polish-Ukrainian agreement signed in Lublin on 9 September 1944, mutual exchange of citizens of both countries inhabiting the borderlands took place in the years 1944-1947. It was a tragic chapter in the history of both nations. The majority of the people were forced to leave behind their “little Homelands” and journey into the unknown. The change of the dwelling place had a dramatic impact on all spheres of their life and was reflected in their consciousness. This aspect of the consciousness can be studied with the application of oral historical methodology, by collecting and analyzing the eyewitness accounts of the displacements. Presented in this article are the results of a study conducted in a village of the Lviv Oblast, of how those relocated from the Nadsanie region perceive their “little Homeland” today. The testimonies are often contradictory, filled with trifles from days long passed. The image of the “little Homeland” is not homogenous. It concerns the household, farming, Ukrainian villages and ethnic territories within Poland. The memories of life before the displacement prevail, which is particularly evident in the elderly people’s accounts. Despite the harsh living conditions in the 1940s – ethnic conflicts, poverty during and after the Second World War, displacements, etc., the majority of those interviewed describe their time in Poland as good or neutral.