The Cultural and Educational Activities of the Ukrainian Intelligentsia Reflected on the Pages of the Occupation’s «Ukrainske Slovo» (“Ukrainian Word”) Journal

Abstract

The article reveals the activities of the creative intelligentsia in Kyiv occupied by Nazi troops in occupation periodicals, in particular the «Ukrainske Slovo» (“Ukrainian Word”). Methodologically, the author examines the activities of the intelligentsia in two aspects: their professional activities and educational activities aimed at supporting eople and preserving their national traditions. The author emphasizes the differences between the two groups of intellectuals in the same period. In specific historical conditions, representatives of this social group acted differently, depending on their goals and vision of the situation. Each group chose its own strategy of survival and self-realization in the extremely difficult conditions of wartime. The author also points out the relevance of studying this phenomenon for the preservation of the state idea of Ukraine. The articles and reports presented on the pages of the journal, archival materials and eyewitness accounts are analysed. It was found that the authors of the articles published in the journal did not always reflect the real reality, but instead showed events in a propagandistic way, often under the censorship of the Nazi occupation administration. Cultural centres created by representatives of the Ukrainian intelligentsia were used by the local occupation administration to propagandize the benefits of the German regime among the population. It is shown that representatives of creative professions, in particular actors, composers, producers, and musicians, living in difficult conditions of the occupation regime, helped the population survive the Nazi occupation without losing faith in victory. In the context of the Russian-Ukrainian war, it is extremely important to understand the role of the intelligentsia in the process of creating the Ukrainian state, its leading generating role.