City Life of Kamianets-Podilskyi Inhabitants in the Autumn of 1919 under Russian-Ukrainian War (based on the sources of local newspapers)

Abstract

The article offers an analysis of the city life of Kamianets-Podilskyi inhabitants during the active phase of the Russian-Ukrainian war in the autumn of 1919 based on the local periodicals. The identical situation of today’s Ukrainian society led to an active research search for historical truth. The goal of our paper is to highlight the everyday and public life of the residents of Kamianets-Podilskyi in the fall of 1919 through the prism and analysis of local newspaper publications. It has been established that the increase in the Ukrainian National Republic (UNR) population in Kamianets-Podilskyi, a state center of UNR, led to the exhaustion of the Municipal Economy, in particular, there were problems with power, water supply, and lightning of city dwellings. The inability of local structures to quickly solve public utility problems prompted the townspeople to make frequent use of an additional source of light i. e. kerosene lamps and candles. The quality of nutrition and healthcare has worsened. Food products were not available for many residents either, black-market practices and high prices for staples spread in the city. Cheap food establishments could not provide everyone with a hot lunch, and bakeries that went into operation after the threshing of grain sold their products for funds that were not available to all Kamianets residents. A typhus epidemic spread, which was difficult to stop due to the lack of sanitary conditions. With the cold weather approaching fuel crisis of economic origin became more acute. It has been found that some factors were positive for city dwellers. First, the work of the railway was restored and served the passengers in several directions. Second, the city educational network was extended (primary, secondary, and higher educational institutions, as well as courses for advanced training). Third, the wide cultural leisure for the inhabitants (attending theatre plays, concerts, libraries, etc.) was organized. To some extent, this experience became popular in other cities of the region.