[MichaelB_PL]

Originally Posted by Kathy

They were imprisoned, or were banned from writing, and at times, Ukrainian language publications were banned. This was done by Poles. I was referring to the 19th century, but these policies continued into the 1930's.

I know such policies were implemented by the Poles in the interwar period, but how could the Poles do it in the AH Empire, where they have been subject people themselves? Was it done by ethnic Poles who were employed as AH goverment employees?

In fact, this is correct. When Ivan Pylypiw returned to Nebeliv from Canada, and persuaded large numbers from the village, and surrounding villages, to emigrate, because they could recreate their villages in Canada, and have their own land, he was jailed by the Poles. (...)

Ok, I was referring to the interwar Poland - before 1918-1921 it was surely different.

Really, Michael, you should read some of Dr. Himka's works. He has written extensively on the exploitation of Galician peasants by landlords. Beatings (often culminating in death) and rape of housemaids were also common.

Yes, I think I will obtain some of his works.

In the period you describe, Poland had the largest number of ethnic minorities living on its territory in all of Europe. To get back to a source of the conflict which is the subject of this thread, let us not forget that in the 1920's, Poles developed a policy of "Polonization" of Eastern Galicia and Volhynia, importing Polish settlers in order to displace the native Ukrainian population. These regions were already the most populated agricultural regions in Europe, yet the settlers were given massive subsidies and large allotments of the region's most productive lands.

Yes, I know and thinking about it, it's must've been terrible...

I have been in the today Polish Galicia (around Przemysl/Peremysl) and I've seen the rural countryside there - fertile land, but divided into very small farms with lot's of poverty, much different than in other parts of Poland - I suspect that Eastern Galicia and Volhynia must've been the same in the 30s and that introducing the settlers probably pushed many Ukrainian peasants into poverty.



Michael