BSSR

Кніга з’яўляецца першым абагульняльным даследаваннем нацыянальнай палітыкі беларусізацыі (1924–1929) і звязаных з ёю працэсаў фармавання сучаснай беларускай нацыі. Аўтар аналізуе прычыны поспехаў і няўдач беларусізацыйных мерапрыемстваў, узаемаадносіны ўлады і нацыянальнай эліты, разглядае беларусізацыю дзяржаўнага апарату і сістэмы адукацыі. Значная ўвага аддаецца стаўленню насельніцтва да правядзення нацыянальнай палітыкі і пытанню беларускай нацыянальнай ідэнтычнасці.

В статье рассматривается участие финского художника Алексантери Ахола-Вало в подготовке и строительстве Первой Всебелорусской промышленной и сельскохозяйственной выставки 1930 года в Минске. Данная экспозиция была значимым событием в жизни Советской Беларуси, главной ее целью было показать экономические, научные и культурные достижения БССР за 10 лет. Во время подготовки выставки был реализован ряд оригинальных архитектурно-художественных проектов. Среди таковых был павильон МОПР – Международной организации помощи революционерам, который был построен по проекту Ахола-Вало. Помимо этого Алексантери Ахоло-Вало оформлял интерьер павильона, желая реализовать концепцию «истории страданий человечества». Несмотря на серьезные трудности (сжатые сроки, дефицит финансовых средств, рабочей силы и стройматериалов, конфликт с руководством МОПР и коллегами по цеху), Ахола-Вало удалось успешно реализовать свой проект на практике. Вместе с тем идеологические ограничения и негативная атмосфера, сложившаяся в БССР, вынудили финского художника покинуть страну. В статье используется широкий круг архивных данных. Невзирая на то, что художник называл свой павильон «музей истории страданий человечества», его официальное название на выставке было «Павильон МОПР».

Participation of Aleksanteri Ahola-Valo in the Design and Construction of the First All-Belarusian Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition in Minsk in 1930.

The article examines the participation of the Finnish artist Aleksanteri Ahola-Valo in the design and construction of the First All-Belarusian Industrial and Agricultural Exhibition in 1930 in Minsk. The first All-Belarusian Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition was a significant event in the life of Soviet Belarus, its main goal was to show the economic, scientific and cultural achievements of the BSSR over 10 years. During the exhibition design, a number of original architectural and artistic projects were implemented.  Among those was the pavilion of the International Organization for Assistance to Revolutionaries, which was built under the Ahola-Valo desgn. In addition, Aleksanteri Aholo-Valo designed the interior of the pavilion, wishing to implement the concept of "the history of human suffering".  Despite serious difficulties (short deadlines, shortage of financial resources, labor and construction materials, conflict with the leadership of the IDNP and colleagues in the workshop), Ahola-Valo successfully implemented the project in practice.  At the same time, the ideological restrictions and the negative atmosphere that prevailed in the BSSR forced the Finnish artist to leave the country.  The article uses a wide range of archival data.  Despite the fact that the artist named his pavilion "Museum of the History of Human Suffering", its official name at the exhibition was "MOPR Pavilion".

В статье на основе широкого круга архивных данных, мемуаров и публикаций проанализирован период творчества выдающегося финского художника Ахола-Вало в Советской Беларуси с 1925 по 1930 год. Деятельность Алексантери Ахола-Вало в Минске проходила в различных творческих сферах. Автор публикации представляет читателям малоизвестные факты о работе художника по созданию и художественному оформлению павильона МОПР на Первой Всебелорусской сельскохозяйственной и промышленной выставке в 1930 году.

The article reviews the life of the outstanding Finnish painter Aleksanteri Ahola-Valo in Soviet Belarus from 1925 to 1930 using a broad variety of archival data, memoirs and publications. The activities of Aleksanteri Ahola-Valo in Minsk cut across different areas. The author presents little-known facts about the artist's work on the design of the pavilion of the International
Organization for Assistance to Revolutionaries at the First All-Belarus Agriculture and Industry Exhibition in 1930.

This paper aims at analyzing one of the most important attempt at creating a national identity and speeding up the formation of Belarusian modern nation, the soviet nationality policy of Belarusization. Belarusization was introduced in BSSR in 1924 and it lasted until 1929. The Belarusization policy could be considered as a massive soviet support of the processes of Belarusian nation-building and nation-formation in the interwar period. Belarusization meant significant promotion of the national (Belarusian) language, which was accompanied by goal-directed language planning. Another essential part of Belarusization was the “indigenization” (korenizatsia), which meant the promotion of ethnic Belarussians into leading working and administrative positions. The main goal of korenizatsia was to complete the incomplete social structure of the ethnical Belarusian population during 1920s.

Артыкул прысвячаецца аналізу працэсаў беларусізацыі, якая адбывалася на працягу 20-х гадоў мінулага стагоддзя. Беларусізацыя ўяўляла сабой адну з найбольш значных спроб фарсіраванага працэсу фармавання беларускай нацыі ў стадыі актыўнай нацыянальнай агітацыі. У артыкуле аналізуюцца прычыны непаспяховасці беларусізацыі як спробы нацыянальнай агітацыі, а таксама прычыны недастатковага атаясамлення тагачаснага беларускага грамадства з нацыянальнай ідэяй ці ідэнтычнасцю на аснове беларускай мовы і культуры, якая прапанавалася і прасоўвалася ў рамках беларусізацыі.

The book analyzes the Soviet nationality policy of Belarusization (1924-1929) and its role in the process of formation of the modern Belarusian nation. The nationality policy of Belarusization was a unique historical process, which meant significant and intensive promotion of the national (Belarusian) language, the mother tongue of the majority of the population of the BSSR of that period. This promotion was accompanied by goal-directed language planning. The national language was promoted in all spheres of state and party administration, as well as in the education system. Belarusian language was boosted in public discourse. In addition, the development of national culture as well as of Belarussian academic studies gained substantial and massive state support.
Another essential part of Belarusization was the so called “indigenization” (korenizatsia), which meant the promotion of ethnic Belarussians into leading working and administrative positions in the state administration, into the ranks of the dominant Communist party, within the public service, educational system, and into the cultural and academic spheres.
The following issues are being discussed: the reasons behind the initiation of the policy of Belarusization and its failure, conflict between national and ethnic identities, communist ideology and national identity, Belarusian national elites and the Communist Party and other issues. Particularly close attention in the study was paid to the processes of identity formation and to the model of national identity which emerged and was being promoted during the period of the Belarusization.

В статье рассматриваются основные мероприятия по подготовке Первой Всебелорусской сельскохозяйственной и промышленной выставки в Минске. Первая Всебелорусская выставка планировалась как масштабное мероприятие экономического и политического характера, на котором будут продемонстрированы достижения государственного, экономического и научно-культурного строительства в БССР за 10 лет ее существования. Созданные при правительстве БССР структуры в 1927-1929 гг. занимались разработкой концепции выставки, выбором терри-тории, формированием бюджета.

Preparation of the First All-Belarusian agricultural and industrial exihibition in 1927–1929. Forming concept and planning.

The article discusses the main activities for the preparation of the First All-Belarusian Agricultural and Industrial Exhibition in Minsk. The first All-Belarusian exhibition was planned as a large-scale event of an economic and political significance, which will demonstrate the achievements of state, economic, scientific and cultural construction in the BSSR over 10 years of its existence. Created under the government of the BSSR, the Main Exhibition Committee and its departments in the period 1927-1929 were engaged in developing the concept of the exhibition, choosing the territory, and forming the budget for the construction of exhibition pavilions, the selection of exhibits for the exhibition and the organization of mass excursions of citizens from all regions of the BSSR.

This paper aims to analyze and discuss the Soviet agitation campaigns for opening of the Belarusian schools (i.e. schools teaching in national (Belarusian) language) in Belarusian rural areas during the 1920s. These agitation campaigns were an essential part of the nationality policy of Belarusization, which was implemented in BSSR during 1924-1929. Belarusization included elaboration and intellectualization of the Belarusian language and its promotion in a public discourse, state administration and an education system.
The main attention is focused on analyzing the most frequently occurred conflicts between religious (mostly Catholic), linguistic, national and ethnic identities, which were typical for the Belarusian peasantry of that period.

В статье рассматриваются и анализируются агитационные кампании в поддержку открытия белорусских школ (т.е. школ с белорусским языком обучения), проводимые в БССР в 20-х гг. ХХ ст. Данные агиткампании являлись составной частью национальной политики белорусизации, проводимой в БССР на протяжении 1924-1929 гг. Беларуссизация включала мероприятия по интенсивному развитию и продвижению белорусского языка в публичный дискурс, а также мероприятия, направленные на формирование новых интеллектуальных и правящих элит белорусского происхождения (коренизация).
  Во время проведения агитационных кампаний в сельской местности их организаторы и рядовые агитаторы часто сталкивались с очевидным противоречием между белорусским языком, употребляемым в быту местными жителями региона и их представлением о собственной национальной идентичности, часто выбираемой на основе религиозной конфессии (католической или православной). В данной статье будут рассмотрены стратегии и методы проведения отдельных агитационных кампаний (на примере отдельных районов Гомельской губернии), а также ответная реакция на данные кампании со стороны агитируемых крестьян. Кроме того, в статье будет затронута проблема католических учеников начальных школ.

Заснаваны ў 1921 годзе Беларускі дзяржаўны ўніверсітэт
за мінулыя 100 год стаў месцам працы для тысячаў дзеячоў навукі і адукацыі. Некаторыя з іх знайшлі свой вечны спачын на знакамітых Вайсковых могілках

"Пачатак" № 3  — 2021.

Burial places of outstanding representatives of the BSU at the Military Cemetery

Founded in 1921, the Belarusian State University has become a place of work for thousands of scientists and educators over the past 100 years. Some of them found their eternal rest at the famous Military Cemetery (Minsk, Belarus)

Галоўная ўвага ў артыкуле надаецца аналізу мадэлі нацыянальнай ідэнтычнасці, прадстаўленай на старонках школьных падручнікаў па гісторыі, геаграфіі і часткова беларускай літаратуры, якія выдаваліся ў міжваеннай БССР падчас правядзення палітыкі беларусізацыі (1924-1929). Як паказвае праведзены аналіз, у аснове мадэлі нацыянальнай ідэнтычасці заходзілася ідэя аб унутраным адзінстве і выразнай культурнай, моўнай і этнічай самабытнасці беларускага народа, якія разглядалася аўтарамі (А.Смоліч, М.Азбукін і інш.)  ў кантэксце самастойнага гістарычнага развіцця беларускай нацыіі.

In article the question of formation in 1917−1924 of the regulating institutes which were engaged in implementation of national policy of the Soviet State in general and rather Latvian ethnic minority in particular is considered. Two parallel lines on which there was this process are allocated (Soviet and Party). In comparison tasks of these structures, and also problems which before them appeared are shown.

The paper is updated and revised version of the review published in Ab Imperio in 2016 (Ab Imperio, 2016(4), pp. 269-283). The article deals with Belarusian nationalism as the main research topic of Per Rudling´s study The Rise and Fall of Belarusian Nationalism, 1906–1931, published in 2015 in Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Press. Rudling’s research portrays the development of the Belarusian nationalism as being composed of many often contradictory initiatives of the Belarusian national elites who strived to create Belarusian national statehood (both on the territory of Soviet Belarus and on the territory of Western Belarus as part of Poland). In the Soviet Belarus these national initiatives took the form of nationality policy of Belarusization, while on the territory of Western Belarus massive political mobilization of Belarusian population within the activities of Belarusian peasant-working hramada had taken place.
The article presents a critical analysis of Rudling’s research. The main conclusion is that the study of Per Rudling contains a plenty of factographical information on recent Belarusian history of early 20th century as well as an interpretation of the development of Belarusian national projects of that period. Nevertheless, the conclusions of the analyzed Rudling’s study are affected by the researcher’s uncritical processing of the sources leading to selective choice of facts or events (cherry picking), and often to misinterpretations of the primary and secondary sources used in the study.


Дадзены артыкул з’яўляецца дапоўненай і пашыранай версіяй тэксту, упершыню апублікованага ў „Ab Imperio“, 2016(4). Артыкул прысвячаецца аналізу канцэпцыі беларускага нацыяналізма, прадстаўленай у даследванні Пэра Рудлінга “Узлёт і падзенне беларускага нацыяналізму, 1906–1931”, (Rudling P. A. The Rise and Fall of Belarusian Nationalism, 1906–1931. Pittsburgh, 2015. P. 436.), дзе паслядоўна аналізуюцца ўсе нацыянальныя ініцыятывы беларускіх інтэлектуальных элітаў, што вялі да стварэння беларускай дзяржаўнасці (як у форме БНР, так і ў форме БССР/ССРБ) і ў той ці іншай форме развіваліся далей па абодва бакі савецкай мяжы аж да 1931 г.
Даследванне Рудлінга ўтрымлівае багатую фактаграфічную інфармацыю, якая датычыцца беларускай гісторыі пачатку ХХ ст. і асвятляе паслядоўнае развіццё галоўных беларускіх нацыянальных праектаў згаданага перыяду. Тым не менш, у публікацыі прысутнічае недазваляльная колькасць выпадкаў некрытычнай працы даследчыка з крыніцамі, якая вядзе да шматлікіх выпадкаў мэтавай маніпулятыўнай падборкі фактаў і частай дезынтэрпрэтацыі падзеяў на аснове выкарыстаных крыніц.

Во введении обоснована актуальность изучения социокультурной деятельности этнических
меньшинств в Гродненской области в конце 1980-х гг. Рассмотрена источниковая база и историография
проблемы, определена цель исследования – выявить субъекты, формы и методы реализации
социокультурной деятельности этнических меньшинств на Гродненщине в 1987–1991 гг. В основной
части работы проанализированы особенности осуществления культуротворческой деятельности
этнических меньшинств Гродненщины: рассмотрен процесс создания ее субъектов, которыми в данный
период были общественные объединения, определены основные направления реализации, изучены
особенности культурно-просветительской работы для каждой этнической группы, в частности участие
в этом процессе общественных и государственных организаций БССР и зарубежья. В заключении сделан
вывод, что в 1987–1991 гг. на Гродненщине свои культурно-просветительские проекты реализовывали
представители четырех этнических меньшинств (поляки, татары, евреи и литовцы), наиболее успешной
и масштабной была социокультурная деятельность поляков, в которой участвовали тысячи жителей
региона данной национальности. Именно поляки Гродненщины создали в изучаемый период первое
независимое общественное объединение этнического меньшинства в БССР. Деятельность польских
организаций была мультинаправленной, однако центральным ее аспектом было развитие польскоязычного
образования. Также делали упор на развитие этнокультурного образования литовцы Гродненщины,
которые в данный период не оформились институционально, в то время как татары и евреи региона
создали в г. Гродно по одному общественному объединению, численность которых составляла несколько
десятков человек, а основным направлением деятельности была мемориализация исторических событий,
личностей и культурных объектов.

In the introduction, the relevance of studying sociocultural activity of ethnic minorities in the Grodno
region in the late 1980s is substantiated. The source base and the historiography of the problem are considered.
The purpose of the research is to identify the subjects, forms and methods of implementing the sociocultural
activities of ethnic minorities in the Grodno region in 1987−1991. In the main part of the work, the peculiarities
of the implementation of the cultural activity of ethnic minorities in the Grodno region are analyzed: the process
of creating its subjects, which there were public associations in the given period, is shown, the main directions of
implementation are examined, the features of cultural and educational work for each ethnic group are considered,
in particular, the participation in this process public and state organizations from the BSSR and abroad is shown.
It is concluded that in 1987−1991 representatives of four ethnic minorities (Poles, Tatars, Jews and Lithuanians)
implemented their cultural and educational projects in the Grodno region, the sociocultural activity of the
Poles was the most successful and large-scale, in which thousands of residents of the region of that nationality
participated. It was the Poles of Grodno region that created the first independent public association of an ethnic
minority in the BSSR during the studied period. The activities of Polish organizations were multidirectional, but
the central aspect was the development of Polish-language education. The Lithuanians of the Grodno region also
paid attention to the organization of ethnocultural education, but they did not create special cultural institutions
in 1987−1991. The Tatars and the Jews of the Grodno region created a couple of sociocultural societies,
which united only a few dozens of people, and the main direction of their activities was the memorialization
of historical events, personalities and cultural sites.