Shevchenko Scientific Society
Encyclopedia
The Shevchenko Scientific Society is a Ukrainian
scientific society devoted to the promotion of scholarly research and publication. Unlike the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine the society is a public organization that was reestablished in Ukraine in 1989 after almost 50 years of exile because of the Soviet invasion.
(Lemberg), the capital of the Austria
n crown land
of Galicia
, as a literary society devoted to the promotion of Ukrainian language literature. Since publication in the Ukrainian language was at that time prohibited in Russian-controlled Ukraine (Little Russia
), from the beginning it attracted the financial and intellectual support of writers and patrons of Ukrainian background from the Russian Empire
.
In 1893 due to the change in its statute the Shevchenko Scientific Society was transformed into a real scholarly multidisciplinary academy of sciences with its periodical the Zapysky NTSh (Notes of the Shevchenko Scientific Society), yet continue to be specialized in the Ukrainian Studies. Throughout most of its history it had three sections: history-philosophical, philological, and mathematically-medical-natural scientific. Under the presidency of the historian, Mykhailo Hrushevsky
, it greatly expanded its activities, contributing to both the humanities and the physical sciences, law and medicine, but most specifically once again it was concentrated onto the Ukrainian studies. During this period, one of its most prolific contributor was the poet, folklorist, and literary historian Ivan Franko
who headed the philological section. Also during that period the society created several museums, libraries, and archives. By 1914, several hundred volumes of scholarly research and notices had been published by the society including over a hundred volumes of its Zapysky.
The First World War interrupted the society's activities, particularly during the Russian occupation in 1914-1915 when the society's collection of works and its print shop were destroyed. After the war and the Polish-Ukrainian conflict the West Ukraine belonged to Poland. During that time the society lost its government subsidies, but managed to carry on a precarious existence. Its major contributors were the literary historians, Vasyl Shchurat, Kyryl Studynsky
, and the historian Ivan Krypiakevych
. One of the most important projects of the society was the publication of the first general alphabetic encyclopedia in the Ukrainian language.
The Soviet Union annexed the eastern part of Second Polish Republic including the city of Lviv which capitulated to the Red Army on 22 September 1939. Upon their occupation of Lviv, the Soviets dissolved the society. Many of its members were arrested and either imprisoned or executed. Among the perished members were such academicians as R.Zubyk, a former Ukrainian minister I.Feshchenko-Chopivsky, a Ukrainian parliamentarian Petro Franko
, Kyryl Studynsky, and many others. During the Nazi occupation, the society still was not able to function openly. In 1947, on the initiative of the geographer, Volodymyr Kubiyovych
, it was re-founded as an emigré scholarly society in Munich
; the Society's European center was later moved to Paris
. Other branches were also founded in New York
(1947), Toronto
(1949) and Australia
(1950), and throughout the Cold War
it functioned as a federation of semi-independent societies.
During its period in emigration, the major project of the society was again an encyclopedia. Under the editorship of Volodymyr Kubiyovych
, it published the great Entsyklopediia ukrainoznavstva (Encyclopedia of Ukrainian Studies) consisting of four major series: the Ukrainian language thematic encyclopedia in three volumes, the Ukrainian language alphabetic encyclopedia in eleven volumes, the English language thematic encyclopedia in two volumes, and the English language alphabetic one in five volumes. The last compilation, published in Canada under the title Encyclopedia of Ukraine
is presently available on-line.
In 1989, the society was reactivated in the Ukrainian homeland (in Lviv) and once again undertook a large-scale research and publication program. Branches were soon founded in other Ukrainian cities and membership exceeded a thousand, including 125 full voting members.
. The chief editor was Ivan Franko
, since 1905 - Mykhailo Hrushevsky
.
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
scientific society devoted to the promotion of scholarly research and publication. Unlike the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine the society is a public organization that was reestablished in Ukraine in 1989 after almost 50 years of exile because of the Soviet invasion.
History
It was founded in 1873 in LvivLviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
(Lemberg), the capital of the Austria
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
n crown land
Cisleithania
Cisleithania was a name of the Austrian part of Austria-Hungary, the Dual Monarchy created in 1867 and dissolved in 1918. The name was used by politicians and bureaucrats, but it had no official status...
of Galicia
Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria
The Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria was a crownland of the Habsburg Monarchy, the Austrian Empire, and Austria–Hungary from 1772 to 1918 .This historical region in eastern Central Europe is currently divided between Poland and Ukraine...
, as a literary society devoted to the promotion of Ukrainian language literature. Since publication in the Ukrainian language was at that time prohibited in Russian-controlled Ukraine (Little Russia
Little Russia
Little Russia , sometimes Little or Lesser Rus’ , is a historical political and geographical term in the Russian language referring to most of the territory of modern-day Ukraine before the 20th century. It is similar to the Polish term Małopolska of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth...
), from the beginning it attracted the financial and intellectual support of writers and patrons of Ukrainian background from the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
.
In 1893 due to the change in its statute the Shevchenko Scientific Society was transformed into a real scholarly multidisciplinary academy of sciences with its periodical the Zapysky NTSh (Notes of the Shevchenko Scientific Society), yet continue to be specialized in the Ukrainian Studies. Throughout most of its history it had three sections: history-philosophical, philological, and mathematically-medical-natural scientific. Under the presidency of the historian, Mykhailo Hrushevsky
Mykhailo Hrushevsky
Mykhailo Serhiyovych Hrushevsky was a Ukrainian academician, politician, historian, and statesman, one of the most important figures of the Ukrainian national revival of the early 20th century...
, it greatly expanded its activities, contributing to both the humanities and the physical sciences, law and medicine, but most specifically once again it was concentrated onto the Ukrainian studies. During this period, one of its most prolific contributor was the poet, folklorist, and literary historian Ivan Franko
Ivan Franko
Ivan Yakovych Franko was a Ukrainian poet, writer, social and literary critic, journalist, interpreter, economist, political activist, doctor of philosophy, the author of the first detective novels and modern poetry in the Ukrainian language....
who headed the philological section. Also during that period the society created several museums, libraries, and archives. By 1914, several hundred volumes of scholarly research and notices had been published by the society including over a hundred volumes of its Zapysky.
The First World War interrupted the society's activities, particularly during the Russian occupation in 1914-1915 when the society's collection of works and its print shop were destroyed. After the war and the Polish-Ukrainian conflict the West Ukraine belonged to Poland. During that time the society lost its government subsidies, but managed to carry on a precarious existence. Its major contributors were the literary historians, Vasyl Shchurat, Kyryl Studynsky
Kyryl Studynsky
Kyryl Studynsky , was a western Ukrainian political and cultural figure from the late-19th to the mid-20th century. One of the principal figures within the Christian Social Movement in Ukraine, in 1939 Studynsky became head of the People's Assembly of Western Ukraine following the Soviet...
, and the historian Ivan Krypiakevych
Ivan Krypiakevych
Ivan Krypiakevych was a leading historian of western Ukraine. He was a specialist on Ukrainian history of the 15th, 16th, and 17th centuries, writing extensively on the social history of western Ukraine and the political history of the Ukrainian Cossacks, especially during the time of Hetman...
. One of the most important projects of the society was the publication of the first general alphabetic encyclopedia in the Ukrainian language.
The Soviet Union annexed the eastern part of Second Polish Republic including the city of Lviv which capitulated to the Red Army on 22 September 1939. Upon their occupation of Lviv, the Soviets dissolved the society. Many of its members were arrested and either imprisoned or executed. Among the perished members were such academicians as R.Zubyk, a former Ukrainian minister I.Feshchenko-Chopivsky, a Ukrainian parliamentarian Petro Franko
Petro Franko
Petro Ivanovych Franko son of the Ukrainian writer Ivan Franko. Petro was a Ukrainian educator, pedagogue, writer, ethnographer, scientist, military leader, and politician...
, Kyryl Studynsky, and many others. During the Nazi occupation, the society still was not able to function openly. In 1947, on the initiative of the geographer, Volodymyr Kubiyovych
Volodymyr Kubiyovych
Volodymyr Mykhailovych Kubiyovych, also spelled Kubiiovych or Kubijovyč , Austria-Hungary - 2 November 1985, Paris, France) was a Ukrainian geographer with a specialty in demography, a cartographer, an encyclopedist, politician, and statesman...
, it was re-founded as an emigré scholarly society in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
; the Society's European center was later moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. Other branches were also founded in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1947), Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
(1949) and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
(1950), and throughout the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
it functioned as a federation of semi-independent societies.
During its period in emigration, the major project of the society was again an encyclopedia. Under the editorship of Volodymyr Kubiyovych
Volodymyr Kubiyovych
Volodymyr Mykhailovych Kubiyovych, also spelled Kubiiovych or Kubijovyč , Austria-Hungary - 2 November 1985, Paris, France) was a Ukrainian geographer with a specialty in demography, a cartographer, an encyclopedist, politician, and statesman...
, it published the great Entsyklopediia ukrainoznavstva (Encyclopedia of Ukrainian Studies) consisting of four major series: the Ukrainian language thematic encyclopedia in three volumes, the Ukrainian language alphabetic encyclopedia in eleven volumes, the English language thematic encyclopedia in two volumes, and the English language alphabetic one in five volumes. The last compilation, published in Canada under the title Encyclopedia of Ukraine
Encyclopedia of Ukraine
The Encyclopedia of Ukraine is an English language, free, online encyclopedia covering wide range of issueson Ukraine, including its history, people, geography, economy, culture etc....
is presently available on-line.
In 1989, the society was reactivated in the Ukrainian homeland (in Lviv) and once again undertook a large-scale research and publication program. Branches were soon founded in other Ukrainian cities and membership exceeded a thousand, including 125 full voting members.
Society press media
Literaturno-naukovy visnyk (Literary-scientific herald) was published 1898-1906, 1922-1932 in Lviv and 1907-1914, 1917-1919 in KievKiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. The chief editor was Ivan Franko
Ivan Franko
Ivan Yakovych Franko was a Ukrainian poet, writer, social and literary critic, journalist, interpreter, economist, political activist, doctor of philosophy, the author of the first detective novels and modern poetry in the Ukrainian language....
, since 1905 - Mykhailo Hrushevsky
Mykhailo Hrushevsky
Mykhailo Serhiyovych Hrushevsky was a Ukrainian academician, politician, historian, and statesman, one of the most important figures of the Ukrainian national revival of the early 20th century...
.