Publishing House “Zakhidnia Ukraina” (“Western Ukraine”) in Documents of the Central State Archive-Museum of Literature and Art of Ukraine

Abstract

The article considers the issue of a comprehensive analysis of archival documents of the Central State Archive-Museum of Literature and Art of Ukraine on the activities of the publishing house “Zakhidnia Ukraina” (“Western Ukraine”), which was formed in Ukraine in the period 1927–1933. Historical, historical-biographical methods, analysis of archival documents, and the classification method are used. The systematic approach allowed for a comprehensive coverage of the problem of the publishing house’s work during the Bolshevik rule. The scientific novelty is due to the lack of research into the activities of publishing structures in Ukraine in the 20th century. The experience of such organizations has not yet received adequate scientific coverage and has almost not been introduced into the practice of modern Ukrainian publishing houses. The activities of the publishing house “Zakhidnia Ukraina” contributed to the national unity and cultural unity of Ukrainians. One of the key areas of its work was the publication of the magazine and almanac of the same name, which popularized the work of Western Ukrainian writers from all corners of the world. In total, 249 storage units are included in the fund 579 of the Central State Archive-Museum of Literature and Art of Ukraine. The main source of information about the organization in the fund of the Central State Archive-Museum of Literature and Art of Ukraine are files containing instructional and management materials, registration journals and books, correspondence with authors and other publishing organizations, materials prepared by the editor for publication. The most important guiding documents are the Statute of the Union of Revolutionary Writers “Zakhidnia Ukraina” (“Western Ukraine”); Regulations on the publishing house «Zakhidnia Ukraina»; Regulations on the editorial board at the Union «ZU»; Rules for authors. The largest array of documents is works prepared for publication, in particular manuscripts of journalistic, prose and poetic works by writers of Western Ukraine. Thus, the historiographical basis of the study significantly expands the view of publishing at the stage of the formation of Soviet power.