Ukrainian political emigration as a factor of social changes on the territory of Eastern Volhynia

Abstract

The Dnieper political emigration had national and political character and consisted of two main groups – military and civil. In social structure men prevailed, and the question of quantitative measures of emigration remains open because of divisiveness of information.
Striving of Dniepers to settle in the Eastern Volhynia was caused by hopes to come back home fast and it made them live on the frontier; by similarity of mentality and outlook of Dnieper and Volhynian citizens; by an opportunity to be in orthodox people surrounding; by dominance of Ukrainian-language surrounding, which neutralized nostalgia.
In spite of difficulties, Dnieper emigrants were notable by socio-political and socio-cultural activity; their main idea was to gain an independent Ukrainian state by bringing down the Bolshevik authorities near Zbruch. They determined changes in all spheres of region’s life, becoming a significant social factor.