MYKOLA KOVALSKYI’S SCHOLARLY CONTACTS WITH THE UKRAINIAN DIASPORA HISTORIANS IN THE 1990S – AT THE BEGINNING OF 2000S

Abstract

In the article is based on the wide range of archive sources and literature, there has been an attempt to analyze relationships of the prominent scholar and Professor Mykola Kovalskyi with the Ukrainian diaspora historians in the 1990’s – early 2000’s. Along the lines of the epistolary heritage and other reports it has emphasized the subject matter of his scholarly dialogues with M. Antonovych, L. Wynar, O. Dombrovskyi, T. Matskiv, O. Pritsak.
The account of his contacts of M. Kovalskyi with O. Pritsak is remain poorly covered since no documentation about their meetings has been found yet. However, it is known, that the latter was familiar with the scholarly works of M. Kovalskyi and highly appraised the achievements of the school of source-study experts which he had founded.
The correspondence between M. Kovalskyi and M. Antonovych is analyzed in the article. Both researchers were interested in the scholarly heritage of the famous Ukrainian historian, source-study expert and archaeographer Volodymyr Antonovych. Established links and the exchange of information enabled “Lectures on source study” by V. Antonovych to be further published as a full-fledged book.
The initiation and further deployment of the Ostroh focus of the Ukrainian Historical Association (UHA), publications in “The Ukrainian Historian”, sending scholarly literature to Ostroh to develop and enlarge the library of the Ostroh Academy were the result of established close contacts with L. Wynar. The publications and collections of papers prepared by Ostroh scholars were sent for UHA to Kent. M. Kovalskyi was included in the council of UHA. Within the framework of cooperation were held joint research activities, which were dedicated not only to prominent figures and the development of historical science in the diaspora, but also were related to the problems of studying Ostrohiana.
The development prospects of Ostroh center of UHA were mentioned in the correspondence between
M. Kovalskyi and O. Dombrovskyi. The well-known diaspora historian highly appreciated the activity of the center of the Association in Ostroh; he also highly valued research papers of Professor M. Kovalskyi.
M. Kovalskyi had been exchanging scientific literature with T. Matskiv and also invited him to visit Ostroh. The author has concluded that since 1990s Mykola Kovalskyi had been in contact with Ukrainian historians from abroad. These contacts allowed to resolve series of research and organizational issues.