National Policy of the Second Polish Republic: Factor of Censuses in the Interwar Period (On the Example of Ternopil Voivodeship)

Abstract

The objective of the study is to characterize the national and religious structure of the population of the Ternopil Voivodeship in the interwar period, based on the analysis and comparison of archival documents, to show the role of censuses as one of the factors and means of the national policy of the Second Polish Republic, aimed at emphasizing the “Polishness” of the so-called “Eastern Kreses”. The methodology is based on the principles of historicism, scientificity, and systematicity. The author uses comparative-historical, cause-and-effect methods of obtaining information, as well as general scientific methods of analysis, synthesis, and generalization. Scientific novelty. The researcher was the first to analyze reports of district replenishment teams (stored in the Central Military Archive in Rembertow, Republic of Poland) and of local administrations (stored in the State Archive of Ternopil Region, Ukraine) concerning the statistics and ethnic demographics of communes and counties which were composed at the request of higher military and civilian authorities in 1932. The percentage ratio of Ukrainian, Polish, and Jewish populations in each commune was calculated. The number of settlements with a predominant Ukrainian / Polish population was calculated. Conclusions. The 1921 census took place in unfavorable political conditions and was boycotted by Ukrainians. Its results are dubious and only approximately reflect the real ethnic and religious statistics of the population. In 1931, Ukrainians took an active part in the census. Ukrainian society conducted an active agitational and educational campaign and mobilized the population to participate in the census. However, the reliability of this “conscription” results is doubtful, which was repeatedly emphasized by Halychyna’s politicians and press. In order to refute or confirm the accusations of the Ukrainian side, at the beginning of 1932, district heads compiled reports on the ethnic and religious demographics of the population in each commune at the request of the authorities of Ternopil Voivodeship. Similar reports were prepared at the end of 1932 by head officers of district replenishment teams at the request of the Army Command. The analysis and comparison of these reports enable us to state that the statistical data given in them are consistent with and almost do not differ from the official census data published later. This proves that the final adjustment of the census results took place at the county level. At the same time, it can be asserted that the military considered religion to be the main factor in determining the ethnicity of conscripts. Consequently, based on the calculations, it can be stated that out of 967 communes in Ternopil Voivodeship (without Zolochiv and Peremyshliany Counties), Greek Catholics prevailed in 630 communes, and Roman Catholics prevailed in 314 communes. In a dozen city communes, no community had a majority because a significant percentage of the population was Jewish.