National and Cultural Identity of Czech Minorities in Ukraine from the 19th to the 21st Century in Tangible Cultural Heritage of the Czech Republic
Project supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic [Grant Number NAKI III DH23P03OVV038], 1. March 2023 – 31. December 2027
The project focuses on showcasing the unique cultural heritage of Czech communities in the territory of present-day Ukraine, with a particular emphasis on the Volhynian Czech community. Its goal is to conduct research to present, preserve, and expand upon information gathered from available historical documents and physical collection objects. The project will examine the arrival of Czech communities in the territory in the 1860s and their integration into their new homeland. It will also document the waves of re-emigration throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. The outcomes of the project aim to enrich current knowledge about Czech expatriate communities in present-day Ukraine. These outcomes have potential applications in education, both in museums and formal education settings (secondary and tertiary).
The project aims to encompass multiple aspects of the topic through interdisciplinary cooperation among three research institutions. The Department of Modern Czech History at the National Museum’s collections includes 3D objects and photography acquired since the 1990s. The National Archive acquires and manages archival documents of both official and private provenance related to the Volhynian Czech community from the period 1960 to 2021. The Institute of Ethnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences has been conducting continuous research on Czech communities in Ukraine since the 1950s and currently manages a collection of oral memoirs and testimonies, song lyrics, photography, and documentation of eating habits, clothing, and social life of the community since their arrival in Czechoslovakia after World War II. As part of the project, new oral testimonies will be collected, as well as digitized copies of the archival documents. An important aspect of the project is to make accessible to the public not only the collections of participating institutions but also those from other museums and archives, private collectors, and witnesses in the Czech Republic.
The main outcomes of the project include a public database documenting re-emigration from individual Volhynian municipalities to Czechoslovakia between 1945 and 1947, an interactive specialized map, a 12-part TV documentary, and an exhibition accompanied by a printed catalogue. These materials will showcase both the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the expatriate communities. Additionally, the project and its outcomes will be supported by conferences, publications, and peer-reviewed papers published in scientific journals.
Research Team:
National Museum
Mgr. Tomáš Kavka, Ph.D.
Mgr. Ondřej Štěpánek
Mgr. Michaela Smidová
Mgr. Eliška Pekárková
National Archive
PhDr. Lenka Kločková
Mgr. Adam Zítek
Bc. Roman Štér
Institute of Ethnology of the Czech Academy of Sciences
Mgr. Veronika Beranská, Ph.D.
Doc. PhDr. Zdeněk Uherek, CSc.