Взаємини влади з етнічними релігійними громадами підрадянської України наприкінці 20-х – на початку 30-х рр. ХХ ст.

Abstract

Розглядаються основні методи, якими керувалася, та засоби, які використовувала радянська влада при закритті культових будівель та знищенні релігійних громад національних меншин УСРР в кінці 20-х – на початку 30-х рр. ХХ ст.

At the end of 1920s – early 1930s there is a new turnaround in the relationship of authorities with religious organizations along with the change of general political course in the Soviet Ukraine and throughout the Soviet Union which is characterized by increased pressure of the Bolshevism regime on the believers community of different confessions in multinational country with the ultimate aim of religious life complete elimination in its territory. Considering the totality of religious communities as the last legally valid counterrevolutionary organization in the Soviet Union, the Communists, who desired to do away with it completely, launched a massive anti-religious campaign, in the course of which believers were deprived of an opportunity to fully satisfy their spiritual needs, depriving them of their religious buildings and structures. The initiators of religious buildings and structures closure referred to the high percentage of atheists in a settlement where religious community was to be eliminated to show the success of struggle against religion and emphasize futility of existence of the church, synagogue, Protestant church or any other place of worship for locals. Formally undesired to go beyond the law, which governed the relationship of believers with the power, the Soviet authorities attempted to legitimize their actions by resorting to artificial, preplanned events. Thus, one kind of place of worship or another was allegedly closed upon demand of workers, who also adhered to the same national minority as members of the religious community, who were deprived of religious buildings and structures. Local authorities could eliminate without any interference any religious community which met the spiritual need in religious buildings and structures located in the area of institution or enterprise. Various taxes, insurances and ground rents were a favorite tool of Soviet authority to close sacred buildings and eliminate religious communities. Since religious communities were treated in the same manner as private companies, any taxes were much higher than for public institutions. Moreover, limitations were often introduced in terms of payment, which were subsequently minimized. Depriving the right of a religious community to religious buildings and structures made available under the agreement, local authorities pointed at other religious structures where believers could continue to meet their spiritual needs, in order to mitigate the conflict situation, which often occurred in the implementation of the decision. A point that should be mentioned is the formality of the procedure, which took place allegedly to fulfill all legal requirements necessary to deprive believers of their places of worship rather than to take care of the visitors of worship. Another point of interest is the fact that the party leadership attached "great political importance" to closure of places of worship. Therefore, the relevant authorities were especially attentive and cautious to every case and followed the correct design of materials to close places of worship. People's commissariat (NKVD) repeatedly warned local authorities to consider closure of places of worship "as a result of carrying out morale building, cultural and educational work among the population, rather than the way to purchase apartment." Activities of religious communities who continued to retain the right to use specially equipped premises for liturgical rites were strictly limited as well. A new campaign unfolded in the course of industrialization in the late 1920s and 1930s to remove church and roman catholic church bells, that represented the first step to eliminate religious communities, which religious buildings and structures were not closed yet. Activities of religious communities is associated with rites, which required a particular religious doctrine and which were subjected to impingement by the authorities. Practicing a policy that was intended to deprive members of national minorities of Ukraine builders of faith, communism builders in this fashion attempted to take another step towards instilling artificially constructed identity to multiethnic population of USSR, that would meet the requirements of the new society, and which would be based on atheistic principles.