УКРАЇНСЬКЕ СХОДОЗНАВСТВО ЗА МЕЖАМИ КРАЇНИ (XX – ПОЧ. XXI СТ.)

Abstract

The historical destiny of Ukraine was such that many of its intellectuals happened to be abroad where continued their research work for the benefit of other countries. It started already in the 17th century. In the 19th century many Ukrainians appeared in the Caucasus, the Central Asia, the Siberia as exiled oppositionists to the Tsarist regime or as the Russian administrators and militaries. Among them there were also many clergymen, especially from the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Being engaged in missionary work they nevertheless showed interest to the life, language and habits of indigenous people and fixed this materials of their fieldwork on paper. In this connection one must remember the names of Exc. Bishop Veniamin, Lev Lopatynskiy, Petro Skoryk, well known St. Innokentiy of Irkutsk and many others. After the Russian revolution the Ukrainian Orientalists under the guidance of Acad. Agathangel Krymskyі managed to start some research work and translation of Oriental authors but at the beginning of the 30-ies of the 20th cent. the Oriental studies in Ukraine were destroyed, specialists were obliged to move to remote parts of the Soviet Union in order to save their lives. The majority of them emigrated to the West. The most prominent among them was historian of Ukraine and Turcologist Omeljan Pritsak who made his studies in Germany and later moved to the USA. He was the main organizer of an important international academic organization – Societas Uralo Altaica, president of which he was elected (1958–1965). After Ukraine gained independence he returned to Kyiv and took an active part in revival of Ukrainian Orientalistics. Professor V. Dubrovsky contributed to the US sponsored review “Dergi” (Munich). After emigration to the United States he continued his research work in Ukrainian emigrants’ scientific centres. Our compatriots from Crimea were engaged also in that work. These were Crimean Tatars J. Seidamet, M. E. Kyrymal and the Karaims S. Shapshal, S. Szyszman, M. Sarach. Ukrainian emigrants In the Far East managed to organize their education and cultural life: publication of papers, theater groups, choirs. A. Dibrova and W. Odynets published in Harbin “A Ukrainian-Nippon Dictionary” (1944). Much was done by sinologist V. Svit.