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LEMKOS
The Lemkos (Łemkowie), also referred to as Rusyns, Rusnaks or sometimes Ukrainians (as it depended on their own awareness of national identity), belong to the eastern Slavs, who have been inhabiting for ages the northern sides of the Carpathian Mountains in Poland.
The territory recognized by the Lemkos as their local motherland, referred to as Lemkovyna by the Lemkos themselves, reaches to the Pieniny Mountains in the west (the villages of Sztachtowa, Jaworki, Biała Woda, Czarna Woda), and to the place where the Osława River joins the San River in the east.
Before the World War II, the Lemkos in Poland constituted dense population in over 300 villages. They are the believers of Eastern Christianity, and many of them take pride in adopting the Christian faith from Saints Cyril and Methodius in the 9th c.
The winding roads of history made them divided into the Orthodox and Greek Catholics. What remained common, however, is the fact that eastern rites and churches, the Julian calendar, chants, liturgical books written in the Cyrillic alphabet are the most lasting traits of their individuality.
After the World War II - pursuant to the idea of transforming Poland from a multi- into a mono-national state - the Lemko minority was sentenced to extinction, and, as the first stage, the decision was made, in concert with the Soviet authorities, to displace them to Ukraine (1945-1946). In spring 1947, the remaining Lemkos (app. 40 thousand) were ruthlessly deported to the Regained Territories hi the west, and scattered around to avoid the settlement of any larger groups. Those who tried to resist were imprisoned at the Jaworzno camp ("the Vistula River" Operation). After 1956, some short lasting opportunities emerged to return to the mother lands, unfortunately, known to very few. Not many Lemkos returned. Their houses and farms did not exist or were occupied by Polish settlers. Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches were either devastated or demolished. Some villages disappeared from the map...
For many years, the Lemko activists were making endeavors to save the devastated culture and tradition, however, it was not earlier than in the 80s when evident animation in this respect was observed. The Folk Ensemble "Lemkovyna" was set up, two language - Lemko-Polish volumes of poems by Petro Murianka, Władyslaw Graban, Stefania Trochanowska, Paweł Stefanowski were published.
The first "Lemkovska Vatra" (the highlanders' "watch-fire") -the feast-day of the Lemko culture and the reunion of the Lemkos from all over the world - was organized in 1983.
The Lemkos are well organized today. Such organizations are operating as the Lemkos Association representing the Ruthenian orientation, i.e. the one recognizing them as a separate national minority, and the Lemkos Federation which identifies the Lemkos with the Ukrainians. The "Ruska Bursa" Association, focused on cultural and educational goals, has been reactivated. New folk ensembles emerge, cultural events are organized periodically, the Lemko language is being taught...
Despite of religious and political divisions among the Lemkos, for the majority of them it is of the utmost importance to have "the Vistula River" Operation - the ethical purge from the mid 40s -unlived by the Polish authorities, to have the forests taken away from the Lemkos returned, to save their churches and cemeteries, to save the literature and the language, that is to save the culture and tradition in the broadest meaning of these words.
The RUTENIKA Foundation considers the above as its major goal.
LEMKO MINORITIES SUPPORT FOUNDATION RUTENIKA
The RUTENIKA Foundation was registered by the District Court for the capital city of Warsaw, XX Commercial Department on 8 August 2001, and subsequently entered into the National Court Register under the number 0000031096. The Foundation was established by Wiktor Sandowicz, currently residing in Canada, a direct descendant of the Sandowicz family, well known in the motherland of the Lemkos (Lemkowszczyzna), which comprised unsophisticated Lemko farmers of Zdynia as well as well-educated persons -psalmists, teachers, priests. St. Maksym Gorlicki, the first Lemko canonized by the Orthodox Church in Poland, the Founder's great grandfather, also belonged to this family.
The idea to establish a foundation troubled the Lemkos community for long; however, they continuously lacked a vigorous impulse that would initiate goal-oriented efforts. Strong beliefs among many Lemkos about the right time having come just now when Poland strives for accession to the European Union -were that necessary stimulus to take up formal actions.
GOALS OF THE FOUNDATION
Pursuant to its Statute, the main goal of the Foundation is to support initiatives which sustain and develop the sense of the national, ethnical and language identity of the Lemko minority, the Lemkos' own culture and history, also contributing to the development of the region. The above goal will be implemented through the following actions:
1. financial support for the cultural activities of the Lemkos, in particular, the Lemko literature, folk art and local tradition;
2. financial support and organization of the Lemko Community Centers, folk and theatre groups;
3. development and financing of a multi-media information network and information programs about the Lemkos;
4. financial assistance to save and restore monuments of the folk and sacral art and all the properties related to the Lemko culture;
5. protection and reconstitution of the cultural heritage, in particular, church, cemeteries and places of religious cult;
6. support for scientific studies on the Lemkos' culture and history;
7. organization and financing of:
a) conferences, seminars, scientific sessions,
b) contests for works on the region and open-air paintings,
c) scholarships for persons who carry out the goals of the Foundation,
d) cultural events and performances;
8. financial support for the organization and management of schools and boarding-schools;
9. organizational and financial support for local governments in respect to the development of the region;
10. providing organizational and financial support for persons devoted to the idea of the resettlement of the Lemkos in the old motherland;
11. organizational support in acquiring by the Lemkos of agriculturally degraded areas for the restoration of the region;
12. organization of cultural and educational exchange with foreign Lemko (Rusyn) centers;
GOVERNING BODIES OF THE FOUNDATION
The governing bodies of the Foundation include the Foundation Council, the Management Board and the Program Council. These governing bodies will serve five years' terms of office.
Helena Duc-Fajfer presides the first Foundation Council, with Mr. Jan Dziadyk as the Deputy President.
Members of the Foundation Council:
Roman Dziubina, Jaroslaw Horoszczak, Piotr Michalak, Piotr Trochanowski, Jaroslaw Zwoliński (died 6/2003).
Michal Sandowicz is the President of the Management Board. Other members of the Management Board include Olga Charkiewicz and Lukasz Woźniak.
The Program Council is an advisory body. Its composition is open to all those who support the Foundation with their activities. The Program Council is headed by Henryk Fontański, an outstanding expert of the Lemko language.
The Minister of Interior exercises supervision over the Foundation.
* * *
You share the goals of RUTENIKA Foundation, how about supporting it with a donation, a penny or an act of goodwill?
We will be pleased to accept any such gesture. Being endlessly grateful for your support,
Michal Sandowicz
President of the Foundation
Address:
00-707 Warszawa
ul. Ponikowskiego 12 b
tel/fax: (+48 22 651-00-43)
www.rutenika.pl e-mail sanlem@go2.pl
Bank account:
Raiffeisen Bank Polska S.A.
17500009-10.01.0244681.000 in PLN
17500009-10.01.0244681.002 in US$
17500009-10.01.0244681.016 in EURO
.
* * *
Walter Maksimovich,
Kensington, USA
Dear Walter,
We are pleased to inform you that for over eighteen months we have been active in Poland as a Lemko Minority Support Foundation RUTENIKA. The goals of our foundation, our structure, as well as the leading organs are presented in the enclosed leaflet.
Throughout the year 2002 we undertook a number of activities which aimed at promulgation of the Lemko culture in the Warsaw circle and pointing to the urgent Lemko minority problems.
Our current activity focuses, first of all, on two major issues:
- We carry our an inventory of sacral monuments: churches, chapels, and cemeteries in Lemkovyna: those which have survived and also try to present the archival material illustrating these monuments which were destroyed after 1945. We challenged this gigantic effort requiring a cooperation of architects, geodesists, ethnographers, historians, and other experts with extremely modest financial means. Our work resulted in the enclosed calendar "Lemkovyna 2003" published by the Foundation.. We will be unable to continue this effort in 2003, unless we manage to acquire some financial means. So far, despite a number of petitions to Polish institutions and authorities, such means have not been granted. We would greatly appreciate your support in providing our Foundation with the essential financing.
- We intend to devote the year 2003 to the necessary effort in order to deal with the legal, organizational, and economic possibilities of the return of the Lemko minority to selected areas of their Motherland, Lemkovyna.
Enclosed you will find a more detailed description of the above program. In the case of the latter, despite some resources granted within the framework of the ACCESS, the needs exceed the Foundation's financial capacity.
We will greatly appreciate your response to this letter. On our part, we are willing to inform you about all the activities of our Foundation, providing you show sufficient interest.
Yours sincerely,
Michał Sandowicz
ACCESS 2000
The Lemko Minorities Support Foundation RUTENIKA
Legal, organizational and economic possibilities of the return of the Lemko minority to selected areas of its Motherland - Lemkovyna (Lemkowszczyzna).
The goal of the Project is to provide legal and organizational support to persons of the Lemko origin who want to be landholders on the territories of the border mountain range of Beskid Niski, economically and socially devastated during the years of the communist regime.
The Project is addressed to the Lemko minority that was forcefully displaced from its ethnic motherland in the years 1945-1947, and settled on the territory of Ukraine and on
the territory of post-German lands, the so called Regained Territories. At present, the Lemkos in Poland - the population estimated to reach app. 60 thousand persons – inhabit mostly the Provinces of Lower Silesia (Dolnośląskie) and Lubusz (Lubuskie). Those who returned to Lemkovyna in the 50's amount to approx. 2 thousand persons, being mostly the residents of the County of Gorlice, Province of Little Poland (Malopolskie), often vegetating there due to the lack of any opportunities and development prospects in the region.
Main objectives of the Project include:
1. Development and publishing of a guidebook for the Lemkos on the possibilities of social and economic development of the neglected region of Beskid Niski within the frames of integrated Europe.
2. Organization of a conference with a workshop within the Lemko community regarding legal and organisational possibilities of the return to selected areas of Beskid Niski.
3. Setting up of an information office at the seat of the RUTENIKA Foundation to provide legal and administrative support and assistance for the Lemkos within the scope of the Project.
Thanks to the implementation of the Project, the RUTENIKA Foundation, the basic goal of which is to support initiatives that uphold and develop the sense of national, ethnical and language identity of the Lemko minority and the Lemkos' own history and culture, serving the purpose of the development of the Lemkovyna region, will strengthen its position in the Lemko community and on the public forum and train a professional staff competent and able to carry out the goals of the Foundation, fully compliant with the goals of the ACCESS 2000 Program.
Document Information
Document URL: http://lemko.org/rutenika/index.html
Original page design and layout by Walter Maksimovich
E-mail: walter@lemko.org
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Originally Composed:March 1st, 2003
Date last modified: