UKRAINIAN TEACHERS IN THE YEARS OF THE HOLODOMOR-GENOCIDE
Authors:   National Museum of the Holodomor-genocide, Ukraine, SHUGALYOVA Inna , MOLDAVSKYI Roman ,   National Museum of the Holodomor-genocide Ukraine
Published: February 2024

The article analyzes the contradictions that arose as a result of the Bolshevik occupation of Ukraine and the attempts of the Moscow communist leadership to introduce an educational and pedagogical model in Ukraine that is completely identical to the Russian one. However, these attempts failed for some time, as the leadership of the People's Commissariat of Education of the USSR defended its own position, which was based on theses about the need to develop a domestic model of education. Everyday life systematically demonstrated all the contradictions of the communist system. Teachers expressed dissatisfaction with the communist government and refused to teach children in the spirit of Soviet demagoguery. Everyday life systematically demonstrated all the contradictions of the communist system. Teachers expressed dissatisfaction with the communist government and refused to teach children in the spirit of Soviet demagoguery. The communist regime in Ukraine intended to form a so-called "new person", that is, a person devoid of emotions, attraction to his own history, family and homeland, ready to obediently give his life for the ideas of a totalitarian leader. For a long time, the model of raising a "new person" was not adapted to Ukrainian realities, which were traditionally characterized by love and respect for elders, adoration of the child, respect for land and bread, etc. With the aim of destroying the Ukrainian indomitable mentality and forcibly instilling communist ideas, the Bolsheviks led by Stalin resorted to committing the crime of genocide of Ukrainians by organizing the Holodomor in Ukraine. The Holodomor took the lives of millions of people, primarily children, it deformed the psychology of Ukrainians, provoked manifestations of cynicism and indifference to the grief of loved ones. During the Holodomor, the communists took measures aimed at the persecution and repression of nationally conscious teachers. They were deprived of their means of livelihood by not issuing food rations, they were followed and harassed for not wanting to spread myths about a happy Soviet everyday life during lessons, they were arrested and repressed. Instead of teachers and educators of the "old school", so to speak, low-qualified, inexperienced, who showed indifference and cruelty to children were appointed to educational institutions of Ukraine. The Genocide of Ukrainians in 1932-1933 became a disaster both for Ukrainian teachers who were still working and for their students. Teachers who received education the previous day were persecuted by the authorities. The latter was aimed at stamping submissive and obedient executors of the leader's will. The teachers of the "old" school, so to speak, were replaced by party and Komsomol members loyal to the Communists. They had neither pedagogical skills nor relevant work experience. However, belonging to the totalitarian system opened up prospects for them to hold positions and provide for themselves during the Holodomor.