Ukrainization

Under ukrainization (Ukrainian Українізація / Ukrajinisazija ) means a policy that aims to extend the influence of the Ukrainian culture and language. The term has gained importance since the independence of Ukraine in 1991, again in importance and always leads to the controversial and emotional confrontations between the political parties of the country.

History

The territory of today's Ukraine stood for centuries under the influence of various empires, first of Poland-Lithuania, and later Austria -Hungary and Russia in particular. The different regions of present-day Ukrainian state therefore experienced some of prolonged phases of both the Polonisation later also of Russification. Since large parts belonged to the east and south of the country to the Russian Empire, they were exposed to a significant Russifizierungsdruck the tsarist government. In the meantime, the use of the Ukrainian language as a written language through the Emser adoption in Russia controlled part of Ukraine was even banned altogether. In the meantime, the use of the Ukrainian language as a written language through the Emser adoption in Russia controlled part of Ukraine was even banned altogether. Before the emergence of the term " Ukrainian " both later as Little Russians Ukrainians and the Ukrainian were referred to as " Little Russian language". Small Russian was classified as a separate language.

An interim heyday the Ukrainian language and culture 1923-1931. During the Korenisazija policy of the Soviet Union occurred in the territory of the Ukrainian SSR to a temporary Ukrainisierungsphase. The Ukrainian language was explicitly promoted, the literacy rate increased sharply, the school system was almost completely converted to Ukrainian, the Ukrainian press developed at an unprecedented extent and impact of the Russian language was greatly suppressed. Thus, the Soviet Union intended to integrate the Ukrainians in the Soviet Union. However, In the early 1930s, the Soviet Union came back from this policy and promoted again the Russian language. After a short period in the Khrushchev thaw in the 1960s in which the social status of the Ukrainian language was strengthened again, the political leadership under Brezhnev returned back to the promotion of the Russian language. Especially in the education sector, the Ukrainian language was suppressed and largely replaced by Russian. This policy did not change until 1989, when a language law was enacted, was declared in the Ukrainian the sole official language. In western Ukraine, the part of the Soviet Union was only after the Second World War, the influence of the Ukrainian language was greater.

When Ukraine became independent in 1991, used a significant portion of the Ukrainian population prefers the Russian language, according to some statistics, this even did more than half of the population. Since then started again (and especially in the education sector ) a phase of ukrainization, even in majority Russian-speaking areas. For example, the proportion ukrainischsprachiger schools was increased to 2009 to over 80% and pass laws that restricted the use of Russian. The language situation in Ukraine move since then in favor of the Ukrainian, although the Russian language to this day in many regions of Ukraine has remained the dominant language.

In August 2012, under the government of Viktor Yanukovych became the new language law " On the foundations of the state language policy " in force, this Act provides, inter alia, before that can be raised to the regional language in areas with a share of at least 10 percent native speakers of a recognized minority language, that language. This provision means that the Russian language in 13 of the 27 administrative units of the country an official status is granted, therefore, the new law is also regarded primarily as an appreciation of the Russian language. The debate and vote on the language law in Parliament in May 2012 was accompanied by riots and fights.