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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ГРУДЕНЬ 200 8 24 who were crushed to death by Soviet tanks in the Kingir forced labor camp in 1954. The Kingir camp in Kazakhstan was one of a network of Soviet labor camps, the Gulag created by Josef Stalin. Millions of prisoners in the camps were forced to work at extracting the mineral wealth in the Soviet East in extremely harsh conditions. Most of the camp inmates were political prisoners deemed hostile to the Soviet state. Ukrainians formed the largest group among these prisoners and were sentenced to very long terms for participating in or aiding the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) and/or for adherence to the Ukrainian Catholic Church that had been banned on Stalin’s orders in 1946. After Stalin’s death in March 1953 and the ensuing succession struggle in the Soviet Union, conditions were somewhat eased in the camps — but not for political prisoners and especially not for Ukrainians. A wave of labor strikes or outright uprisings, often spearheaded by Ukrainians, swept through the labor camps in 1953 – 1954. At Kingir, the Ukrainian women gathered on the periphery of the camp to form a barrier against the advancing Soviet tanks, in hopes that force would not be used against women and the camp. They paid for this hope with their lives. Nevertheless, although the camp uprisings were crushed, Soviet authorities were forced to negotiate with the prisoners and some amnesties and shorten- ing of prison sentences were granted. News of the brutal suppressions and the death of the 500 women trickled out to the West only in late 1957 and early 1958. It caused great consternation in Ukrainian communities in the West and strengthened their resolve to promote the cause of Ukraine. The newly formed Branch 54 set for itself the following goals: 1) to promote the “good name” of Ukraine among non-Ukrainians; 2) to inculcate in children and youth a Ukrainian spirit; 3) to aid needy Ukrainians throughout the world; and 4) to broaden the knowledge and interests of its members. It can be said without exaggeration that Branch 54 met and continues to meet these goals. The first goal was met by organizing events to which local government officials were invited and attended; by presentations on Ukrainian Easter eggs and other Ukrainian crafts and culture; by participating in the state’s ethnic festivals; by contacting local and national government officials regarding issues of concern to Ukrainians and Ukraine; and by mounting exhibits on Ukrainian history and culture at the University of Delaware, local libraries and schools. Some of these efforts received extensive coverage in the local media. For example, photographs of Ukrainian Easter eggs and descriptions of Easter customs appear periodically in the local newspaper. The disaster at the Chorno- byl nuclear power plant in April 1986 sadly led to even more interest in Ukraine. The planting of a “tree of life” in a local park by Branch 54 member s on April 26, 1996, received extensive coverage: on radio, on television, and in the newspaper. In December 2006, a Christmas concert by bandura players from Ukraine prompted the local newspaper to publish a two-page story on Ukrainians in Delaware and the history of Ukraine. To meet the second goal, Branch 54 ran a Saturday kindergarten from 1959 to 1969, staging plays in which the children performed, sponsoring costume parties on Halloween, organizing St. Nicholas Days and Mothers Day events, and so on. In hindsight, it is striking how young the original members of Branch 54 were — some were barely out of their teens, and most were in their twenties and mothers of young children; many of these women remain active in the branch to this day. Their daughters, the children who participated as children in activities organized by Branch 54, have grown up. Those who have remained in Delaware are now members of the branch. Branch 54 was more active in organizing commemorations of Ukrainian na- tional holidays in its earlier years. However, it continues to present for the community annual celebrations of Taras Shevchenko or other cultural icons. And while many of the younger members of the Delaware Ukrainian community are far from fluent in Ukrainian, they retain a strong attachment to things Ukrainian. Branch 54 remains as strong as ever in fulfilling its third goal, helping the needy. Members respond generously to calls for help for victims of disasters that occur in Ukraine, be they collapsed coal mines or floods. Although the branch supports many UNWLA causes (be it the Chornobyl Fund, the Ukrainian Museum, or “Aid to Grandmothers”), members, both collectively and individually, are especially strong in supporting the Scholarship/ Student Sponsorship Fund and providing stipends for students in Ukraine and Brazil. The fourth goal, the expansion of skills and Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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