Information on the thesis

This dissertation gives the comprehensive analysis of the resettlement of
Ukrainians from Poland and Czechoslovakia to Volyn and Rivne regions of the
Ukrainian SSR, as well as the resettlement of Poles from the Ukrainian territories
to the Polish People’s Republic and resettlement of Czechs to Czechoslovakia.
The resettlement processes in Volyn region are described on the basis of the
unpublished materials, first of all, documents from the Volyn and Rivne state
archives, published collections of documents, memoirs, “oral history” and
thematic literature. The dissertation clarifies the total number of Ukrainian
displaced persons, who arrived in Volyn and Rivne regions during 1944–1948.
Their number significantly differs from the data used by Ukrainian
historiography. The thesis describes the location of the displaced persons in
Volyn: it is stated that the central areas of Volyn region and the southern
territories of Rivne region were the priority territories for the resettlement; the
displaced persons also arrived in Rivne, Zdolbuniv, Dubno, Lutsk. As the
displaced were mostly peasants, they preferred to live in the villages located near
towns and small districts with good community transport. The dissertation
describes the process of the self-willed return of Ukrainian displaced persons
from Poland, the south-eastern regions of the Ukrainian SSR to Volyn: it is
stated that the number of such displaced persons was higher than those who
“were forced” to migrate to Volyn and Rivne regions.
The dissertation also describes the process of resettlement of Poles to
Poland and Czechs – to Czechoslovakia. It is noted that the above resettlement
processes were more organized than those referring to resettlement of Ukrainians
from Poland.
The dissertation deals with social and living conditions of the displaced
persons in Volyn region and their social activity. It is stated that Ukrainian
immigrants from Czechoslovakia were actively involved in administrative and
public works.
The resettlement processes in Volhynia in 1947–1953, related to the
forced migration of labor resources to the eastern regions of the USSR and the
south-eastern regions of the Ukrainian SSR, are also highlighted.
Key words: resettlement/deportation processes, Volyn an Rivne regions.