Інтриги й колотнеча довкола Всеукраїнського музейного городка: (не)приязний професійний світ Києва 1920-х – початку 1930-х рр.

Abstract

У статті до наукового обігу залучено інформацію про інтриги, крутійство, фальш й сцени, а між тим щиросердність, співчуття й підтримку, – емоції, що вирували у музейному житті 1920‑х – початку 1930‑х рр. й закарбувалися у листах, надісланих П.П. Курінному, очільникові Лаврського музею культів та побуту (з 1926 р. Всеукраїнського музейного городка) у Києві. Окреслено основні причини конфліктів та наслідки, до яких спричиняли непорозуміння між співробітниками київських музеїв. Висвітлено прояви приязності, гуманності й підтримки, що так само були притаманні інтелектуальному співтовариству. Наголошено на перспективності залучення джерел особового походження, передовсім епістолярної спадщини, для подальшого (ре)конструювання емоційного наповнення щоденного життя представників музейної спільноти між двома світовими війнами.

The article deals with information about intrigues, quarrels, hypocrisy and showdowns, and meanwhile, sincerity, compassion, and support – emotions that swirled in the museum life of the 1920s – early 1930s and are imprinted in letters, which were sent to Petro Kurinnyi, Head of the Lavra Museum of Cults and Life (since 1926 the All-Ukrainian Museum Town) in Kyiv. Documentary evidence of Kyiv museum staffs’ emotional atmosphere is given. The addressees quite openly expressed their feelings, shared their impressions of life situations, talked about relationships with colleagues, and gave their subjective judgments about persons and/or events. Various causes led to misunderstandings and conflicts: difficult life circumstances, unsatisfactory living conditions, health problems, incompatibility of personalities and views, paying of old scores, subordination breaches, neglect of functional duties, flirting with the authorities, flattery, toadyism, etc. The daily routine of the Lavra Museum (the All-Ukrainian Museum Town) was quite stressful. Conflicts arose in particular from the coexistence of various institutions with diametrically different functions on the territory of the nationalized Kyiv-Pechersk monastery, first of all, the newly established museum institution and religious communities. The structural changes of the museum institution in the summer and autumn of 1926 also caused disputes. One of the most emotional events of the 1920s in the intellectual environment was Danylo Shcherbakivskyi’s tragic death, caused primarily by conflicts and a toxic working atmosphere at the Taras Shevchenko All-Ukrainian Historical Museum. During the totalitarianism problems caused by the «public control» also were habitual for museums’ life. «Conscious citizens» closely monitored the Lavra Museum activities and played havoc with museum administration’s nerves with newspaper libels. The letters witnessed the intensification of dissimulations and enmities in the museum community in the early 1930s, which is entirely correlated with the Sovietization processes intensification, the authorities’ intervention to intellectual life, and the forced transition to the «Marxist-Leninist rails». Ideological campaigns, ideological purges and reprisals made it easier to get back at somebody and open ways for swindles, harassment, or revenge. Personal conflicts partly caused work sabotage and decision-making not in favor of museum institutions. The intense and at times dramatic museum atmosphere, however, did not rule out humanity and sensitivity. Difficult situations induced intellectuals to seek help from colleagues, friends or acquaintances, appealing to understanding and hoping for support. The messages regarding Danylo Shcherbakivskyi’s tragic death were filled with sincere grief. Friendly relationships were also reflected in letters of greetings, supports, joy or sympathy. Further detailed examination of the museum staffs’ correspondence, involvement of diaries, memoirs, as well as the documents of the Soviet repressive and controlling bodies makes it possible to contextual studies of the specified historical period and (re)construct the emotional filling of the everyday life of museum community representatives between the two world wars.