The Formation of the Regulatory and Legal Basis for Monument and Heritage Preservation in Soviet Ukraine (1919–1926)

Abstract

The article examines the formation of the legal framework for the protection of monuments and landmarks in Soviet Ukraine in 1919–1926. The evolution of the approaches to preserving the heritage of the past during this period is outlined. Two phases in the development of this branch of legislation are distinguished: before and after 1922. During the first phase, representatives of the Bolshevik regime responsible for cultural policy paid very little attention to preservation. Crisis in the sphere of protection of historical and cultural heritage became especially noticeable during the campaign to confiscate church valuables (1922). During this period, monument preservation activities were regulated by legislation originating in Soviet Russia. The reception of Russian regulatory acts in the Soviet republics, including the Ukrainian SSR, usually took place with a lag and in the absence of clear implementation mechanisms. Special republican legislation first appeared in the area of protection of museum property and archival collections. After the transition to the policy of “indigenization” in Soviet Ukraine, local peculiarities in the sphere of monument preservation gradually emerged. The outcome of this process was the adoption of the regulation “On Cultural and Natural Heritage” (June 16, 1926). The article focuses in particular on funding issues, classification of monuments, and active public participation, which can be viewed as the republican specifics of Soviet Ukraine. It is noted that after the formation of regional inspectorates and committees for preservation of cultural and natural heritage in 1926, we can speak of a parallel existence of state and public heritage preservation bodies. The author concludes that the process of the formation of the legal framework for preservation of historical and cultural heritage in the USSR during 1919–1926 was not linear. The introduction of special republican norms regulating preservation activities became possible thanks to the experience and efforts of the republic’s professionals in the field.