THE HOSHKEVYCH FAMILY AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS OF UKRAINIANS IN THE CONDITIONS OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE

Abstract

Viktor Ivanovych Hoshkevych – an archaeologist, ethnographer, museum expert, publisher, head of the historical-archaeological museum in Kherson, – isn’t well known in Ukraine. He came from a well-known family of a theology professor, Rector of the Kyiv Theological Seminary. Invaluable is his role in establishing the Ukrainian language and history in the lower Dnieper.

Hoshkevych was the editor of the “Yug” newspaper. He spoke in favor of abolishing the ban on the Ukrainian language. Taras Shevchenko’s poems were published in the newspaper. Hoshkevych criticized the Russian autocracy and was a supporter of liberal reforms. The museum created by Hoshkevych became the center of Kherson’s cultural life. The scientist was acquainted with the English researcher E. Minz. Soon he received a book by E. Minz from “Scythians and Greeks”.

Hoshkevich criticized autocracy and liberalism quite expensively. He was under constant police supervision. In 1928 V.I. Hoshkevych has died. He was the typical representative of that category of pre- revolutionary scientific intelligentsia who, even under Soviet rule, sought to serve science, seeing in this case its duty to the people.