Studia Migracyjne - Przegląd Polonijny

Cover of issue 1 (2013) of Studia Migracyjne - Przegląd Polonijny

Studia Migracyjne - Przegląd Polonijny (Migration Studies -Review of the Polish Diaspora), is a quarterly journal published by the Polish Academy of Sciences. The peer-reviewed journal focuses on historical, political and economical trends affecting Poland's population. Besides articles focusing on the internal demographic trends in Poland, one will also find articles discussing the activities of the Polish diaspora community throughout the world. Some of the more recent articles look at the effects of Polish migration after Poland's assumption to the European Union.

The most recent issues are displayed on the Slavic Collection’s Current Periodical Shelf, while the older issues are available in the Slavic Collection's main stacks, under the call # Slav DK 4122 P79.

Belarusian reference tool for cities and towns

Cover of the Mahiliou voblasts (Mahiliouskaia voblasts'), Book III, Harady i vioski Belarusi

Introductory page to the section devoted to the
Mstsislauski district (Mstsislauski raion), Mahiliou voblasts

Starting in 2004, the Institute of Arts, Ethnography and Folklore, of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus has been putting together a series of volumes devoted to the voblasts (provinces) of Belarus, and their individual districts.  Harady i vioski Belarusi (Cities and towns of Belarus) is being published by the Petrus Brouski Belarusian Encyclopedia Publishing House, -- with each individual voblasts' having 2 or 3 volumes devoted to its various raions (districts). Anyone doing genealogical research will find this set of books a most welcome resource tool. One will find write-ups on the history of each city, town and village located within a voblasts' and district. Each volume contains: information about when a particular town was founded; what are some noteworthy events that took place over the centuries in the town and its surrounding areas; and what important buildings and landmarks exist in a district. A detailed map of each district accompanies the start of each chapter devoted to that district. As a note, this is an ongoing project, with one or two volumes being added to the series each year.

Harady i vioski Belarusi, is located in the Slavic Collection's Reference section under the call number, Slav DK 507.37 H37.

Ukrainian source for genealogical research

Cover of the volume of Istoriia mist i sil URSR, devoted to the 

Ternopil oblast (Ukr.: Ternopil's'ka oblast')

 Map of the Ternopil oblast' found within the above mentioned volume.

Between 1967-1974, the Institute of History for the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian S.S.R. (today, the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine) published a series of volumes, titled, Istoriia mist i sil URSR (The History of the Cities and Towns of the Ukrainian S.S.R) each one, devoted to an individual Ukrainian oblast (province or administrative unit). Within each volume, there is a detailed look at each of the oblast's various districts, or raions, with accompanying maps of each of these districts. For genealogists, this is truly a great resource for locating small villages, that may not usually appear on ordinary commercial maps. In addition, one will find write-ups on the history of each city, town and village located within that particular oblast'. Although each volume contains the Soviet-slant on Ukrainian history, it is still a great source  to obtain information about, say for example, --when a particular town was founded; what are some noteworthy events that took place over the centuries in the town and its surrounding areas; and what important buildings and landmarks exist in a district. It would be nice to see an updated version of this set of volumes in present-day, independent Ukraine. Perhaps such a project is currently underway -- one can only hope...

Istoriia mist i sil URSR, is located in the Slavic Collection's Reference section under the call number, Slav DK 511 I7.

New Book on the Russian Empire in Colour

Front cover of Nostalgia. The Russian Empire of Czar Nicholas II

 One of the restored photos by Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii, 

showing Georgian tea workers near Chavka, ca. 1910

Starting in 1909 until 1915, chemist and pioneer photographer, Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii, photographed the various peoples and places that comprised the vast Russian Empire. Using a method involving colour-sensitive glass plates and 3-coloured filters (blue, green and red), Prokudiin-Gorskii was able to capture the diverse nations, folklore and landscapes in colour. With the support of Tsar Nicholas II, the Transportation Ministry provided him with a specially equipped railway car, in order to accomplish this unique project.

Of the nearly 2000 photographs taken, 300 of them were meticulously restored by the Library of Congress, which had purchased the collection back in 1948 (Four years after the death of Prokudin-Gorskii). The restored images are showcased in the book, Nostalgia. The Russian Empire of Czar Nicholas II (by the German Publishing House, Gestalten). It is available in the Slavic Collection's Reference area, under the call number,  Slav Ref DK 262 P76 2012, -- with a circulating copy, held in St. Paul's Library (Fort Garry Campus,University of Manitoba).

Hallama Family fonds

The Hallama Family of Grande Point, MB., ca. 1925

Photograph courtesy of the U of M Archives & Special Collections,

Hallama Family fonds (PC 123).

 

The Hallama Family fonds  [Mss Sc 128, Pc 123 (A96-21, A12-08 )] consists of photographs, farm account books and a history of the Hallama family and farm in Grande Point, Manitoba. Wenceslaus Hallama, a Czech inmmigrant, who arrived in Canada in 1891, settled on his uncle, Joseph Schwab's farm, near Grande Point. Wenceslaus Hallama later purchased the farm from his uncle, where Wenceslaus' bride, Barabara Blahnik, from Bohemia, soon joined him. The couple then raised a family, from which the farm was passed on to their son, Joseph, and then later, to Joseph's son, Edward.

a fascinating collection that recollects the early years of the Hallama family, one of earliest Czech families in Western Canada. Of special note, Wenceslaus  Hallama was the first farmer in the area to own a ... »seed drill and a gasoline tractor.  The Hallama Family Fonds is available to view in the U of M Archives & Special Collections.

Walter Klymkiw Musical Scores Collection

Cover of Hryhorii Ver'ovka's Ukrains'ki narodni pisni dlia khoru

 (Ukrainian folk songs for choirs)

The Walter Klymkiw Musical Scores Collection consists of several hundred musical scores and arrangements of Ukrainian folk, liturgical, classical and contemporary music. This unique collection was donated to the Elizabeth Dafoe Library’s Slavic Collection by the Walter Klymkiw Family in 2001.

 The late Walter Klymkiw served as the choral director of the renowned Winnipeg-based Olexander Koshetz Choir. During his nearly fifty years with the choir, Klymkiw and his choir toured throughout Canada, Ukraine, Poland, the Czech Republic, Western Europe, and South America. The choir went on to record two CDs, nine cassettes, and six records. For nearly half a century he maintained and developed contacts with Ukraine's composers and artists -- fostering a special relationship with Anatolii Avdievs'kyi (Avdievsky), director of the world famous Ver'ovka (Veriovka) Ukrainian State Folk Choir. Through his many travels, and the many contacts and friendships he established during his lifetime, Dr. Klymkiw was able to purchase and collect hundreds of musical scores, many of which he would utilize in his choir’s countless performances.  Included in the collection are the works and arrangements of such well-known Ukrainian composers, musicologists and conductors as Dmytro Bortnians’kyi (Bortniansky),  Mykola Lysenko, Filiaret Kolessa, Olexander Koshetz (Koshets’), Mykola Leontovych, Hryhorii Ver’ovka, Ihor Shamo, and Oleksandr Bilash.

This unique collection is available in the closed stacks of the Slavic Collection, and complements the Klymkiw Family Fonds held in the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections. Please ask the Slavic staff for assistance.

Natsyianal'nyi Atlas Belarusi = The National Atlas of Belarus

Natsyianal'nyi Atlas Belarusi = The National Atlas of Belarus

Many of the post-Soviet countries have published national atlas's since becoming independent in 1991, including, Belarus. The National Atlas of Belarus (2002) is divided into 19 sections, and focuses on such areas as: territory; population; climate; ecology; agriculture; culture; science; and industry, In addition, there is a section devoted to the history of Belarus, for example,  several maps cover the period of the Grand Duchy of Litva.  The atlas was created under the auspices of the Council of Minister of the Republic of Belarus, whose committee oversees land resources, geodesy and cartography.

The  National Atlas of  Belarus is held in the Atlas Section in the Elizabeth Dafoe Library's Reference Room, under the call number G 2145 R4 2002

Natsional'nyi Atlas Rossii = The National Atlas of Russia

National Atlas of Russia = Natsional'nyi Atlas Rossii

The new National Atlas of Russia = Natsional'nyi Atlas Rossii is published by the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, and the Federal Agency of Geodesy and Cartography, This is the first major such work since the breakup of the Soviet Union. It consist of 4 volumes: Volume 1: The National Atlas; Volume 2: Nature and Ecology; Volume 3: Populations an Economics; and Volume 4:  History and Culture.  Volume 1 provides information on the general geographic characteristics of the Russian Federation and its regions. --, focusing on the individual political and administrative units of the country. Although Volume 1 provides a historical overview of Russia, Volume 4 provides a more detailed historical account of various periods, with accompanying maps.


 The  National Atlas of  Russia is held in the Atlas Section in the Elizabeth Dafoe Library's Reference Room, under the call number G 2140 F44 2004 t. 1-4.

Polonistyka

 The  cover of the August/ September 2012 issue of Polonistyka

One of the Polish language journals that the University of Manitoba Libraries subscribes to, in the area of Polish philology is, Polonistyka. This monthly journal discusses Polish language pedagogy, including instructional teaching at various levels of language comprehension.

The most recent issues are displayed on the Slavic Collection’s Current Periodical Shelf, while the older issues are available in the Slavic Collection's main stacks, under the call # Slav Per 491.8 P767

Natsional'nyi Atlas Ukrainy = The National Atlas of Ukraine

 Natsional'nyi Atlas Ukrainy = The National Atlas of Ukraine

Several years in the making, the  National Atlas of Ukraine was officially published in 2007, under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.  This important work is over 400 pages in length, and containing nearly 900 maps, diagrams and illustrations. The atlas is divided into six sections: General characteristics; History; Natural Conditions and Natural Resources; Population and Human Development, "Business", and "Ecological State of the Environment.

The  National Atlas of Ukraine is held in the Atlas Section in the Elizabeth Dafoe Library's Reference Room, under the call number G 2150 N38 2007.

The Michael Ewanchuk fonds

Michael Ewanchuk in 1941, Bachelor of Education,
University of Manitoba

(The Michael Ewanchuk fonds MSS 75, PC 96 - U of M Archives & Special Collections)

Born in 1908 in Gimli, Manitoba, Michael Ewanchuk was the son of pioneer settlers. Upon graduating from Gimli High School, he worked at Ford's in Detroit, and attended the Detroit Institute of Technology and Detroit City College (now Wayne State University). He received his B.A., B.Ed., and M.Ed. degrees from the University of Manitoba. He later received two honorary Doctoral degrees from the University of Manitoba (St. John's College), and the University of Winnipeg. Upon completion of his service with the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1946, he was appointed Inspector of Schools. Ewanchuk served on various curriculum committees and was chairman of a committee that organized the introduction of Ukrainian instruction in the high schools of Manitoba. He was elected president of the Canadian Association of School Superintendents and Inspectors and for several years was member of the Educational Showplace Committee in Toronto. Interested in oral history, Ewanchuk conducted a series of interviews in the 1930's with Ukrainian seniors and began writing oral histories. In the 1970s and 1980s , he continued to conduct futher interviews with Ukrainian Canadian pioneers.  Those chosen by Dr. Ewanchuk to be interviewed included: both women and men; people of different strata of society; and individuals who settled or lived in various regions of Manitoba (for example, the Ethelbert – Dauphin Region, the Interlake; and the Vita area).

Dr. Ewanchuk began to donate portions of his archives to the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections in the 1990s, and continued to do so, up until his passing in 2004. The fonds is organized in several accessions, and includes textual reocrds (including correspondence, drafts of his many publications on Ukrainian pioneer life in Manitoba, etc.); audio recordings of the pioneer interviews conducted in the  1970s, and 1980s; and a large photograph collection (containing family, community and historical photographs).  The Michael Ewanchuk fonds is available to view in the U of M Archives & Special Collections, 330 Elizabeth Dafoe Library ( MSS 75, A.90-32, A.94-03, A.99-72, A.02-19, A.02-33, A.04-129, A.06-55, PC 96, TC 105). In addition, a portion of the Ewanchuk photographs were digitized, and are available on the Archives' Prairie Immigration Experience's website.

Izvestiia Digital Archives

Front page of the December 25, 2012 issue of Izvestiia

The University of Manitoba Libraries (UML) has purchased the digital archives database of Izvestiia, the Kremlin’s official newspaper. The paper is available online, from 1917 to 2010, and contains both full-image and text scans of the original newspaper. In addition, the UML, has purchased an online subscription to the newspaper, for the subsequent years, beginning with 2011. The Izvestiia Digital Archive chronicles  Soviet society from revolutionary times to the U.S.S.R.'s break, -- and to the present day Post-Soviet Russia.


East View Information Services' Izvestiia Digital Archives contains over 25,000 continuous issues. With approximately 300,000 photographs and other graphics, and nearly 1,000,000 articles. The Izvestiia Database may be accessed through, the U of M online catalogue, by doing a "journal title" search using the term 'Izvestiia', or through the online Database A-Z link, under the letter "I". Free access is available to current faculty, students, and staff of the University of Manitoba.