Translations
Unit 6. Nationalizing the Landscape: Tourism and Belonging
Exercise 6.5: Gorąco! Gorąco! Gorąco! in Zaleszczyki : przegląd uzdrowiskowo-turystyczny. 1933. nr 1, pp. 12-14
(Original language: Polish)
“Hot! Hot! Hot!”
Zaleszczyki!? On a peninsula, sloping towards the south…. No, we will not start in a stereotypical, cliched way. So and so meters above sea level etc. Cut the scholarly talk and formal statements! Hot! Hot! Hot! 56 degrees in the shade! And how is one supposed to stick to dry numbers in this heat? It is humid everywhere! Everyone melts, evaporates, boils over, and takes a dive in the Dniester. Imagine – to live here – pay taxes and struggle with the economic crisis! Luckily, all that weighs on us, torments us, and wears us down—none of it exists in Zaleszczyki. Even the ladies come here without their husbands. (…)
So Zaleszczyki! If Zakopane is known as the pearl of the Tatra Mountains, it is the black pearl, also called “the Orient pearl”, Zaleshchyky is the pearl of Ceylon, the pearl of the sun, peaches and apricots, the pink pearl, that is, equally valuable, beautiful and precious, although incomparably cheaper than Zakopane (not as a pearl – only as a guesthouse and the board), at least so far. And one more thing, Zaleszczyki has what none of our spas have (at least in this genre) it has the sun of the south! (…)
It is the California and Florida, the Miami and Palm Beach of our country! – Zaleszczyki has a beach on the Dniester River. Ladies in bathing suits, gentlemen in even less, and sun, sun, sun. About 60 Celsius in the shade. (And besides, peaches, apricots, grapes, walnuts, mulberries, melons, not to mention strawberries as big as the glasses, etc., are blooming and ripening in gardens, along the roadside and in fences, where God wills.) Above all, it is neat, clean, wonderfully quiet and bright. The Dniester, curving like an arm, like a lover around a young girl, lovingly embraces the bouquet of gardens, villas, and cottages—and everything around makes you believe that not only the world, but even life, even today, is beautiful, despite the crisis (which has come here too, and is lingering, despite the protests of the Resort Committee). (…)
What’s more (please believe it, without exaggeration), the boarding houses are nice, clean and, most importantly, they cater abundantly well and inexpensively. Even more! And the merchants in town name prices for etamines and georgettes that, when a native Varsovian hears them, make her instantly buy half the store—and still get about 20 zł in change, a rather hefty sum! (…)
And besides — Europe! Electric lighting, telephones, radios, dancing, roads paved with asphalt, tar, or gravel. Electricity in the boarding houses, cottages, and even the darkest paths (where one flirts along trails shaded by mulberry and apricot trees — tasty, nourishing, and sweet, like say a kiss — an apricot; or vice versa). Then there are boats on the Dniester, where fishing thrives, and catching a 5–10 kilo pike or carp is nothing special — just your average fish!
And the surroundings — the walks, the excursions — fill the heart with awe and wonder.
And you, dear Varsovians, thirsty for sun and water — do leaf through Sienkiewicz’s Trilogy before you come to Zaleszczyki, so that some of you don’t end up like snuff in the corner.
Because all around here, the trail winds past old fortresses, the wild roads of Bohun, the paths of Kmicic and Colonel Wołodyjowski. Zbaraż. The Ramparts of the Holy Trinity. Czerwonogród. Podhajce, the Devil’s Ravine, Trembowla, Chocim — even the ruins of Wołodyjowski’s little castle.
Oh Holy God, when you find yourself in Zaleszczyki on a moonlit night, listening to the murmur of the Dniester and gazing into its silvery current, curved like a Damascus blade — and you think that, just like centuries ago, Poland once again stands as a bulwark on the frontier, holding fast against the horde…
And the Dniester hums and rolls its waves…
Poland has many wonders — spas, springs, mountain resorts, the Tatras dressed in their ermine snows — Zakopane, Krynica, Gdynia, the Polish sea. All these places are charming, and the capital calls them its summer and winter salons and whatnot.
But Zaleszczyki is one of a kind. It is enchanted — like that Horpyna from the gorge, casting spells on you with water from the millstream. Here too, the Dniester, the moon heavy with thought, and the wind whispering longings from who knows where — they all wrap around your soul and weave it into a living fairy tale.
Unit 7. NGOs and Migration Governance: Migration Processes in Late Imperial Eastern Europe
Figure 7.4a
[Page 1]
Postmark date: July 5, 1912
Stamp: Imperial Russian coat of arms; postmarked in Kamenets-Podolsk
[Printed Heading]
Postcard
Jewish Emigration Society
In Kiev — For reply
[Handwritten Address]
To the City of Kiev
Jewish Emigration Society
Vasilievskaya Street, No. 10
To the Secretary
[Return Address – Bottom of the Card]
Aleksandrovsk, Tavricheskaya Province
Forwarded by D. Freilikhman
[Page 2]
Your Honor,
I most humbly ask you to inform me by post to which station the office dispatches [emigrants] and in which direction. I have the intention of taking several people along in an organized manner, and therefore, it is necessary to leave at the appointed time. Due to the difficulties and complexities of the roads, I kindly ask you to inform the village council about the mail reception. Please specify all the details about the destination. I have received instructions to bypass Kishinev and now proceed to Bolgrad. I am willing to go. Many peasants have expressed the wish to travel with me. They responded very kindly and courteously. Several people are eager to travel with me. I humbly ask you to inform me.
Awaiting your reply, Respectfully, Registered applicant D. Tramperov.
Figure 7.4b
[Page 1]
Yuzhnoukrainsk, 27/VI 1912
To my Most Gracious Sir!
Please kindly respond to the following questions:
- How much money should an emigrant traveling to South America from the town of Gulyaypole, via the city of Libau, bring with him?
- Under what conditions are families resettled there?
- Can an emigrant traveling as part of a group reach the destination?
[Page 2]
- How frequently are groups of emigrants sent from Galveston? To which cities are the emigrants usually forwarded, and how large must the group be in order to be dispatched?
- Are families without breadwinners accepted into emigration parties?
- To whom should one apply locally to receive information about emigration to Galveston?
As for me, I am engaged in farming, I read and write fluently in Russian, and according to my property certificate, I possess capital in the amount of 3,000 rubles.
With sincere respect,
A. Shvarts
My address:
To Gorniy Golyshmanov,
Sosnovskaya Volost,
Tobolsk Province,
For delivery to A. Shvarts.
Figure 7.4c
Date: 30 January 1908
Stamp: Center for Emigration, E.T., Kiev. Received 1 February 1908. Address: Kiev, Kuznechnaya 13
To my Esteemed Sir,
Please allow me to trouble you with the following questions:
- How much will the journey to Galveston cost, and from which point is the trip considered to begin?
- Is it necessary to have a government-issued passport for the journey abroad, or would a certificate from the local authorities suffice? If such a certificate is acceptable, what should its format be? I would be most grateful if you could provide clarification in advance, so that I might avoid any unexpected difficulties.
- When is the next group of emigrants scheduled to depart?
I have registered here as a shop assistant in the village of Khokhlovka, Buzuluk district, Samara province.
[page 2]
I am currently in good health. I have two sisters who would also like to emigrate. I kindly ask that you do not refuse us your assistance.
Awaiting your prompt reply,
With sincere respect,
L.E. Levin
My address:
Pochaev, Volhynia province
Podkamennaya Street
E.L. Levin
Figure 7.5
Statutes of the Society for the Regulation of Jewish Emigration
Approved by the St. Petersburg City Duma on December 18, 1907. Entered into the register of societies in St. Petersburg under No. 13805 in 1907.
Name of the Society, its Purpose, Area, and Methods of Activity
1. The Society for the Regulation of Jewish Emigration is established with the exclusive purpose of providing assistance to emigrating Jews—passengers and settlers—in arranging transportation and facilitating their settlement in new places, primarily to protect emigrants from exploitation and abuse by private individuals and institutions.
Note. The Society shall under no circumstances initiate emigration, nor shall it encourage anyone to emigrate, nor restrict or redirect emigrants from one destination to another.
2. To achieve this purpose, the Society:
- provides emigrants, through its own offices or those with which it cooperates, with guidance on the most convenient and least expensive travel routes;
- helps arrange free or affordable accommodation in emigrant shelters and inexpensive inns;
- maintains correspondence through its own offices or through individual members and agents abroad and in Russia, in order to obtain and disseminate information about living conditions in various countries, as well as about emigrant colonies and settlements;
- establishes public lecture series and offers language instruction and other forms of education useful to emigrants;
- establishes printing operations for periodicals and special publications containing information of interest to emigrants;
- establishes local branches and offices in various places that serve the goals of the Society;
- offers assistance to Jews in Russia and abroad who are engaged in helping Jewish emigrants (passengers and settlers in transit or settlement locations).
3. The Society shall cooperate with governmental authorities, railway companies, shipping lines, passport offices, and other institutions, to assist emigrants with obtaining travel documents, tickets, and other papers needed for departure, as well as with protecting their rights and improving legislation and administrative practices related to emigration.
Membership Admission and Removal, Membership Dues, and Terms of Payment
4. Members of the Society may be persons of both sexes, of any religion, who have attained the age of majority and express a willingness to contribute to the aims of the Society through active participation or financial support.
5. Persons wishing to become members of the Society must be recommended by two current members and are accepted by the Board of Directors by a majority vote.
6. Members of the Society are categorized as:
- honorary members,
- full members,
- contributing members,
- corresponding members.
Note: Full members are those who participate in general meetings with the right to vote.
7. Honorary members are elected by the General Assembly of the Society for their special services to the Society or for donations.
8. Contributing members are those who donate a one-time sum of no less than 500 rubles to the Society and are exempt from annual dues and other obligations.
9. Corresponding members are those who cooperate with the Society as representatives or correspondents but do not participate in its meetings and are exempt from membership dues.
10. All full members of the Society must pay an annual membership fee of 1 ruble. Payment must be made no later than January 1 of each year. Members who fail to pay for three consecutive years without valid reason may be removed from the membership list by the Board.
11. Honorary and contributing members are exempt from annual membership dues.
12. The Board has the right to remove any member of the Society if they act contrary to the aims of the Society or cause harm to its reputation. Such a decision must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the Board.
13. Members may voluntarily withdraw from the Society by submitting a written statement to the Board.
Composition of the Board, Methods of Its Formation and Replenishment, Its Responsibilities, and Place of Residence
14. The Board is elected from among the founding members of the Society and from other full members by a majority vote of the General Assembly. The number of Board members shall not exceed ten.
15. The Board shall elect from among its members a chairperson, deputy chairperson, treasurer, and secretary.
16. If a Board member must temporarily leave their position, the Board may temporarily assign their duties to another member.
17. The Board is responsible for:
- implementing the goals of the Society as defined in §§ 1–3,
- maintaining communication with Jews-emigrants,
- establishing connections with governmental and private institutions, as well as with societies and individuals assisting Jewish emigrants both inside and outside Russia,
- managing the internal affairs of the Society, including financial management and bookkeeping.
18. The Board shall hold meetings at least once a month. Board decisions are made by majority vote of those present. In the case of a tie, the chairperson casts the deciding vote.
19. The Board resides in the city of St. Petersburg.
The General Assembly and its Powers
21. The General Assembly of the Society consists of all full members of the Society.
22. The General Assembly shall be convened by the Board at least once per year. An extraordinary General Assembly may be convened by the Board on its own initiative or upon the written request of at least 25 full members of the Society.
23. Notice of the convening of the General Assembly, stating the time, place, and agenda, must be sent to members no later than two weeks before the scheduled date of the meeting.
24. The General Assembly is considered valid if at least half of all full members are present. If this quorum is not met, the Assembly is reconvened not earlier than two weeks and no later than one month from the first date. The second Assembly shall have the right to make decisions regardless of the number of members present.
25. The General Assembly shall:
- hear and approve the annual report of the Board on the activities of the Society and its financial state;
- elect and dismiss members of the Board;
- approve amendments to the Charter of the Society;
- determine the amount of annual membership dues;
- decide on the dissolution of the Society and the disposal of its property in the event of liquidation.
26. All decisions of the General Assembly are adopted by a simple majority vote of members present. In the event of a tie, the vote of the chairperson of the meeting shall be decisive.
27. The exclusive competence of the General Assembly includes:
- election and dismissal of Board members;
- approval and amendment of the Charter of the Society;
- approval of the annual report and financial statements of the Board;
- determination of the amount of membership dues;
- resolution on the dissolution of the Society and the disposal of its property in such case.
On Local Branches of the Society
28. In every locality where there are at least 10 permanent members of the Society residing, a local Branch of the Society may be established with the consent of the Board of the Central Society. In its organization and in all its activities, the Branch is guided by the Society’s Charter and the instructions of the Board, approved by the General Assembly. The establishment of each Branch is reported by the Board of the Society to the St. Petersburg Governor.
29. Each Branch of the Society, for the fulfillment of its tasks, elects from among its members a Committee consisting of no fewer than 3 persons.
Society Funds and the Procedure for Maintaining Accounts
30. The funds of the Society consist of:
- membership fees,
- one-time donations and bequests for spiritual purposes,
- proceeds from the sale of books and pamphlets,
- income from performances, evenings, and other events organized to benefit the Society, as well as amounts derived from the sale of the Society’s publications,
- income from the Society’s capital and property.
31. The responsibility for proper accounting of the Society’s funds lies with the Board.
32. Each year, the Board submits for approval to the General Assembly an estimated budget for the upcoming year, as well as a general report on the activities of the Society for the past year. It also submits a financial report on the status and use of the Society’s funds during the year, verified by the Audit Commission.
33. To verify the Board’s report, as well as the total income and expenditures of the Society, and to review the proposed estimates submitted by the Board, the General Assembly elects a permanent Audit Commission, consisting of no fewer than three members.
Procedure for Amending the Charter
34. A proposal to amend the Charter of the Society may be discussed by the General Assembly upon the initiative of the Board or of 30 members of the Society.
35. Any amendment to the Charter may be adopted only by a two-thirds majority of the members present at the General Assembly.
General Provisions
36. The Society shall have a seal with its name.
37. The Society has the right to acquire and dispose of movable and immovable property for its purposes, to enter into various kinds of contracts and transactions, and to defend its interests in court through authorized representatives.
38. In the event of the cessation of the Society’s activities, all its capital and other property shall be used for purposes defined by the General Assembly in accordance with § 27, in line with the goals of the Society.
The founders of the Society are:
- A retired pharmacist Semyon Yefimovich Veysberg, living at the 2nd site of the Liteiny part, on Saperny Lane, house No. 6, apt. 5.
- Candidate of commercial sciences, Mark Lazar Yakovlevich Vygodsky, living at the town of Nikolaev, Slobodka district, Alexandrovskaya street, house No. 3.
- Graduated from the law faculty of St. Petersburg University, lawyer Mikhail Grigorievich Kreinin, living at the 3rd section of the Slavyansk part, Kazanskaya street, house No. 15, apt. 3.
- Merchant’s son, Samuel Natanovich Rapoport, living at the 3rd section of the Kolomna part, house No. 47, apt. 13 — site of the Kolomna part.
- Graduated from the law faculty of St. Petersburg University, lawyer Lev Mikhailovich Ioffe, living at the 2nd section of the Slavyansk part, Kazanskaya street, house No. 5, apt. 6.
- Graduated from the law faculty of St. Petersburg University, lawyer Solomon Solomonovich Kamenetsky, living at the 1st section of the Kolomna part, house No. 9, apt. 1.
- Candidate of commercial sciences, Mark Lazar Yakovlevich Vygodsky, merchant of the 2nd guild.
The authorized representative of the founders is Samuel Yefimovich Veysberg.
The treasurer is the merchant of the 2nd guild, Samuel Natanovich Rapoport.
Graduated from St. Petersburg University, lawyer Khaimovich (Vladimir) Boris Davidovich.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs, based on the report of the Chancellery of the Governor of St. Petersburg dated December 4, 1907, under No. 13805, has recognized the presented statute of the society and its establishment by the persons listed above, under the name: “Kiev Jewish Emigration Society” — as corresponding to the law. The society is allowed to carry out its activities according to the presented statute.
The society is located in the city of Kiev at the following address:
1st district of the Kolomna part, house No. 4 — Kolomenskaya street, house No. 4, apt. 4.
The statute was approved by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Department of General Affairs, on December 4, 1907, under No. 13805.
Signed: S. Dvorzhetsky.
Figure 7.9
Written undertaking
Received No. 3341
23 August 1909
Case No. 8401
In the name of the Jewish Emigration Committee, we certify the following:
That the man Gurevich Wolf, son of Elye, born in 1892 in the town of Novograd-Volynsk, a petty townsman from the Northwestern region, presented himself to the American Emigration Office of the Jewish Emigration Committee in Kyiv and declared the following:
That he is emigrating to America because:
- He is not being expelled by the government as a punishment, nor as a result of a criminal or administrative order.
- He has not been arrested nor stood trial for any crime.
- He has not served in the army because, according to Russian law, he is not obligated to serve (passport of the Volhynian Provincial Board No. 13419 issued on 14 May 1909).
- This man has received a ticket from the New York Jewish Emigration Committee (HIAS).
The American Consulate has received confirmation from the aforementioned American Jewish Emigration Committee (HIAS) that upon this man’s arrival in America, he will be received and supported by the Committee and therefore will not become a burden upon the American government.
Also, the American Consulate has received a written guarantee from the aforementioned Jewish Emigration Committee in New York that the Committee is taking full responsibility for him, and that he will not become dependent on any American charitable institution.
The above-mentioned committee will also take care to help him get work, and since he is young and able-bodied, there is no reason to assume that he will not be able to support himself independently upon arrival in America. - This man has a certificate from the Jewish Emigration Committee’s medical office that confirms he has undergone a medical examination and is healthy.
- This man is not, to outward appearance, blind, crippled, insane, or suffering from any contagious disease, and for that reason, there is no doubt that he will be admitted into America.
(Signed)
Representative of the Jewish Emigration Committee, G. Wilenkin
Printed by I.M. Rozen, Kyiv. 316–09.
Unit 8: Return Migration: The Crimean Tatars from Soviet Exile to Their Homeland
Figure 8.1
DECREE OF THE PRESIDIUM OF THE SUPREME SOVIET OF THE USSR
On the Release from Administrative Oversight of Crimean Tatars, Balkars, Turks — Citizens of the USSR, Kurds, Hemshins, and Members of Their Families Deported During the Great Patriotic War
Moscow, April 28, 1956
Whereas the existing restrictions on the legal status of those residing in special settlements—specifically, the Crimean Tatars, Balkars, Turks, citizens of the USSR, Kurds, Hemshins, and their family members, who were deported from the North Caucasus, the Georgian SSR, and Crimea during 1943-1944, are no longer justified, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR hereby decrees as follows:
- Remove the Crimean Tatars, Balkars, Turks, citizens of the USSR, Kurds, Hemshins, and their family members who were deported to special settlements during the Great Patriotic War—from special settlement records and terminate their administrative supervision by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR.
- It is hereby established that lifting the special settlement restrictions for the individuals listed in Article One of this Decree shall not result in the restitution of property that was confiscated during deportation, nor shall those affected have the right to return to the localities from which they were deported.
Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of SSR
K. Voroshylov
Figure 8.2
(Original language: Ukrainian)
DECREE OF THE PRESIDIUM OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE USSR
On citizens of Tatar nationality residing in Crimea
Moscow, September 5, 1967
In the aftermath of the 1944 liberation of Crimea from fascist occupation, the facts surrounding the active collaboration of a certain segment of Tatars living in Crimea with the German invaders were unjustifiably attributed to the entire Tatar population of Crimea. These indiscriminate accusations against all citizens of Tatar nationality residing in Crimea should be dismissed, especially since a new generation of individuals has entered the workforce and the political life of society.
The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR decrees as follows:
- To annul the relevant decisions made by state bodies concerning the section that includes indiscriminate accusations against citizens of Tatar nationality residing in Crimea.
- To recognize that the Tatars, who used to live in Crimea have rooted themselves on the territory of Uzbekistan and other Soviet republics, enjoy all the rights of Soviet citizens, participate in public and political life, are elected members of the Supreme Councils and local Councils, and work and hold senior positions in Soviet, economic and party bodies. They have access to radio programs, a newspaper in their native language, and other cultural activities.
- To further develop areas with a population of Tatars, instruct the Councils of Ministers of the Soviet Union Republics to continue promoting and assisting citizens of Tatar nationality in economic and cultural development, taking into account their national interests and distinctive characteristics.
Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of SSR
M. Pidgorny
Secretary of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
M. Georgadze
Figure 8.3
(Original language: Ukrainian)
DECLARATION OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE USSR
On the Recognition of Repressive Acts Against Peoples Subjected to Forced Displacement as Illegal and Criminal and Ensuring Their Rights
Moscow, November 14, 1989
Today, in the period of revolutionary renewal of Soviet society, when the process of democratization and clearing all aspects of our lives from deformations and distortions of the universal principles of humanism has begun, the desire to know the whole truth about the past in order to learn its lessons for the sake of the future is growing in the country.
Our memory brings us to the tragic years of Stalin’s repressions with particular bitterness. Lawlessness and arbitrariness spared no republic and no nation. Mass arrests, camp suffering, poverty of women, the elderly, and children in the resettlement zones – all this still appeals to our conscience and offends our moral sense. We cannot forget about it.
The barbaric actions of the Stalinist regime during World War II included the eviction of the Balkars, Ingush, Kalmyks, Karachays, Crimean Tatars, Germans, Meskhetian Turks, and Chechens from their homes. The policy of forced resettlement also affected the fate of Koreans, Greeks, Kurds, and other peoples.
The Supreme Soviet of the USSR unequivocally condemns the practice of forcible resettlement of entire peoples as the gravest crime that contradicts the principles of international law and the humanistic nature of the socialist system.
The Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics guarantees that violations of human rights and norms of humanity at the state level will never occur again in our country.
The Supreme Soviet of the USSR considers it necessary to adopt appropriate legislative measures for the unconditional restoration of the rights of all Soviet peoples who have been subjected to repression.
