Hello! My name is Robb Kvašňák and it has taken me almost a lifetime to find out that my paternal grandparents were woven into the Ruthenian cloth. My grandpa was Ruthenian and my grandma Hungarian. But they both spoken each others' language as well as Slovak, Ukrainian, and German. My family came from Čirč in 1910 and settled in Clairton, just outside of Pittsburgh. My mother language is, however, German, since my maternal grandmother was given the task of raising me. Though she was born in South Bend, her mother language was also German, since her parents came from Arzberg im Fichtelgebirge. Her husband, though born in Chicago, was from two immigrants from Poznan, which at that time was Prussia. You series has helped me understand so much more. Thank you!!! I want to learn much, much more about Rusyn life.
i just found this gem and i am glad rusyns are being recognized even in USA. as a slovak rusyn you said everything correctly my mother is greek catholic rusyn from small village of Pčolinné which is about 12 km to the north of Snina. as you said about Sotaks there are a lot of them in Snina but also rusyn people too we have also increasing population of rusyn since many slovaks have a choice to select minority option when it comes to couting citizens which happens every year. there is also movement called Molody rusyny (you can find them on facebook) and they are promoting rusyn language and its traditions they also have own radio i believe and they have very positive influence on saving that unique language and culture. i am glad that you havent forgotten about your roots and feel proud to be one of us :)
During the Counter Reformation, some Lutherans and Calvinist chose to return to Catholism but to the Greek Catholic Church so they could retain things like Communion under both kinds and married priesthood.
Thank you so much for the series of presentations. I have learned so much! I am finding Presbyterian baptism records for my family's children after arrival into the US so I understand this means we could not be Carpatho-Rusyn, correct? Would love to learn more about Slovaks who were Calvinist Presbyterians.
My family visited my father's native Rusyn village of Maly Sulin in eastern Slovakia in 1972. My father spoke to them in standard Slovak as his Rusyn had withered over the years. I wonder if they replied in Rusyn? I guess I'll never know though I expect there has been a lot of bilingualism there over the years.
Thanks for explaining but I'm still confused. My grandfather's family was from Biltze Zholti near Ternopil. My grandmother's side was from a city called Zbahbas. Their families immigrated from Ukraine to Canada in early 1900's and settled on the prairies of Western Canada. Their documents say Ukraine. The older family's documents say Galicia. I am assuming Eastern Galacia because I'm not sure what is considered Western. But I am guessing East of the Hutzel region I heard my Baba saying she was from Holichyna but I can't find that on any maps. I have the feeling that my families didn't travel anywhere. As for religion both sides are Greek Orthodox (or you can say Ukrainian Orthodox). My grandfather helped to build the church in Sask. Canada.
Your grandmother said she came from "Halichyna" is the name for a region of today's western Ukraine. At the beginning of the 20th century it was the Austro-Hungarian province. At that time, the inhabitants of this country did not say that it was Ukraine. Many of them did not talk about themselves. "Ukrainian" only "Rusin". It was only the process of Ukrainization that changed the consciousness of these people. But "Carpato-Ruthenians" resisted him for several reasons. 1. Deep, cultural difference from the Ukrainians, close ties with the culture of Western Slavs, highlander mentality. 2 In socialist countries like Poland, Czechoslovakia or Hungary, there was no process of Ukrainization of Ruthenians. And they kept their original culture. In Ukraine, Hutsuls, Boykos and Rusnaks were subjected to cultural extermination through Ukrainianization. Anyway, this process continues to this day. 3. And when it comes to Galicia, from which your ancestors come, it is the land of "white Horwatians" which stretched from the Vistula to the Dniester. In the 9th century, part of Great Moravia. alliance with Polans, was called "Smol Poland" but only this part from Bug to the west.
So mostly the can be rusyns who became slovaks because of lot of historical factor's (go and see that on other videos from this series) or i don't know but I m rusyn from eastern Slovakia and I know lot of Greek catholic slovaks like in my county of Stará Ľubovňa there at few villages that are now speaking in eastern Slovak dialect (Šarišsky)and they are Greek Catholics because they came to some rusyn villages with little population and they over populated rusyns and rusyns simply attached to these eastern slovaks but the Church was build in these villages and they stay Greek Catholics i even know rusyn village which became roman catholic because of banning Greek Catholic church by communist in 50' I hope that you can understand everything I write here because my English is not very good
The saying goes, a Slovak would never have converted to Greek Catholocism, which essentially means if you are a Greek Catholic Slovak, your ancestors were Rusyn.
Such great info…thanks so much for doing this
Hello! My name is Robb Kvašňák and it has taken me almost a lifetime to find out that my paternal grandparents were woven into the Ruthenian cloth. My grandpa was Ruthenian and my grandma Hungarian. But they both spoken each others' language as well as Slovak, Ukrainian, and German. My family came from Čirč in 1910 and settled in Clairton, just outside of Pittsburgh. My mother language is, however, German, since my maternal grandmother was given the task of raising me. Though she was born in South Bend, her mother language was also German, since her parents came from Arzberg im Fichtelgebirge. Her husband, though born in Chicago, was from two immigrants from Poznan, which at that time was Prussia. You series has helped me understand so much more. Thank you!!! I want to learn much, much more about Rusyn life.
Enjoyed very much this presentation. Thank you, Sharon
i just found this gem and i am glad rusyns are being recognized even in USA. as a slovak rusyn you said everything correctly my mother is greek catholic rusyn from small village of Pčolinné which is about 12 km to the north of Snina. as you said about Sotaks there are a lot of them in Snina but also rusyn people too we have also increasing population of rusyn since many slovaks have a choice to select minority option when it comes to couting citizens which happens every year. there is also movement called Molody rusyny (you can find them on facebook) and they are promoting rusyn language and its traditions they also have own radio i believe and they have very positive influence on saving that unique language and culture. i am glad that you havent forgotten about your roots and feel proud to be one of us :)
Thank you for these videos. It means so much to me that this information is available.
Thanks for the video. 3rd generation Lemko & Polish American here.
During the Counter Reformation, some Lutherans and Calvinist chose to return to Catholism but to the Greek Catholic Church so they could retain things like Communion under both kinds and married priesthood.
Thanks for this video! Just curious what does the ending “Snak” refer to? For example if someones last name is “potosnak”.
Thank you so much for the series of presentations. I have learned so much! I am finding Presbyterian baptism records for my family's children after arrival into the US so I understand this means we could not be Carpatho-Rusyn, correct? Would love to learn more about Slovaks who were Calvinist Presbyterians.
My family visited my father's native Rusyn village of Maly Sulin in eastern Slovakia in 1972. My father spoke to them in standard Slovak as his Rusyn had withered over the years. I wonder if they replied in Rusyn? I guess I'll never know though I expect there has been a lot of bilingualism there over the years.
Здравствуйте дорогие друзья!
Where can I get Rusyn language learning materials especially books?
CRRC's shop has all of top matierals. c-rrc.org/
Thanks for explaining but I'm still confused. My grandfather's family was from Biltze Zholti near Ternopil. My grandmother's side was from a city called Zbahbas. Their families immigrated from Ukraine to Canada in early 1900's and settled on the prairies of Western Canada. Their documents say Ukraine. The older family's documents say Galicia. I am assuming Eastern Galacia because I'm not sure what is considered Western. But I am guessing East of the Hutzel region I heard my Baba saying she was from Holichyna but I can't find that on any maps. I have the feeling that my families didn't travel anywhere. As for religion both sides are Greek Orthodox (or you can say Ukrainian Orthodox). My grandfather helped to build the church in Sask. Canada.
Your grandmother said she came from "Halichyna" is the name for a region of today's western Ukraine. At the beginning of the 20th century it was the Austro-Hungarian province. At that time, the inhabitants of this country did not say that it was Ukraine. Many of them did not talk about themselves. "Ukrainian" only "Rusin". It was only the process of Ukrainization that changed the consciousness of these people. But "Carpato-Ruthenians" resisted him for several reasons.
1. Deep, cultural difference from the Ukrainians, close ties with the culture of Western Slavs, highlander mentality. 2
In socialist countries like Poland, Czechoslovakia or Hungary, there was no process of Ukrainization of Ruthenians. And they kept their original culture. In Ukraine, Hutsuls, Boykos and Rusnaks were subjected to cultural extermination through Ukrainianization. Anyway, this process continues to this day. 3. And when it comes to Galicia, from which your ancestors come, it is the land of "white Horwatians" which stretched from the Vistula to the Dniester. In the 9th century, part of Great Moravia. alliance with Polans, was called "Smol Poland" but only this part from Bug to the west.
Hold it...What about all those Slovak Greek Catholics? Who are they?
So mostly the can be rusyns who became slovaks because of lot of historical factor's (go and see that on other videos from this series) or i don't know but I m rusyn from eastern Slovakia and I know lot of Greek catholic slovaks like in my county of Stará Ľubovňa there at few villages that are now speaking in eastern Slovak dialect (Šarišsky)and they are Greek Catholics because they came to some rusyn villages with little population and they over populated rusyns and rusyns simply attached to these eastern slovaks but the Church was build in these villages and they stay Greek Catholics i even know rusyn village which became roman catholic because of banning Greek Catholic church by communist in 50' I hope that you can understand everything I write here because my English is not very good
@@jurajxman3499 Thanks, Juraj, for the answer. I can understand you perfectly. Stephan
The saying goes, a Slovak would never have converted to Greek Catholocism, which essentially means if you are a Greek Catholic Slovak, your ancestors were Rusyn.
Slávme slávne slávu slávnych Slávov!!! ☨ ☨ ☨