Authors

Mariia Romanets¹;  ¹ University of Bristol, UK

Discussion

This paper is an extract from a large project that aims to conduct the first comprehensive study of the role of music within the Ukrainian refugee community in post-Second World War Displaced Person (DP) camps, particularly from 1945 to 1949, represent a unique chapter in Ukrainian history, marking the first time that Ukrainians from both Greater Ukraine and Galicia coexisted in a Western, non-communist society. For the first time, they were able to function independently, having long endured oppression and control by external authorities.

Refugees from each region arrived with distinct cultural traditions shaped by their diverse historical experiences. While striving to preserve these unique identities, they also sought to create a unified Ukrainian identity. The focus of cultural preservation centered on the traditions from the interwar period when Greater Ukraine was under Soviet control and Galicia was part of the Second Polish Republic. Each region asserted its cultural identity amidst various external influences, which shaped their experiences differently.In the displaced persons camps, these diverse cultural traditions clashed in isolated and organizationally dependent communities, creating tension within the same ethnic group. This environment intensified pressures toward conformity and raised critical questions about integration, inclusion, adaptation, acculturation, and marginalization – central issues explored in this research.