Russification Flashcards
What was the problem with the National Minorities at the time?
The development of national ideology provoked ethnic groups to assert their national identity. In the 1830s, Polish nationalism had brought rebellion. In the 1840s, Finnish language pressure groups were set up and local language newspapers used.
What was going on in Ukraine that prompted this?
The Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius provoked a national consciousness that sought secession.
What was Alexander 2nd’s relationship with National Minorities?
More concerned with control than racial superiority. He reacted swiftly to crush the 1863 Polish Rebellion wherein 200,000 Poles founded their own underground National Government. He didn’t engage in systematic persecution, instead using concessions to keep control.
What concessions did Alexander 2nd give to the Latvians, Estonians and Finns?
The Latvians and Estonians were allowed to revert to Lutheranism and he allowed the Finns to have their own parliament to try and retain power.
What was Alexander’s reaction to increased reaction to the autocracy?
Became more intolerant and reinforced the regime more, and this led to a ban of Ukrainian being used in publications or performances.
What is the definition of Russification?
Engaged by Pobedonostsev, sought to merge all of the Tsar’s subjects into a single nation with a shared identity.
What happened in Finland that marks the destruction of non-Russian culture?
Their Parliament was reorganised to reduce political influence.
The use of Russian was demanded
The independent postal service was abolished.
Russian currency replaced the local.
What happened in Poland that marked the destruction of non-Russian culture.
Polish National Bank closed in 1885
All teaching in school and Uni to be in Russian
Polish literature had to be studied in a translated version of Russian.
The administration was changed to curb independence.
How were the Loyal Baltic Germans the subject of aggressive Russification?
Between 1885 and 1889, measures were introduced to enforce Russian in all state offices, elementary and secondary schools, police force and judicial system.
What happened at this time in Belorussia and the Ukraine?
In the Ukraine, Ukrainian was largely banned and all Ukrainian theatres closed in 1885. Military service was extended into all territories under Russian rule.
In which 3 countries were the major ethnic uprisings in 1884-92.
Armenia, Georgia and Uzbekistan.
How many Lutherans in the Baltics converted to Orthodoxy in order to benefit from the laws based around the Orthodox Russians?
37,000.
What religious changes occurred in Poland?
Catholic monasteries were closed, the influence of Catholic priests curbed, and incentives provided for non-Catholics to settle.
What Russification occurred in East Asian Russia?
Orthodoxy was forced onto everyone, including mass baptisms. From 1883, members of Non-Orthodox churches were not allowed to build places of worship or wear religious dress - exile to Siberia.
How many cases of mass disturbance occurred as a result of this?
331, with 43 in the central provinces. The military was used to quash 51 of them.
