Діяльність міжнародних організацій АРА та "Джойнт" по наданню допомоги дитячому населенню Східного Поділля в умовах голоду (1921-1923 pp.)

Abstract

У статті розглянуто основні шляхи й проблеми надання допомоги Американською адміністрацією допомоги та Американським єврейським об’єднаним розподільчим комітетом дитячому населенню Східного Поділля в умовах голоду 1921-1923 рр. Особлива увага звертається на обсяги надання матеріальної та фінансової допомоги безпритульним дітям вказаними організаціями. З’ясовується їхня роль у подоланні голоду 1921-1923 років.

В статье рассмотрены основные пути и проблемы оказания помощи Американской администрацией помощи и Американским еврейским объединенным распределительным комитетом детскому населению Восточного Подолья в условиях голода 1921-1923 гг. Особое внимание обращается на объемы предоставления материальной и финансовой помощи беспризорным детям указанными организациями. Выясняется их роль в преодолении голода 1921-1923 годов.

The hunger of 1921-1923 is the greatest tragedy which had extremely negative results for Ukrainian people, especially for children. From the official point of view, famine in Ukraine in 1921-1923 was explained by droughts and also conseguences of economic backwardness, world and public wars. However, the decisive for Ukraine were subjective reasons: the economic policy of the Bolsheviks and the violent methods of their implementations. The state was unable to ensure people in the conditions of hunger, therefore foreign social voluntary organizations began to play the leading role. The help of American Relief Administration (ARA) and American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (“Joint”) was the most considerable for Podillya. The aim of this article is to show the basic aspects of help giving to homeless children of Vinnytsia region by foreign organizations ARA and “Joint” in 1921-1923. Podillya help Committee of American Help Organization, founded on June 2, 1922 was appealed to give the help to the victims of hunger. The functions of ARA on the Podillya province territory consisted of supplying the children and other establishments with food and medical maintenance exclusively of ARA. ARA did’nt patronize the children’s homes. Activity of ARA included the opening of dining rooms, the distribution of rations, caring about orphanages and hospitals. Dining rooms were firstly appointed for children and then for an adult population. The distribution of food among the starting population was carrying out by special commissions, composed of the representatives of the ARA and Soviet authorities. Besides food, which was given to children by ARA, “Joint” gave large sums of money for additional nutrition and fuel and transformed the patronized children’s homes into clean, comfortable houses with modern heating system. The children got shoes, underwear and clothes. However, there was a problem of American food. In the reports it often has been mentioned about the theft and the sale of goods from foreign charities. Therefore , in the conditions of hunger (1921-1923) the state of children was especially difficult. At the expense of the large-scale measures of humanistic organizations ARA and “Joint” hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian people and especially the future of the nation, children, were saved from terrible death.