SBBMaine
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Bio
My maternal great grandparents were Lemko Rusyns from SE Poland who immigrated in the 1870's and shortly after arrival in Pennsylvania self-identified as ethnically Russian. This was not an uncommon phenomena and was most commonly found among those Rusyns who immigrated prior to 1900 when nationalism was not part of these early immigrants vernacular.
With the fall of communism in 1989, many descendants learned for the first time they were ethnically RUSYN, not RUSSIAN. Other descendants already knew this particularly where large populations of Carpatho-Rusyns immigrated such as Pittsburgh. It is worth noting, we are not ethnic Ukrainians as some would suggest. Our history is quite complex with the Rusyn identity being under constant governmental assimilation policies within Central Eastern Europe during the 20th century. Rusyns were an ethnic minority with no nation of their own.
Ukrainization was an outcome of 20th century politics in Lemkovyna as history shows. As well, I have cousins who were separated from the west for 60 years due to Akcja Wisla who clearly identified as Rusyn prior to exportation, as I have been personally told, but were unfortunately forcibly assimilated into a Ukrainian ethos. This is simply part of our Lemko history.
An excellent overview of RUSYNS:
https://tinyurl.com/Rusyns
My father's line is German, Hungarian, and Scots-Irish. Other family names; Baird, Sproule, Ohler, Hoffman, Hinckel, Runyan, Seibert, Isett & Hufford. I use genetic genealogy often.
I am a professional photographer by way of a career in science and business. I live in the beautiful state of Maine.
www.sarahbeardbuckley.com
With the fall of communism in 1989, many descendants learned for the first time they were ethnically RUSYN, not RUSSIAN. Other descendants already knew this particularly where large populations of Carpatho-Rusyns immigrated such as Pittsburgh. It is worth noting, we are not ethnic Ukrainians as some would suggest. Our history is quite complex with the Rusyn identity being under constant governmental assimilation policies within Central Eastern Europe during the 20th century. Rusyns were an ethnic minority with no nation of their own.
Ukrainization was an outcome of 20th century politics in Lemkovyna as history shows. As well, I have cousins who were separated from the west for 60 years due to Akcja Wisla who clearly identified as Rusyn prior to exportation, as I have been personally told, but were unfortunately forcibly assimilated into a Ukrainian ethos. This is simply part of our Lemko history.
An excellent overview of RUSYNS:
https://tinyurl.com/Rusyns
My father's line is German, Hungarian, and Scots-Irish. Other family names; Baird, Sproule, Ohler, Hoffman, Hinckel, Runyan, Seibert, Isett & Hufford. I use genetic genealogy often.
I am a professional photographer by way of a career in science and business. I live in the beautiful state of Maine.
www.sarahbeardbuckley.com
My maternal great grandparents were Lemko Rusyns from SE Poland who immigrated in the 1870's and shortly after arrival in Pennsylvania self-identified as ethnically Russian. This was not an uncommon phenomena and was most commonly found among those Rusyns who immigrated prior to 1900 when nationalism was not part of these early immigrants vernacular.
With the fall of communism in 1989, many descendants learned for the first time they were ethnically RUSYN, not RUSSIAN. Other descendants already knew this particularly where large populations of Carpatho-Rusyns immigrated such as Pittsburgh. It is worth noting, we are not ethnic Ukrainians as some would suggest. Our history is quite complex with the Rusyn identity being under constant governmental assimilation policies within Central Eastern Europe during the 20th century. Rusyns were an ethnic minority with no nation of their own.
Ukrainization was an outcome of 20th century politics in Lemkovyna as history shows. As well, I have cousins who were separated from the west for 60 years due to Akcja Wisla who clearly identified as Rusyn prior to exportation, as I have been personally told, but were unfortunately forcibly assimilated into a Ukrainian ethos. This is simply part of our Lemko history.
An excellent overview of RUSYNS:
https://tinyurl.com/Rusyns
My father's line is German, Hungarian, and Scots-Irish. Other family names; Baird, Sproule, Ohler, Hoffman, Hinckel, Runyan, Seibert, Isett & Hufford. I use genetic genealogy often.
I am a professional photographer by way of a career in science and business. I live in the beautiful state of Maine.
www.sarahbeardbuckley.com
With the fall of communism in 1989, many descendants learned for the first time they were ethnically RUSYN, not RUSSIAN. Other descendants already knew this particularly where large populations of Carpatho-Rusyns immigrated such as Pittsburgh. It is worth noting, we are not ethnic Ukrainians as some would suggest. Our history is quite complex with the Rusyn identity being under constant governmental assimilation policies within Central Eastern Europe during the 20th century. Rusyns were an ethnic minority with no nation of their own.
Ukrainization was an outcome of 20th century politics in Lemkovyna as history shows. As well, I have cousins who were separated from the west for 60 years due to Akcja Wisla who clearly identified as Rusyn prior to exportation, as I have been personally told, but were unfortunately forcibly assimilated into a Ukrainian ethos. This is simply part of our Lemko history.
An excellent overview of RUSYNS:
https://tinyurl.com/Rusyns
My father's line is German, Hungarian, and Scots-Irish. Other family names; Baird, Sproule, Ohler, Hoffman, Hinckel, Runyan, Seibert, Isett & Hufford. I use genetic genealogy often.
I am a professional photographer by way of a career in science and business. I live in the beautiful state of Maine.
www.sarahbeardbuckley.com
