Historical Review

 

Introductory word

 

 Yaremche sometimes is called the pearl of Carpathians. The magnificient landscapes , healthful sources, remarkable sights of architecture, ancient and interesting history of the region, original culture and language of sincere gutsuls, promoted Yaremche to be known as tourist  center in Prikarpatti. The simple European city  with its own customs and traditions attracts thousand domestic and foreign tourists. The most magic places are a waterfall «Hasp» on the river Prut, Dovbush stone and rocks , unique cliffs on a right bank of Prut.

Territory of Yaremcha local government is one of  the major recreation districts  of Carpathians mountains and Ukraine on the whole.

 

 

Geography

 

City Yaremche with subregions Dora, Yamna is located on the height of 500 - 535 m. above a sea level. Yaremchanschina occupies the south - western part of Ivano – Frankivsk region and is  situated in the central part of Ukrainian Carpathians within the limits of the mountain formings of Gorgan, Pokutsko - Bukovina Carpathians and Chernogori.

City Yaremche is a city of regional subordination from 1977   including  such settlements as villages Dora and Yamna, Vorokhta and Mikulichin, Tatariv, Yablunytsa and Polyanytsa.

 Yaremche occupies the territory of 11.469 hectares.Its population is 7 897 people.

A city has a developed  connection with other cities of Ukraine and foreign countries. Distance from Yaremche to Kyiv -  590 km, to Lvov - 210 km, to Uzhgorod -  275 km, to Ivano - Frankivsk -  65 km, Ternopol -  200 km, to Chernivtsy - 125 km, to Warsaw -  530 km, to Berlin - 990 km, to Prague - 900 km, to Budapest -  650 km

 

Toponymy

 

«The name is a piece of history»

I.Egli

 

Thinking about the beginning of the history we must mention the toponymy sciense. A lot of the names of settlements of Yaremchanshchyna are mediated through the names of people, last names and nicknames.

Scientist -  archaeologist M.Klapchuk (1920 - 1984) gave such interpretation: word «Dora» is the word of tyurksk origin which in translated into Ukrainian as «doors». Actually Dora is doors to Carpathians, cut through the river Prut between two mountain peaks, - Makovytsa and  Chernogora.

The researcher of place-names of Ukrainian Carpathians  B.Lyaschuk considers that Dora results from: «dor, drat'» - place, dissolved under plough-land by tearing out, pulling out of bushes or stumps.

The singer of ancient Indian language sanskrit f V.Kobilyuk explains this name as «that which breaks up and opens».

           The senior research scientist of Yaremche museum S. Flis considers that «Dora» is paska, blessed bread. There was one of the oldest  church in Dora and highlanders came weekly and on holidays there for mess, and blessed paskys ( doras) during the Easter. Some of them were given to poor people. Paski  were laid in an original wooden small box - dorinnik.

  Although the first writing mention about a village Dora dated 1618, academician V.  Graboveckiy noticed that such toponymy names as natural boundary Boyarskiy can characterize in some degree the  population there in the period of Galichina - Volinsk principality ( XII - XIII century)

The interpretation that a city Yaremche is named after the first settler Yarema Godovanets, who settled on Prut bank and, «won back the piece of land from mountains » is widely spread.

 Interesting suppositions are expressed by the known Lvov orientalist, author of the poetic translating  of Koran into  Ukrainian , Yarema Polotnyuk (the son of Irene Vil'de, who that had a villa in Dora). He says that a lot of names of Gucul'schyna can be interpreted as of  tyurksk origin. A word «vorokhta» means «pidnebessya», and «yaremche» means  to «come back». The legend about the fear of tataro - mongols before the impassable forests of Carpathians and brave people and their returning into flat places is connected with these names.

 Famous writer Stepan Pushik asserts, that the root of «yarem» lies in basis of the name of Yaremche - a word «yaremche» means an arc, bow ,and the river Prut  hugs the people as an arc.

But they all are only versions. A final explanation as for the name of Yaremche city is absent. Michael Yaremnytskiy is mentioned in one of the old Lviv church magazines as the priest in Yamna . Possibly  church lands laid on the unsettled places just in south – eastern part of river Prut and people worked both for a church and for priest at that times. Therefore the name of settlement could come from the last name of Yaremnytskiy, because old people say «to go to Yaremcheta», but not to Yaremche.

            

         History

 

Archaeological monuments have been found on the territory of Yaremche. Accordingly to the essay “Stanislavshchyna in a grey remoteness” by Y.Pasternuk  there is some information as for the founding of numerous adobethe things on the bank of the Prut river on this area in 1874. It was the so-called  treasure, which certifies the presence of connections of prehistorian Stanislavschyna with western Volyn.

As an associate professor of Prikarpatskiy State University by V.Stephanyk V. Klapchuk asserts, the  age of the first archaeological monuments nearby s. Dora  dates back as far as  40 thousand years ago. And  from times of Mesozoic era (11 - 7 thousands years ago) there are concrete proofs of transitions of primitive man through this territory: in Starun some obsidan things are found , the deposits of which are known on Zakarpattia; in  surrounding of the neighbour village Delyatyn  the so-called  ploshchanska culture is found.

 In 1893 the  treasure of bronze wares (caldrons and sword) which dates back as far as 8000 years B.C is found in Dora (a natural boundary is White Stone).

 Active urbanization of Gutsul'schyna  took  place in princely days especially in Malyvo, Boyarskiy and Mykulychyn areas.

 The famous Lvov historian Peter Siredzhuk in «Chronology of the oldest mentions of cities and villages of Galich Gutsul'schyna»  points the date of the first mention of  Dora - 1618, Yamna - 1618 and Yaremche - 1787. Interesting was the symbol of Dora in XIX – XX centuries in the complement of which Yaremche entered long time: figure of lion which steps to the left. Leo is represented with raised left paw.

 Noticeable track in history of the Ukrainian people was mentioned by oprishkiship of Carpathians. Opryshki appeared at the end of XVII c in Dora and YamnA  surroundings. The gentry succeeded in conquering  Nestor’s detachment where there was one peasant from Yamna. Inhabitants of Dora and Yamna were the participants of  Pysklyvy, Pinka and dranka detachments in 1703 and 1734.

 A glorious fugleman of oprishki movement  Oleksa Dovbush was a frequent visitor in the Yaremche surroundings. His sister lived  in Yamna and his relatives were from this place .Here he was supported by like-minded persons Paul and Stepan Dronivi.

 The native inhabitant of Dora was Vasil Boyurak, Dovbush adopted brother and  comrade-in-arms. .

 After the  Dovbush death (1745) Paul Orfenyuk  formed his own detachment, but at the end of 1745 Poland  troops defeated  them and he himself  perished in a fight near  Dovgillya village.

 

 Vasiliy Boyurak, the leader of opryshki movement, «shook» gentlemen in all  mountain villages. In 1754 Vasil  Bayurak is condemned to cruel death. Polish poet F. Karpinskiy, the eyewitness of this execution remembered, that in extreme moment fugleman Bayurak asked a mountain pan-pipe to play sad gutsul melody.

 In the conditions of domination of the Polish gentry and after the  establishment of Austro –Hungarian  power in 1772 the of life of peasants in Dora and Yamna was extraordinarily heavy. The main occupation of Hutsuls was the farming, especially sheep breeding, arable earth was not enough at that time for everybody, and people had to do  natural duties on social works. Peasants were imposed different kinds of taxes. Absence of arable earth deprived feudal lords of possibility to conduct in mountains the manor of economy, and that is why a serfdom played an insignificant role. It was written at the description of soils: «There was not the manor in this village in any times» .

 Very often peasants were engaged in building  the highways of Delyatin - Yablunytsa. An initiator and realizator of construction was Stanislav’s headmaster Francishek  Krattert  The building of highway lasted a few years and was completed in 1847 year.There were some good-looking villas  not far away from Dovbush Rocks  and one can find a great cliff above them that is called «Kratter’s Stone ».

Yaremche is first mentioned in 1787 in so-called Yosifinska birth-certificate .Seven families lived in 1787  there: Peter Boykos’, Ivan Gnativs’, Feodor Savchuks’, Nick Stuss’, Grigor Stifuraks’, Grigor Shtifuraks’ and Andrukh Khalashnyuks’.

As a separate village Yaremche began its developing in1895 after the Delyatyn-Voronenko highways building completed. One of the biggest European arched bridges  with bending 65, 0 m was  built  after the theoy of engineers  Stanislas Kosinskim and Zigmund Kulka. Unfortunately, in 1944 during the Second World War the bridge was destroyed.

As a recreation tourist resort  Yaremche  bloomed began its developing in  1894.

The most successful citizents managed in building of fifty wooden and stone villas in 1899. Among them there were  Baraucevich, Bykl, Chekalyuk, E.Fishler, M.Fishler, doctor Gelerter, doctor Grader , Gal'pern, Girsh, Kavetskiy, duchess Yuliana Puzhinina, Kozlovskiy , Kegler, chemist Krizhanovskiy, Lam, adviser Lutskiy , Medushinskiy, Charles Obst, adviser Ogirko, Perfetskiy, Rapatska, chief of  taxation  Rozenfel'd, Shayner, Skshinskiy, Skupnevich, engineer Shporek , adviser Shtencel', Taller, doctor Volyanskiy, Zbosil, Zgiglyar , Zofalova . On the average building of one villa costed 7 000 crowns.

Yaremche  was still the privillege village of Dora. A desire to become the inhabited item was large. On august 25, 1896 the tourist community “Yaremchanskiy Club” was founded by the chairman Zonnenvend.  Paths were marked for walks in mountains, steps were done to the waterfall Probiy,  places for fishing were constructed . «Yaremchanskiy Club» did everything  to attract visitors  and  to dissociate Yaremche from Dora finally.

The post-office was opened during the summer season. In 1899  a publisher Leon Zabalevich organized the edition  of newspaper «Yaremche»,publishing weekly during the rest period. In 1902  photographer from Stanislav  Artikhovskiy  opened  photostudios on the territory of his two villas. He also sold postals with the sightseeings  of Yaremche.

In 1900 the first election was provided. Vladislav Lutskiy won the first election and become the first chairman of Yaremche local authority. In 1902 the local newspapers wrote  that Yaremche had developed due to Lutskiy who did all the best for the developing of his native land. Some rest pavilions were built , a serpentine road is conducted to the Dovbush’ caves at that period.

In 1905 - 1906  1500 persons had a rest in Yaremche for a season, that brought  200  thousand of crowns annually for their proprietors. Expenses on building of villas occupied for 3 - 5 years.

In 1907 year a guide-book is published for Yaremche. Festivals, conserts, performances were arranged for the  holiday-makers.  Such celebration took place on August 11 1907 nearby the Lankocha restaurant in the territory of waterfalls. The visitors could enjoy the military orchestra concert, the baloon’s  firework, waterfall illumination, different kinds of performance program.

In general the profits of «Yaremchanskiy club» annually resulted in a huge sum of money, for example, performances - 1048 crowns, tickets for rest in the places specially taken for walks - 513 crowns,  the sale of fishing  - 88 crowns,  sales of postcards are 67 crowns.

The concerts of famous performers were arranged in Yaremche at that time. Lvov academic choir appeared on the local stage before the natives and guests in 1906. Here An opera singer Nedem, Erne Sanadau from Riga and the favourite Lvov humorist  Troyanivskiy performed there.

It is worth mentioning that at that period native citizens cared already of the environmental protection. On April, 16, 1905  the local population,  the villas’ proprietors and admirers of settlement sent a statement for Nadvirna chairman  with a requirement not to open a stone quarry in Dora and Yaremche, because its development will badly influence on the health of people and will frighten off tourists and travelers.

Thanks to V.Lutskiy efforts on August, 11, 1902  previllage Yaremche was dissociated from the village of Dora ( newspaper « Stanislavskiy curier> wrote about it» ). But actually only on October, 17, 1909  the status of the inhabited item was given to Yaremche. As a result of election on was May, 30 - 31, 1911  Makarevich was appointed as a chairman.. The coat of arms of  Yaremche was an image of deer running right.

In 1912  2403 persons  rested in Yaremche. A lot of magazines of Galichina wrote that the future throne successor Charles Franc Joseph Gabsburg spent some days in Yaremche. His car ( extraordinary miracle for hutsuls) was stopped  at a railway  bridge. Wife of Charles Zita ( Bourbon – Parma family) stayed in a car, and he went to examine a bridge. Occasionally the native  habitant walked up and  began to study a motor vehicle with curiosity .Later on the noble man offered a lift a stranger to Mykulychyn.

At the beginning of the World  War 1 a lot of young men from Yaremche gathered together on the square in front of railway station to join the  Legion of Ukrainian  Sagittarius (USS).The congratulatory speech before volunteers was pronounced by the Ukrainian writer, teacher Bogdan Lepkiy (1972 - 1941).

 Bogdan Lepkiy remembered his staying in Yaremche in the story «Papers are?». An annoying event happened to him there.The manuscripts of drama  «Motrya» and third  volume of «History of Ukrainian literature» burned out during the fire in the Ganus’ hotel.   The writer’s family and other refugees abandoned Yaremche and through Hungary got to Vienna before the Russian troops attacted.

On Octobers, 22, 1914 the Russian troops occupied Yaremche. An austrian army consisted of 300 people and 6 cannons on this area. During bitter fights Yaremche passed once or twice from hands to hands, having great losses. 40 % of housings and economic buildings were destroyed in Dora.

In June, 1920 Yaremche as part of Hutsulshchyna was occupied by the Romanian troops with general Zadeka on the head. In August, 1919 the Romanian troops left this territory and it was occupied by Poland.

The blasted economy was slowly built. On March, 22, 1928 Yaremche was given the status of resort locality by the order of the president of Poland. On January, 28, 1929 voivode Stanislavskiy doctor Nakonechnikov - Klyukovskiy signed the Regulation of resort in Yaremche.

In  interwar period the tourists were attracted by the rest in such resort hotels and villas of Yaremche as «Paradise», «Mariton», «Hutsulka», «Pier», «Geneciana», «Marine eye», «Vil'grot», «Lvov», «Stokrutka». One could find different kinds of apartments there. Cost The resort hotel room costed from 4 to 8 zlotikh a day.

The bathing-inhalation establishment of doctor Yozef Matushevskiy was very popular. There were few  booths for mineral and aromatic baths, inhalation room, terraces for sun - air-baths, department of aquatic procedures. Establishment was opened the whole year round. Treatment costed 7 zlotikh  a person a day without limits of staying. Civil authorities, pensionaries, soldiery and their families got 35 % discounts. Doctors were exempt from payment.

The local proprietors did their best to provide guests the best conditions. Power-station here functioned from 1926  and belonged to S.Shtrum. Power station was located 200metres from railway station on Pilsudska street. A tariff was fantastic even for those times - 3, 8 zlotikh for 1 kilowatt-hour.

 From 1875  two-forms school with Ukrainian of studies was opened in Dora. As a result of educational reform  in Poland in 1932  two schools of the second level were established  in Yaremche and Dora.

In interwar period “Prosvita” libraries were functioning in Yaremche, Dora and Yamna.

 A cooperative store «Garazd» with three shops and  sartorial workshop was opened in Dora.. The savings-bank  «Rayfayzenko» was also established here. The agricultural society «Rural owner»with two little departments: bee-keepers and sericultures was organized. A great number of mulberry saplings were planted in this mountain village.But all  plans were  cut by war.

A mild climate with plenty of sunny days  attracted the admirers of rest in Dora, mostly  from  Lviv  intelligency. Such resort hotels as «Kresi», «Lisnichivka», «Sarenko», «Prut», «Helen», «Terenciya», villa of «Roma» were able to receive guests and service them.

The famous professor of Lviv Politechnical Institute doctor Bartel had his own villa on this area. The prominent Ukrainian opera singer “Ukrainian Caruso” built the villa «Moroslava»nearby, and did his best for prosperity of Dora. Exactly M.Golinskiy had bought the house  in hutsul style, reconstructed it,furnished and presented the buiding to wellknown artist Olexa Novakivskiy from Lviv.

In September 1939  the Red army troops entered  Yaremche. The activities of Ukrainian political parties was prohibited, their leaders were arrested. In January  1940 Yaremche became a district center. In June, 30  1941 a city was occupied by the German troops. During the Second World War  a lot of resort hotels were damaged, some villas are blasted. A lot of  of inhabitants of Yaremche and its surroundings  were taken out on the forced works to Germany. Over fifty  people died in 1942 from hunger.  In summer 1943 the partisans of Sumskiy troops with Kovpak on the head defeated these lands from invaders .On  July, 26, 1944 Yaremche was liberated from fascists. 565 soldiers and officers of Red Army perished on this territory, and were buried in a center of city in a brotherly grave together with 93 partisans. In 1967 a grave sculptural composition - figure of partisan which closes by itself a passage-way in mountains was set  on the grave(sculptor V.Boroday, architects of O. Ignaschenko and S. Tutuchenko).

A lot of Yaremche citizens participated in Ukrainian Insurgent Army actions.  Hundreds(the name of the troops) of «Dovbush»,”Skuba”,”Bilyi” lived and fought on the territory of Yaremche.

Three insurgents killed themselves to avoid captivity :Vasil Orpheniuk, Mykola Dudziakiy, and Juriy Struk  in 1952 in a natural boundary «Skala» in Dora.In 1996 on the brotherly grave of warriors of UPA a monument was set to «Fighters for liberty of Ukraine»accordingly to the project of  Lviv sculptor Peter Shtaer, and architect  Igor Petrishin.

In the postwar time the reconstruction period began in Yaremche. A settlement  has got a status of city of regional submission. A lot of tourists arrived here the whole year round. They are attracted not only by remarkable nature, healthfully mountain air and possibility to be engaged in winter kinds of sport. Hutsuls are one of the  brightest  ethnic constituents of Ukrainians, which saved their own originality to the present days. Unique nature, sights of history and culture, Hutsuls’  way of life  always attracts tourists to Carpathian mountains. These mountains are identically beautiful, both in summer, and in winter. «Mountains are perfect» - said modern Ivano- Frankivsk writer Taras Prokhasko.

The handicraft wares of Hutsuls’  masters of folk art are exhibited in the museums of almost all of European capitals and  American cities, where they introduce the Ukrainian folk art. It is worth admiring their rich decorative art, expressed through unique ceramic wares, beautiful embroidery, weaving, artistic metals, wood carving and especially  the marvelous Hutsul dressing with its unsurpassed designed, bright and vivid colours.The researcher of ethnology of Yaremche region Boberskiy admitted: «Hutsul, dressed in festive clothes, where every edge of their components is embroided, symbolizes the peace and comfort , goodwill and harmony which is accompanied with the beauty and grace of the Carpathian mountains.”

 

Senior research worker  of museum of ethnography and ecology of  Carpathian region, branch of Kolomiya  museum of folk art of Hutsulshchyna and Pokuttya named after  Y. Kobrinskiy   Svitlana Semenivna Flis