Institute for the Study of the USSR

Institute for the Study of the USSR (Інститут для вивчення СССР; Instytut dlia vyvchennia SSSR; German: Institute zur Erforschung der UdSSR). An American-sponsored scientific research institute founded in Munich in July 1950 by a group of émigré scholars from the Soviet Union. Originally called the Institute for the Study of the Culture and History of the USSR, the institute’s aim was to conduct research on various aspects of the state and society of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, especially the nationalities question. The first president of its Learned Council was Borys Martos. Other prominent members were B. Yakovlev, Ivan Bakalo, Mykhailo Miller, Petro Kurinny, Ivan Mirchuk, and Borys Krupnytsky. The institute had a varied publication program of periodicals, monographs, and conference proceedings in several languages, including the journals Ukraïns’kyi zbirnyk (17 issues, 1954–60) and Ukrainian Review (9 issues, 1955–60). Among its publications were works by Panas Fedenko, Vsevolod Holubnychy, Hryhory Kostiuk, Nataliia Polonska-Vasylenko, Dmytro Solovei, and other Ukrainian scholars. By 1960 it had 45 full and 29 corresponding members. The institute was dissolved in June 1972.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 2 (1989).]