Fedir Redko: From the Director of the Kyiv School to the People's Commissar of Education of Ukraine

Abstract

The article highlights the main stages of professional, labor and political activity of the sixth People's Commissar of Education of Soviet Ukraine F.A. Redko in the 1920–1930's. Purpose of the article. Involve and analyze unknown sources, identify differences in the figure of F. Redko among the six People's Commissars of Education of the interwar period, considering that four of them were party functionaries, and the last two came from educational institutions. The research methodology consists of general scientific methods (structural and functional, analysis and synthesis), scientific- historical (comparative, historical biography). Events and phenomena are considered from the standpoint of historicism, objectivity. The statistical methods are partially used. Scientific novelty. For the first time, thereare used the unknown archive documents, which are related to the early stage of F. Redko biography, his social origin, and also pedagogical activities before appointment to the post of People’s Commissar of Education. Conclusion. It is indicated that F. Redko's political characterization was impeccable: no participation in anti-Soviet movements and parties. Peasant by social origin. In the 1920's he promoted the ideas of Bolshevism in educational and cultural institutions, and had a higher pedagogical education. He belonged to the new sovietparty nomenclature in the Ukrainian SSR, and the old one was repressed. The director of the Kyiv school became the People's Commissar of Education. The phenomenon of the nomenclature assignment during the years of great terror. His candidacy was elected and «approved» by a completely renewed squad of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the CP(B)U, that is, the young generation of Ukrainian Soviet figures. They did not criticize the general line of the party, did not belong to the opposition, did not support Stalin's opponents, and fully agreed with his domestic and foreign policies. Educator F. Redko served as political commissar of the Soviet education system in the second half of the 1920's.His social background and maximum adherence to ideological principles saved him from repression. People's Commissar for Education F. Redko was engaged in reforming of higher and secondary school in Ukraine, the Sovietization of the new system in the western regions connected to the Ukrainian SSR. The position of People's Commissar of Education was political, so his activities took place in the coordinate system of Bolshevik ideology. He was its propagandist and a conscious supporter.