The local history magazine «Nasha Batkivshchyna» (1937–1939) as a successful press project

This article examines the history and functional characteristics of the journal «Nasha Batkivshchyna» («Our Homeland»), its reception by the Ukrainian society, and the composition of its editorial board. Through textual analysis and reference dictionaries, the study identifies various pseudonyms and cryptonyms used by contributors. The aim of the study is to investigate the historical background and editorial strategies of the periodical, identify its editorial staff, and attribute authorship to publications signed with pseudonyms. To achieve this, the following tasks were performed: a systematic content analysis of the journal was conducted; contemporary periodicals (1937–1939) were reviewed for reviews and critiques; and specialized dictionaries were consulted for author attribution. In addition, scholarly research on the tourism and regional studies movement in Galicia was incorporated. The relevance of the research stems from the absence of a comprehensive analysis of «Nasha Batkivshchyna» as an integrated media product. The scientific novelty lies in the reconstruction of the journal’s history, clarification of its editorial leadership, identification of its contributor base, and comprehensive analysis of its thematic structure and reception in the late 1930s Galician press. The research employs historical-comparative, source-critical, content analysis, attributional, and biographical methods. Published in Lviv from February 1937 to August 1939, «Nasha Batkivshchyna» was issued by Mykola Kulytskyi and Kost Pankivskyi. Although Mykhailo Taranko served as the official editor-in-chief (1937–1938), actual editorial control was exercised by Stepan Shchurat. The journal sought to promote historical regional studies, organize excursions, and popularize Ukrainian tourism. The study concludes that the journal’s effective editorial strategy fulfilled an important educational mission, significantly fostering interest in local history and culture among Ukrainian youth. Keywords: «Nasha Batkivshchyna» journal, regional studies, tourism, editorial board, publication, review.