The Ukrainian Community in the Czech Republic

According to this tally, the number of Ukrainian people was officially around 40,000 (PDF in Czech), with less than half employed and the remaining people holding business licenses. One study, Migrace a Imigranti v Česku by Dušan Drbohlav et al., said that at first the Czech Republic was more a ‘transit country’. Nowadays, the Czech Republic is chosen as a destination. The reasons given for this are proximity and linguistic closeness, though it could be disputed the latter always helps Ukrainian people here.

Over the years, immigration has grown as new job opportunities arose here, especially in areas Czech people are not as willing to work, for example, service and construction. This reality was confirmed by Bodhan Rajčinec from Ukrajinská Iniciativa. However he added that the Ukrainian community also includes professionals, entrepreneurs, small-business owners, and artists. Despite the increase in immigration, the establishment of more permanent settlement is not so common. One site said the immigration was “a pendulum movement”. Drbohlav’s aforementioned book described the immigration as ‘circular’.

Ukrainian Culture in Prague
Despite the size of the Ukrainian community, its presence is not felt as strongly as other minorities in the sense of cultural events or a shop-front presence. The aforementioned Ukrajinská Iniciativa is an important means of supporting Ukrainian culture and informing people of events. Another group redressing this problem is Džrelo, whose name comes from the Ukrainian word for ‘source’. The group hopes to preserve the customs and traditions of their minority while also promoting a more positive view of the Ukrainian community.

On one particular visit, I had Ukranian borsch – a thick soup made with beetroot and chicken and is a meal in itself. For the main I had pelmeni, which is somewhat similar to ravioli, but more substantial. They are boiled and served with sour cream. For dessert, I had a type of Ukrainian crepe called Nalysnyky, which were crispier than the French style crepes and filled with sweetened quark cheese. Other typical Ukrainian dishes include Varenyky, a type of stuffed dumpling, and Shashlik, a Ukrainian version of the kebab. As is typical of many Central and Eastern European cuisines, the food is more about substance than style. However, there’s no denying it is a filling lunch and this restaurant compares well to Ukrainian cuisine back in Ukraine.

One of the most important days for the Ukrainian community is Easter. Mr Rajčinec said that many Ukrainian people go home at this time of year. For those who stay in the Czech Republic, celebrations are take place Ukrainian Orthodox churches, for example at the St. Cyril and St. Methodius Cathedral at Karlovo Náměstí, at midnight. At the Prague church an estimated 2000 to 3000 people usually gather. The masses include a procession in which people carry candles and special Easter baskets. Some Ukrainian traditions are also similar to the Czech traditions such as the whipping with willows branches (though, apparently, women can also whip back) and the painting and giving out of eggs.

Integration and Assimilation
The question of integration is difficult and depends on the willingness of the majority society and the minority group. With around 200,000 Ukrainians in the Czech Republic, it is very difficult to generalize about feelings. However, there may be some living conditions which are barriers. From the Ukrainian side, as with other minority groups, it could be the tendency to be grouped with other people of the same nationality in the same workforce, giving little opportunities for multicultural interaction.

From the Czech side, the Ukrainians may feel ostracized and unwelcome. From the Czech point of view the attitude may seem harmless. Mutual mockery is common amongst neighboring nations, or nations in close proximity (think of the English and the Scottish, or Australians and New Zealanders). People from these nations might, like many Czechs, think their comments or stereotypes are harmless. For Ukrainians here it might mean the difference between jobs. Mr Rajčinec also gave his perspective on this question. He said that individual cases are different.