The historian opposed the renaming of Bashtanka

Doctor of historical sciences and head of the history department of the Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University Yurii Kotliar criticized the recommendations of the Institute of National Remembrance regarding the renaming of the city of Bashtanka in the Mykolaiv region.

He expressed his position in a comment to the NikVesti correspondent.

It should be noted that in the recommendations of the Institute of National Remembrance, the renaming of Bashtanka is argued by the fact that the city was named in honor of the «Bashtanka Republic», proclaimed in 1919 in Bashtanka Balka by local Bolsheviks. Before it was renamed in 1928, it was then the village of Poltavka.

Although both names of the settlement were used before the proclamation of the Bashtanka Republic, the name «Poltavka» fell out of use after, says historian Yurii Kotliar.

«Complete nonsense, to be honest. «Poltavka-Bashtanka» was a long, long time ago. Moreover, before the establishment of the republic, there was a double name. At the time of the existence of the republic, it was «Poltavka-Bashtanka». Then, in order not to have a double name, and taking into account the fact that there were many names of «Poltavka», because the territory was inhabited by people from the Poltava and Chernihiv provinces, it was called Bashtanka,» explains the specialist.

Yurii Kotliar also pointed out the etymology of the word «bashtan», which is not borrowed from the Russian language, but is exclusively related to agricultural activity.

«The word «bashtan» is purely related to agricultural activity and is in the Ukrainian language. I understand, for example, that there should be a renaming of Arbuzynka, because the word «arbuz» is Russian. And I don't see the need to rename Bashtanka. But the community must also decide. In this case, I, as a historian, do not agree with this,» added Yurii Kotliar.

It should be noted that the historian Yurii Kotliar, originally from the Mykolaiv region, is the author of about 9 scientific works. Among them, in particular, is the monograph «Vysunsk and Bashtanka Republics», written on the basis of archival documents and memories of the participants of the insurgent movement, which examines the formation of the state type in the Mykolaiv region.

What do the residents of Bashtanka say?

On January 5, a survey was posted on the official website of the Bashtanka City Territorial Community, in which local residents are invited to submit their proposal for renaming, which will last until January 21.

However, some residents of Bashtanka have already expressed their opinion on social networks. For the most part, the townspeople reacted negatively to the possible renaming. Someone opposes the fact that the city became known precisely with its name at the beginning of the Russian aggression, having repulsed the enemy's army. Others are based on historical background.

Decolonization in Mykolaiv Oblast

As you know, the Mykolaiv Oblast recommends revising the names of the cities of Pervomaisk, Yuzhnoukrainsk and 57 villages due to non-compliance with the standards of the state language.

After that, public discussions about renaming the city started in Pervomaisk. The townspeople were asked to choose a name from five proposed options: Olviopol, Bohopol and Holta, Olvia or Pershotravensk.

Only on December 30, the deputies decided to offer the Verkhovna Rada at once two options for the name of the city: Olviopol, or to keep the same name, Pervomaisk. Olviopol was the leader in local polls.

The city of Yuzhnoukrainsk has not yet decided on the proposals. The deputies want to propose two names to the Verkhovna Rada at once: Pivdennoukrainsk and Hard. At the meeting of the last session, they did not have enough votes.

In mid-December 2023, the final list of options for new street names to be renamed was formed in the Snihurivka community after public discussions. The second stage of electronic voting has begun.

As part of the law on decolonization, 42 streets in the Snihurivka community will be renamed.