In the dissertation paper based upon a wide circle of published and unpublished sources there is complex and systemic survey of social and political, as well as cultural and educational life of Ukrainians in Eastern Slovakia in the period from 1945 to 1992. In the process of the work, the research was made on the Ukrainian population and the problems of Ukrainians' identification and self-identification were raised. In this context, it was suggested to denote the Ukrainian population of Pryashivshchyna as "Ukrainians" and "Ukrainian Rusyns". In the research a special attention is paid to the issues analysing the process of formation of the Ukrainian national minority and the development of its relations with the Czechoslovak government. The investigation of the Ukrainian issue in Czechoslovakia after 1945 is of a particular importance in the paper. Thus, the notion "Ukrainian issue" has been formulated, the stages of its solution have been traced and the points of view of Slovak and Ukrainian scientists of this problem have been analyzed. On the basis of the analysis of the social and political life of the population of Eastern Slovakia, three stages of its development have been singled out in connection with the change of the Czechoslovak Government's position towards the Ukrainian issue and the Ukrainian population. Moreover, the research reveals the reasons and process of forming socio-political, cultural and educational institutions, such as Ukrainian People's Council of Pryashivshchyna, Cultural Union of Ukrainian working people in Czechoslovakia, Ukrainian Folk Theatre, Pidduklyansky Ukrainian Company, the Museum of Ukrainian Culture in the town of Svydnyk, ets. Thus, as a result of the research, two periods have been singled out of the activities of the Ukrainian Peoples Council of Pryashivshchyna and its successor's orientation - that of the Cultural Union of Ukrainian working people of Czechoslovakia - has been proved, the orientation towards "non-political culturality", as well as its pro-party character and, at same time, profound results of its publishing and cultural and artistic activities have been demonstrated. The paper traces the dynamic development of Ukrainian schooling in first years after the war, as well as the process of reducing the number of Ukrainian taught schools and impossibility of their functioning under the formation of the educational structure, since the early 1960s. As a result of holding seminars, conferences, round-table discussions, the major achievements of Ukrainian Studies in Eastern Slovakia have been determined and the contribution of Pryashiv scientists into the development of Ukrainian culture has been analyzed. Furthermore, the research paper has defined the role of printed mass media and radio broadcasting in carrying out informational, ideological and propagandist work among the Ukrainian population of Czechoslovakia.
