Toponymic Map of the Soviet City (on the Example of Kharkiv in 1919–1991)

Abstract

The toponymic policy of the authorities that was an integral part of a general ideological policy of the state was analyzed in the article. The communist party line changes were reflected in the transformation of an urban space of the Soviet city. The Soviet authorities in its toponymic policy perpetuated the names of statesmen, political officials, public figures, etc. during their lifetime. Such practice is contrary to generally accepted norms of objects nomination by famous personalities’ names. Semantic groups of the names of streets and squares were allocated. Their origin demonstrated that changes in the Soviet city toponymy took place under a pressure of an ideological component. The main source of nomination of internal city linear objects became anthroponyms that perpetuated the names of an international communist movement activists; statesmen of different levels; generals and Heroes of the Soviet Union; scientists and artists. The names that are connected with the Soviet anniversaries and holidays, “red”, professional and production toponyms are included into a symbolic toponyms group. In order to form a single Soviet nation, geographical names of the USSR territories were inscribed in an urban landscape of the Soviet city. The classification of the Soviet city toponyms is firstly given in the article. The principle of a unity of the names according to a semantic feature became the basis of its formation.