Kozacy — naród, etnos, stan społeczny? Problem tożsamości Kozaków z terytorium Federacji Rosyjskiej (XX–XXI wiek)

Abstract

This article is devoted to the question of Russian Cossacks’ identity in the 20th and 21stcenturies. The 20th century was crucial in Russian history because of some historicalevents. For Cossacks it was a time of pivotal decisions. Cossacks were fighting againstBolsheviks, but many of them didn’t support the idea of having one and indivisible Russia. Some of them had aspirations to create independent Cossacks’ state — Cossackia.The main question was: ‘Who are we?’ Russian history provides various theories of theCossacks’ origin: Slavic theory (“Cossacks come from Russian fugitives”), Mongol andTatars Cossacks genealogy, Caucasian genealogy, Scythians, Sarmatians or other ancientCossacks genealogy, Theory of Cossack’s independent Nation.