Alexander II issues the Ems Ukaz restricting Ukrainian-language publications

Background. Prior to the decree, a cultural movement in the Russian Empire was driven by publications in both Russian and Ukrainian, including journals, historical monographs, and elementary primers. In 1863, Interior Minister Count Pyotr Valuyev issued a circular asserting that the Ukrainian language did not exist, establishing a policy against its use. This earlier restriction served as the foundation for the later Ems Ukaz.

Commission and Recommendation. Tsar Alexander II appointed an Imperial Commission on Ukrainophile Propaganda in the Southern Provinces of Russia. The commission found evidence of a danger to the state and recommended extending the scope of the Valuev Circular of 1863. This recommendation led to the formalization of stricter measures against Ukrainian-language publications, culminating in the Ems Ukaz.

Decree Content. Officially titled 'Resolutions of the Special Conference for Prevention of Ukrainophile Propaganda,' the Ems Ukaz was an internal decree issued on 30 May [O.S. 18 May] 1876. It banned the use of the Ukrainian language in print, except for reprinting old documents, and prohibited the import of such materials, targeting the 'Little Russian dialect' in books and song lyrics.