THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND WAVE OF ANTI RELIGIOUS AND ATHEISTIC PROPAGANDA IN TRANSCARRATHIA IN 1957-1958

The article discusses the intensification of anti religious and atheistic propaganda in Transcarpathia in 1957-1958 and outlines several stages of anti religious policy. The author describes the main anti religious activities carried out by the party, Komsomol and other organisations, focusing on a number of tools, including lectures, exhibitions, posters, movies, radio programmes and periodicals. The implementation of the anti religious decrees required from regional and district organisations of the Communist party of Ukraine and Komsomol to participate in the propagation of political and scientific knowledge through cultural and educational institutions. There were preparatory courses, clubs and seminars arranged to study atheistic literature, classics of Marxism-Leninism, government regulations and anti religious legislation.The article describes the attempts by the Communists to replace the celebration of religious holidays with the new Soviet analogues: Komsomol weddings, spring and harvest festivals. The author also focuses on the peculiarities of anti religious policies in certain cities and districts of the region, providing examples of criticism of local authorities and Communist organisations for their failures and passive attitude to anti religious propaganda and atheistic events.