Saturday 23 November 2013

80th anniversary of Holodomor 1932-1933

On November 23th, 2013 Ukrainians commemorated the 80th anniversary of Holodomor 1932-1933, recognized as genocide in Ukraine and in many global countries. Holodomor was organized by Stalin against Ukrainian population, who has mainly lived in rural locality in Ukrainian Sovietic Socialistic Republic. The word “holodomor” means in Ukrainian “морити голодом”, which is translated into English as “to starve” or “to faminish”, “to kill with a famine”. Stalin and his command starved Ukrainian population in 1932-1933 to destroy Ukrainian nation, Stalin’s regime killed with a famine 10 million Ukrainians then. Nowadays people around the globe commemorate this Soviet crime against humanity of the 1930′s in the fourth Saturday of November. Ukrainians and not only they light the candles in their homes, on the squares of their cities and near special monuments or memorials, dedicated to the victims of Holodomor 1932-1933. Let the commemoration about these Holodomor’s victims be live forever!
Commemoration of Holodomor’s victims on Svoboda Avenue in Lviv, 23.11.2013.


Wednesday 2 October 2013

FIFA sanctions for Ukraine

Ukraine national football team won in San Marino national football team with great result 9:0 in the match of the qualification round for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil in “Arena-Lviv” stadium on 6 September 2013. 34,100 spectators in “Arena-Lviv” and thousands Ukrainian fans at their homes watched that football match and celebrated the victory of Ukrainian national football team. On 11 September 2013 the FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced its report about some breaches of the FIFA Disciplinary Code on “Arena-Lviv” during Ukraine-San Marino match and on 27 September 2013 the FIFA Disciplinary Committee named its sanctions for Ukraine. The sanctions are the football match of the qualification round for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil between Ukraine and Poland football teams in Kharkiv without spectators on 11 October 2013, the fine of CHF 45,000 for the Football Federation of Ukraine and ban for all plays of Ukrainian national football team in “Arena-Lviv” till the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. So. What breaches of Ukrainian fans did the FIFA Disciplinary Committee announce, that Ukraine got such cruel football sanctions? Representatives of FARE, which were present at Ukraine-San Marino match in Lviv, informed FIFA about pyrotechnical devices, some neo-Nazi banners, Nazi salutes and racist exclamations, and FIFA decided to make sanctions for Ukrainian team.
The truth is that pyrotechnical devices were used by several football fans during Ukraine-San Marino match and pyrotechnical devices are breaches, of course. Further, midfielder of Ukrainian national football team and FC Metalist Kharkiv Brazilian Edmar Halovskyy de Lacerda officially proclaimed on TV-program “Big football” on Inter channel that he didn’t hear any racist exclamations of Lviv fans to him during that Ukraine-San Marino football match in “Arena-Lviv” and wrote the letter to FFU to refute FARE’s words about some racist exclamations to his address at Lviv stadium.
Further. What flags were named as neo-Nazi banners by FARE? Red-black flag of OUN (Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists) and UPA (Ukrainian Insurgent Army), Ukrainian nationalist organizations, the portraits of Stepan Bandera (the Head of OUN) and Roman Shukhevych (the Head of UPA) and the flag of Halychyna Division. Neither Nuremberg Trials, nor later scientific-historic conferences about the Second World War didn’t proclaimed Halychyna Division or UPA, or OUN as Nazi collaborators. OUN members and UPA soldiers with its leaders S. Bandera and R. Shukhevych were fighters for Ukrainian independence and state in the 1930′s years and during the Second World War against Polish, Soviet and Nazi troops. Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych are also officially proclaimed Ukraine’s heroes on 22 January 2010 and on 12 October 2007 correspondently, and because of great love to football game of S. Bandera and R. Shukhevych, Ukrainian modern football fans bring portraits of Bandera and Shukhevych at the stadiums. These politicians and public figures were Ukrainian fighters for freedom, and if Ukrainians wouldn’t have such fighters in the XXth century, Ukraine couldn’t be the independent state. That’s why FIFA sanctions for Ukraine-San Marino match are very strange for Ukrainians. Nazism and nationalism are really very different political movements. Ukraine could be further in the USSR, if Ukrainian nationalist organizations wouldn’t fight for Ukraine’s independence during all XXth century.
Then, about some Nazi salutes, as FARE representatives described them in the report about Ukraine-San Marino football match. Everyone can see Ukrainian fans’ movements, named as Nazi salutes by FARE, on video in the end of this post, at 1:45-2:15 minutes.
Ukrainians raise their right hands and exclaim “Слава Україні” (“Slava Ukrayini” means “Glory to Ukraine”), “Героям слава” (“Heroyam slava” – “Glory to heroes”), “Слава нації” (“Slava natsiyi” – “Glory to nation”), “Смерть ворогам” (“Smert voroham” – “Death to enemies”), “Україно!” (“Ukrayino!” – “Ukraine!”). There are all patriotic ancient exclamations of Ukrainians, that have nothing to do with Nazi or nazism. There are Ukrainian patriotic exclamations, which had arisen more years before the rise of nazism.
Well, wonderful Ukrainian National Anthem contents such words as “Згинуть наші воріженьки як роса на сонці” (“Our enemies will die like a dew on the sun”). So what? It’ Ukraine State Anthem, Ukrainian history.
Ukraine was hugely banned by FIFA according to the report of FARE. But what is FARE? It’s “Football Against Racism Europe” federation. If there wasn’t racism at Lviv stadium, as football-player Edmar told on TV and wrote in the letter to FFU, if OUN, UPA and Halychyna Division had nothing to do with Nazi in the past century, and the flags of these organizatins were brought by Ukrainian football fans on 6 September 2013 in “Arena-Lviv” as flags of Ukrainian nationalists of the XXth century. So will FIFA cancel its sanctions for Ukraine? Where were fans’ breaches in “Arena-Lviv” with the exception of pyrotechnical devices?
And yes. It’s very important to know that FARE’s reports about Eastern Europe are published in Poland, and Polish FARE workers assiduously watch Ukrainian football matches. Specially created Eastern European Development Project of FARE is led by Polish “Never Again” Association and its leaders are two Poles – Rafal Pankowski and Jacek Purski. And yes. Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevych fought for Ukrainian independent state against Polish state power in the 1930′s years in Halychyna, against that Polish occupants of Western Ukraine. That’s why many Poles don’t like portraits of Bandera and Shukhevych in Ukrainian stadiums.
But Ukraine has its own history. Has any world organization the right to ban some state for its history?

Sunday 8 September 2013

Chernivtsi. Chapter 3.

Chernivtsi central foot street – Olha Kobylyanska Street. Many banks, restaurants, hotels, dwelling houses were constructed here in the XIXth – on the beginning of the XXth centuries and its wonderful buildings are conserved till nowadays.


                                             German People’s House

                                                Polish People’s House

                               Charming Chernivtsi, I love you!

Thursday 5 September 2013

Chernivtsi. Chapter 2

St. Spirit Orthodox Cathedral (1864) (now it’s Orthodox temple of Moscow Patriarchate) and monument to Yevhen Hakman, first Bukovinian Orthodox Metropolitan.

Ss. Petro and Pavlo Armenian Catholic Church, built by Czech architect Josef Hlavka in 1869-1875. Nowadays Armenian Church and Organ and Chamber Music Hall of Chernivtsi Regional Philarmonia function here.

 Ukrainian People’s House, constructed in the end of the XIXth century.

The Dormition of the Mother of God Ukrainian Greek Catholic Cathedral (1820-1821).

                  Main Bukovinian Synagogue named after Israel and Zelda Mayberg.

                                         Beautiful Teatralna Square

Olha Kobylyanska Musical-Dramatic Theatre, erected in 1904-1905 by Vienna firm of Felner and Gelmer, and ahead of the theatre there is bronze monument to Olha Kobylyanska, famous Ukrainian writer and public figure.

Jewish People’s House, built in 1907-1908. Now it’s Museum of the history and culture of Bukovinian Jews.

Former Land Government of Bukovyna (building was constructed in 1871-1873), present Chernivtsi Regional State Administration.

Juridical Faculty of Chernivtsi National University named after Yuriy Fedkovych.

Monument to Yuriy Fedkovych, eminent Ukrainian writer.

Faculty of Economics of Chernivtsi National University named after Yuriy Fedkovych.

The ensemble of the former Residence of Orthodox Metropolitans of Bukovyna and Dalmatia, which was built in 1864-1882 by Czech architect Josef Hlavka and was included into World Heritage List of UNESCO in 2011. Nowadays many faculties of Chernivtsi National University named after Yuriy Fedkovych are located in this real architectural treasure of Ukraine.

Monument to Czech architect Josef Hlavka in the botanic garden near the ensemble of the former Residence of Orthodox Metropolitans of Bukovyna and Dalmatia.

Monument to Sydir Vorobkevych, Ukrainian writer, composer, musical-cultural figure, painter, Orthodox priest, editor of some Bukovinian newspapers, pedagogue.

Wooden St. Mykolay Orthodox Church (Kyiv Patriarchate), the oldest conserved temple in Chernivtsi (was built in 1607).

St. Mykolay Orthodox Cathedral (Moscow Patriarchate), constructed as Romanian Orthodox church in Romanian architectural style with original whirled towers in 1939.

Memorable Museum of Volodymyr Ivasyuk, Ukrainian composer.

Chernivtsi Regional Museum of Folk Architecture and Life was opened in 1986.

Saturday 31 August 2013

Chernivtsi. Chapter 1

More I travel to the different Ukrainian cities, more I understand how wonderful Ukraine is. And this time I'll show You my photos from fine trip to amazing and charming Chernivtsi!!! Chernivtsi is 605-year-old city, crossroad of Ukrainian, Moldavian, Austrian, Romanian, Jewish, German, Hungarian, Armenian, Polish, Czech, Turkish, Russian, Italian, Chilean cultures, etc. Chernivtsi - the centre of Bukovyna, Ukrainian ethnographic region of Western Ukraine. 
I really guess that Chernivsti with its numerous landmarks, architectural masterpieces, parks and squares is must-visit Ukrainian city as for all Ukrainian citizens as for all foreigners, travelling into Ukraine.    

Chernivtsi railway-station meets guests of the city!

Bushes before railway-station's building are made in the form of Ukrainian name of the city - Чернівці
 
St. Paraskevia Orthodox Cathedral (Kyiv Patriarchate) - the oldest stony Orthodox Ukrainian temple in Chernivtsi (1844-1863).

One of Chernivtsi architectural monuments - house, which was called ship thanks to its building form and constructed in the end of the XIXth century.

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church, built in 1787-1814. It was first stony building in the middletown of Chernivtsi.

Another architectural monument - dwelling building, constructed on the beginning of the XXth century on Shkilna Street

Architectural monument - Land Use Administration, built in 1880's years. Now specialized Jewish school functions here.

                                                     View of Turkish Square

                                             Well on Turskish Square
                                
                                    Old Turkish bridge with newly-constructed trade points

                                  Flower clock and water reservoirs on Turkish Square

                              Bicycle-monument appeared on Turkish Square in 2009.

Symbolic key-monument as key to the city

                       Orthodox Crucifix near Chernivtsi secondary school no.14

Bukovinian Land Parliament, constructed in 1875. Nowadays Chernivtsi Palace of Children and Youth is in this building.

Chernivtsi Regional Theatre of Dolls (in the past - House of Colonel, built in 1782).

Ancient sculptures (from the middle of the XIXth century) near the entrance to drug-store on Holovna Street

Bristol Hotel, one of the most luxurious hotels in the city, which was erected on the beginning of the XXth century. Now it's dormitory of Chernivtsi State Medical University.

Philarmonia Square with its fountain in the centre and former Hall of Musical Society, built in 1878, now it's Chernivtsi Regional Philarmonia, and dwelling-commercial house of the XIXth century on the right of Philarmonia building.

Dwelling-commercial houses of the second half of the XIXth century (view from Philarmonia Square).

Chernivtsi Central Post-Office was contructed in 1889 by famous Lviv architect Yulian Zakharevych.

Monument to Ukrainian poet, writer, painter and public figure Taras Shevchenko was erected in 1999 on Tsentralna Square.

                            Former luxurious Golden Lion Hotel, constructed in 1910.

Chernivtsi Artistic Museum was opened in 1988 in the building of the former Administration of Savings Banks (1901). (p.s. building has very beautiful interior!)  

Romanian People's House, built in the middle of the XIXth century. Now Chernivtsi Regional Appeal Court and Romanian Regional Cultural Society named after Mikhay Eminesku, famous Romanian poet, and others organizations function here.

                               Chernivtsi Town Hall was constructed in 1843-1847.

Sweet flowers and Ukraine's national coat of arms - Ukrainian trident, called tryzub, are on Tsentralna Square ahead of the house of Chernivtsi Town Hall.