Image courtesy of Ukraineverstehen.
WE ARE HERE
There is still little we know about Ukrainian post-war history in East and West Berlin. Of the 14 personalities on the brand-new city map “Where Berlin is Ukrainian”, only two are women. This is because not enough research has been done so far. We still know very little about people such as bakers and workers. These gaps still need to be filled in. With this map, the initiators want to send a signal: Berlin, we are here. Even if Ukrainians may have several places they call “home”.
Even if sometimes maybe two hearts beat in one chest (one for the old homeland and one for the new one). Even if Ukrainians still order their bread at the bakery with an accent. They all have grown fond of Berlin and feel a part of this city. And they want to enrich Berlin and say with this map: we are at home here and it is worth going on a journey of discovery.
KYIV, KYJIW OR KYÏV
The world is watching Ukraine. Journalists all over the world report about Kiev (German Kiew) and the other cities where the war is raging. Some als report on Kyiv, Kyjiw or Kyïv. Very many Ukrainians care about the spelling. For them, a few letters are a political statement, an expression of independence or even of centuries of oppression. After all, the spelling commonly used in Europe – Kiev or Kiew – is derived from the city’s Russian name. In the English-speaking world, Kyiv has prevailed. Unfortunately, a large part of Ukraine was Russian rule for a very long time, so the name of the world in the way Russians pronounce it. Ukraine has its own history, own language, own soul, and that is why Ukrainians do not want to be confused with Russians in the world. For years people and organisations from Ukraine have been campaigning for the Ukrainian transliteration of city names. It is time to simply apply this difference.
As featured in SLEEK 76 FREEDOM. Available in print and digital here.