??? Ukraine: Back to the Roots ????

Starting the new year I wanted to share some private post of a project which started last year with my dear student exchange partner Hanna Lodygina from #Ukraine. Hanna and I know each other since our amazing exchange to #Kiev and #Aachen in 2010.

People who know me, noticed how I was deeply shocked and just saddened by the developments of the last year to the country I love so much caused by another country I really enjoyed living in as well before. A situation that I simply never thought was possible and that I still cannot comprehend in any way today.

Talking to Hanna, her family and my other friends from Ukraine just gave me a very little glimpse how it must feel to be affected by a war, by terror, by bombs and rockets, by incredible trauma, by daily death and so many other unspeakable experiences which no human should ever witness.

Hanna, who used to be one of the most happy person I have ever know, aged within just weeks, became a different person, devastated, separated from her husband and family with her little son, full of fear and also hate, something I never have thought to see.

It is just really hard for me to see this happening to a young family with dreams and ambitions so different then just living in a refugee flat in Poland, far away from home and in constant fear for bad news from Kiev. Thinking about this and comparing it with my life seems just so unfair and I feel very helpless and small.

So since the beginning of the war, I have been looking for ways to help the people of Ukraine in a meaningful way in their absolutely unimaginable situation and in their boundless terror. Standing at the train station welcoming people fleeing the war, protest marches, donations, buying laptops, and many more… ?Somehow I always had the feeling I cannot change anything really and cannot really make it better.

As you know, I am a boundless optimist, with an unimaginable positive attitude, who believes in the good and wants to spread hope. Spreading hope to really believe in the good and thus give the impetus to distribute this hope to others at some point.

As Hanna told me about her project to create a documentary called “Back to the roots” with TVP about famous Ukrainians, who helped to shaped Europes culture and society today, I was intrigued to join this project. Finally, in summer I had the chance to help her and the team with the episode about the composer Serhii Prokofiev. Serhii Prokofiev is one of the most performed composers in the world and is famous for his impact on cinematic music, for his instrumental concerts, operas, symphonies and ballet music. One of his famous pieces are the Fiery Angel and Romeo & Juliet.

If you google his name, you won’t find any information about his connections with Ukraine. So Hanna wanted to reveal the white spots of his Ukrainian roots. For me it was so cool to help with the research, calling at the Bavarian state library, in a monastery or small shops to just find out more about Serhii and his life and history and especially about his time in Germany. I became more and more curious about Prokofiev and his music and life. Ultimately, the team came to Bavaria to film about different stations in life and I took the chance to join and support them with a bit of translation, carrying equipment, making jokes and giving amateur tips about good angles to film ??

We also had the chance to visit the Passion Plays in Oberammergau, which happen every 10 years since 1633 and were even invited backstage – wow that was just monumental and impressive. We visited a just beautiful Monastery in Ettal and also were very lucky with the best weather and enjoyed great beer garden talks.

It was so beautiful to see Hanna working, putting so much passion into this project, creating a better understanding about Ukraine and its culture and history for all of us in Europe. It was simply an amazing time. I am so happy that Hanna has new energy and is fighting in what she does best for peace and a European Ukraine. You can see the result here.

It makes me proud and very happy that we were able to create a small but honest spark deep in our hearts to then in the future ignite a big bright fire around us in this darkness. So please help us to create hope and light up the world together.

мир ? слава укра?н?!

Peace and Glory to Ukraine