Weltschau

A cold and dreary Bretten evening in Germany. The weather gets darker as it starts to rain. The YouTube song, starting with a side flute, pierces the evening silence. Grup Yorum’s song “Bir Görüş Kabininde” tells the dialogue between a girl who is on a death fast and her mother. Somewhat later, I recall that death is prowling elsewhere too. I remember that according to United Nations data, 13 thousand people died and about 1.8 million people were internally displaced. I feel sad. But I also know that they, the Ukrainians, have a way of dealing with death. Telling their stories. Meanwhile, the sorrowful Grup Yorum song ends with hope by asking, “When death gathers the flowers, will the flower have no more seeds?” I feel that the blossom will keep bearing seeds.

In this series of articles, I will include the stories of three people from Ukraine, their war experiences, and the integration problems they experienced in Germany. And now allow me to present the personal stories of three individuals in their own words: Yelyzaveta, a 22-year-old, Alina Brusniak, a 26-year-old, and a mother of two children.

Yelyzaveta, 22-year-old

In the first week of the war, I was with my relatives in the city of Zaporizhia. Every time there was an air raid, we went into the basement. The drive from my city to the Polish border takes 15 hours. We were travelling for 4 days. It was a horror. The streets were congested, and many cars were driving away. There was no place to stay overnight. Through friends, we looked for a place where we could rest after a strenuous journey.

War year

On March 8, 2022, I, my mother, my sister and my nephew crossed the Ukrainian-Polish border on foot. The Poles greeted us and we took the bus to Warsaw. A relative was waiting for us there with her husband, who picked us up and took us to his home in Germany. On the night of March 9th–10th, we finally reached the town of Knittlingen-Baden-Württemberg. Relatives and the local town hall helped us very quickly find an apartment. On March 11th, we moved into an apartment. After that, I barely went anywhere for two weeks. You constantly read the news, worry about your relatives left behind in Ukraine, and hope that everything will end soon. Neighbours and not-indifferent Germans helped us with things for the apartment (dishes, furniture, clothes, and toys for my nephew). Then other Ukrainians came to Knittlingen, and we got to know each other and helped each other.

She and her dog in the basement at the beginning of the war.

At the end of April, we registered for a German course in Bretten-Baden-Württemberg. By June, we had completed all the documents for our stay in Germany. Very long. In Ukraine, it’s faster. In the summer, I visited various cities in Germany with my family. And in September, she started attending German courses. In the morning, I studied remotely at a Ukrainian university, and in the afternoon, I attended courses. It was easy to learn, and I liked everything.

Summer 2022

But later, the depression began. I missed my friends and my boyfriend, who stayed in Ukraine. In that respect, it was difficult. I didn’t want to go shopping; I didn’t want to go to different cities. After the classes, I came home, ate, and went to bed. And so, day after day. I went to Ukraine for two weeks over the New Year’s holidays and felt alive again. I met with my relatives and gained a lot of energy. I returned to Germany with new strength. I continued to attend courses. I found a team that plays volleyball and started playing with them. I was travelling on the weekend. It got better. I passed the B1 German Exam (B1 Deutsch Prüfung) in March 2023 and the second (Leben in Deutschland Prüfung) in May.

And that is her now

But after that, the depression started again. I hesitated for a long time about staying in Germany or returning to Ukraine. But I decided that it would be better for me at home and for my mental state. I returned in the summer. It’s dangerous here, but next to my beloved husband in my home country, it’s so good😍. I thank everyone for their help. We cannot express in words how grateful we are for your kindness towards me and my family☺️.