The benefit concert in favor of Ukraine in the community center could mark the beginning of a close partnership between Ivankiv and Garching.
Garching
– Meetings in the course of town twinning are usually a reason to celebrate.
An anniversary is celebrated, gifts are exchanged, students visit each other, play sports or play music together.
The reason that the two communities of Ivankiv and Garching are merging is different.
The Ukrainian Ivankiv is at war, Garching shows solidarity and reconstruction aid.
On the first day of the Russian war of aggression on February 24 last year, the settlement of Ivankiv, 80 kilometers from Kiev, was occupied.
47 of the 81 settlements, more than 2500 residential buildings, 15 educational institutions, five medical and 25 cultural institutions, including the Ivankiv Museum of History and Local Lore were damaged or partially destroyed.
"Eleven bridges and two villages were completely destroyed, 44 civilians were killed, including two children," reports Mayor Tatyana Svyrydenko.
Bunker not available as a sanctuary
A school is closed.
"We don't have a bunker that students and teachers could take refuge in," adds headmistress Vitalija Hawrylenko.
They have not been involved in combat operations since Ivankiv was liberated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on April 1, 2022.
“We are not an immediate target.
But we hear and see the airplanes and missiles flying overhead and also hear the impacts.
We live in constant fear that bombs will still fall on our villages,” says Svyrydenko.
"We're trying to live as normal a life as possible."
32 farms
29,000 inhabitants live in the commune, there are 32 farms, which mainly grow winter wheat, sunflowers and maize.
There is industry in the form of a sawmill, metal processing, a large bakery and a chemical production plant.
The infrastructure is completed by a district hospital, nursing homes, 20 school facilities, sports facilities and churches.
"We are a settlement community on 3,600 square kilometers with 81 settlements, the center is the city of Ivankiv, half of the 29,000 inhabitants live in the countryside and half in the city."
Chernobyl not very far away
The war is not the first disaster Ivankiv has suffered, because the city is 50 kilometers from Chernobyl: 40 years after the accident, 22,810 residents have the status of victims of the disaster, 2,432 are disabled, and there are 4,957 affected children.
"The fact that I am now standing here in Garching is an expression of the greatest gratitude," said Swyrydenko in her speech in German.
"I want to say thank you for the support in the form of equipment, food, clothing and medical items such as insulin for our hospital," says Swyrydenko.
Relations with other countries are needed so that the reconstruction can be completed more quickly.
Donation of diesel generators
A development that the city of Garching supports with the donation of generators and wants to intensify in the form of a sponsorship.
“We only feel the ripples of the war.
There has been suffering and destruction in Ukraine for a year," said Mayor Dietmar Gruchmann.
Garching's help is a sign of solidarity.
A heartfelt embrace between colleagues underscored that Gruchmann's and Swyrydenko's cooperation can be the beginning of a close friendship.
They showed that the citizens of Garching are on board with a citizens' hall filled with 450 visitors who came to the benefit concert and shopped at the stands of the Ukrainian arts and crafts market.
Everything was organized by the association education for young and old, which Jelena Caranciuc-Jemuranova together with Martin Ruff,
Member of the Garching Disabled Advisory Board and Nicola Gerhardt from the Garching Helpers' Circle.
“Mayor Swyrydenko will take the proceeds to Ivankiv.
We are incredibly proud that we can help," said Caranciuc-Jemuranova.
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Mayor Tetiana Svyrydenko is emotionally deeply touched.
© Dieter Michaelek