© 2008
Ukrainian Heritage
Foundation
Discovering Your Ukrainian Roots
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF UN VETERANS ORGANIZATION
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Ukrаinian Heritage
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Jewish Cemetery
Sofiivka Park
A Ukrainan Cossack
Ukraine's 20th Century
As seen through the Eyes of its Elders
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Here is a series of interviews which document “living history,” direct
recollections of Ukraine’s 20th century through the voices of its elders—
from those who lived through it. The urgency of this project is obvious as
many of these elders are now over 80, so there is limited time to discover
their knowledge, experience, insight and wisdom. This project also offers an
opportunity for Ukrainians of younger generations to learn what their
parents’ and grandparents’ lives were really like. Most of these interviews
have been gathered orally (by tape recorder & then translated into text) and
presented with photos of both the interviewer and interviewee.

The Ukrainian Heritage Foundation wishes to thank the staff and students of
The First Kiev State School of Foreign Languages in Vinntysia (School #4) for
their support & cooperation in making this Living History project possible.
Interview #1 : Growing Up Hungry
Our first interview was conducted in May 2008 by English teacher, Liuda Ratova, with her mother, Lidia Ivanivna Ridvanova (Kalinchuk), born February 18, 1935, in the
village of Shepetivka, Kalynivsky rayon, Vinnytsia oblast.

Interview #2 : The Great Famine of 1932-33
Our second interview was conducted in May 2008 by Anastasia Poklyatska (a student of First Kiev State School Languages) with her grandfather, Oleksiy Demyanovich Poklyatskiy, told to him by his
mother, Maria Illarionivna Koval, about the Great Famine of 1932-33.

Interview #3 : The Soviet Dragon
This third interview was conducted in Vinnytsya, Ukraine on April 20, 2008. Evgeniy Zhovmyr interviews his father, Ivan Mefodievich Zhovmyr (age 84), about his childhood during the Great Famine of
1932-33 and life during the Soviet Era of the 20th century.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in these interviews belong solely to the
individuals interviewed, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Ukrainian Heritage Foundation.