Dniprovsky Historical Club

On August 16 regular session of Dniprovsky Historical Club, created by "Tkuma" Institute, Museum "Jewish Memory and Holocaust in Ukraine" and Institute of Social Studies, was conducted. The Club organized meetings of city residents with famous Ukrainian and foreign historians and public figures. The regular session of the Club "The History of Our City: War and Rock'n'roll…" was devoted to the past of Dnipropetrovsk and its residents.

The meeting began with donation ceremony, during which the evidences of current war in Eastern Ukraine such as fragments of mines, helmets and body armor were donated to the Holocaust Museum by the volunteers of "Black Tulip" mission, who are engaged in transportation of dead soldiers' bodies from both sides.

Pavlo Khazan, National Defense Foundation Chairman of the Board, donated his family relic - binoculars. Once Pavlo's grandfather, Soviet officer, captured German officer, who gave him his binoculars saying: "Less than two years passed since the time when I was looking at Moscow with this binoculars". Borys Khazan answered: "In less than two years, I'll look through this binoculars at Berlin". And so it happened.

Now this thing became very useful for Pavlo, who participate in the war in Eastern Ukraine. Events of the past are combined with the present and old war trophy became the talisman for Ukrainian soldiers who protect our country from Russian aggression.

And then participants listened to the story of peace, about peaceful 1960-80s. Sergei Zhuk, Professor of Ball University (USA), a native of Dnipropetrovsk, presented his book "Rock and Roll in the Rocket City" (published in English in the USA). In Soviet times "rocket and space" Dnipropetrovsk was closed city for foreigners. Nevertheless, in 1960-70s Western culture, especially in the form of music, movies, dances and clothing gradually penetrated through the "iron curtain". Using materials Ukrainian archives, diaries, memories, Prof. Zhyk revealed the question of spreading of Western culture among Dnipropetrovsk youth of Brezhnev era. In addition to interesting stories, participants could listen to music of 1960-1970s and see some images of that time. At the end of the event publication of an updated version of the book by S. Zhuk in Russian, scheduled for autumn 2016, was announced.

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