At the end of October, the "PrykhystOK" Center, a facility for temporary accommodation of mothers with children affected by the Russian military invasion, was opened in Uzhhorod. The Center was founded by the Charitable Organization "Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya", and the main donor is the NGO "Terre Des Hommes". The opening of the facility was held without any celebrations: instead of announcements, the rooms were repaired and equipped, and instead of cutting ribbons, the first guests – mothers with children and grandmothers from Kharkiv, Kupyansk, and Zaporizhzhia – were accommodated.

The "banquet" on the occasion of the opening of the "PrykhystOk" was also specific: a meeting with representatives of "Terre Des Hommes" over a cup of coffee in the office of the CO "MACZ". Thomas Berthold, Policy and Communications Advisor of the Berlin office of the organization, Hosya Bichyk, curator of the Ukrainian direction, and German journalist Leona Goldstein came to Uzhhorod on a working visit.

Half a year ago, the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya began cooperation with the German NGO. At first, it was humanitarian aid for the affected civilians, then – financing the necessary requests, and later – purchasing and equipping the rooms of the shelter in Uzhhorod.

Given the informational direction of the Committee’s work, we decided to take advantage of the visit of our foreign partners and ask them about the motivation and specifics of helping Ukraine and what the Russian-Ukrainian war in Germany is like.

When and how did Ukraine become a part of your social activities?

Thomas Berthold:

At the end of February 2022, we began to deal with issues related to Ukraine. The main focus of the organization’s activities is the problems of children and teenagers who fled the war to Europe. We are trying not only to socialize young people in their new places of residence, but also to involve politicians in these processes and draw their attention to the situation of Ukrainian children. It is important to add that we do not focus on the project as achieving a single prescribed goal, but rather help to ensure that the voices of children and adolescents are heard when shaping the state’s policy agenda.

And what was your life like before February 24, 2022?

Hosya Bichyk:

I came to the public sector as a volunteer, but I started my career as a researcher, working as an ethnographer-anthropologist. Then I realized that science was important, but not as important as providing children with food and a roof over their heads, access to education during the war. This is how my social work began. 4 years ago, I came to Ukraine to work in Kharkiv, and before that I came to you on vacation, visited Crimea, Lviv... Until February 24, 2022, we implemented many educational, cultural and educational projects in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions, built horizontal ties between public activists, formed a communication network... Now all these areas of work are on hold, the war has changed everything, including priorities – professional and life. Now it is very difficult to say what I do in my life besides Ukraine. The only thing that distracts me a little from immersion in a difficult reality is the responsibility for the dog I got in Kharkiv during the covid lockdown.

How did you start working with the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya?

Thomas Berthold:

When the great war began (on February 24, 2022 – ed.), we were looking for organizations with which we could cooperate. It was obvious to us at the time that we would not be able to come to Ukraine and meet these public institutions, so feedback from people we knew personally was important. So, through the mediation of friends and colleagues, we got acquainted with the Committee. It was fundamental for us to find partners in Ukraine who are locally active, have an organizational network, and understand the political and legal aspects of their activities, which they implement in cooperation with government institutions. The experience, authority, and reputation of the Medical Aid Committee in Zakarpattya fully met our needs, and thus began a fruitful cooperation that has been going on for more than six months.

Hosya Bichyk:

We are not a humanitarian organization, and we have provided appropriate assistance when our friends desperately needed it. But on February 24, we woke up to a completely different reality: on the one hand, it was impossible not to react to the war in the center of Europe, and on the other hand, German society raised significant funds to help Ukraine. And this money was transferred to public organizations, including "Terre Des Hommes", realizing that our contacts would be enough to use this resource properly. We are glad that in times of crisis we have found such an organization (CO "MACZ" – ed.) that we can rely on, that we can trust, and with which we quickly coordinate tasks and plans for their implementation.

What do you see as the future prospects for cooperation with Ukrainian civil society, given that the war continues and new requests and challenges arise every day?

Hosya Bichyk:

In the future, we are focused on supporting people who are directly engaged in volunteer activities in difficult times for the country. We are well aware that new challenges will bring new tasks for non-governmental organizations that are systematically integrated into the social process. By supporting you, we support the entire civil society in Ukraine.

Thomas Berthold:

Earlier you met a colleague of ours who published an article in the media entitled "What do the children of Ukraine need?". Being in Germany, it is difficult for us to know for sure the answer to this question, but we are sure that they need the support of civil society in Ukraine, which will accompany them, will be their voice in the government. Our fear is that someday there will be no funds for the implementation of socially important projects, because German civil society was very generous in the first two months of the war, and then other problems arose. But until then, it is important for us that the non-governmental sector of our countries consolidates, and we would jointly seek support to continue our work. Our main priority is to influence civil society, to make people more responsible, first of all for themselves, and all this through political awareness of the real ability to do so.

Undoubtedly, Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine is a top topic for Europe and the world, and it is being discussed by state leaders, diplomats, and international institutions. How do ordinary Germans perceive the situation in Ukraine?

Thomas Berthold:

This is an extremely complicated issue today. On the one hand, there is a great deal of public sympathy (for Ukraine – ed.), and people adequately and balancedly perceive the news about the war, they are worried about the massive missile attacks that they regularly learn about from the media. But on the other hand, there is also a reaction to the consequences of the war in Ukraine for Germany, for the population. First of all, we are talking about the risk of a significant increase in gas and fuel prices, which are dominant topics in society. There is an economic crisis, the way out of which is currently illusory. In other words, in the public discourse Ukraine is becoming less important than the problems of Germany. However, I would like to emphasize that the latest opinion polls show that German support for Ukraine is about 70%, which is an indicator of those who are ready to support you despite the threat of negative consequences for themselves. This is a very high estimate. But I think the average indicator is still 50/50. The numbers are quite variable.

Another aspect is political. Recently, a politician from the conservative camp declared that after the war is over, Germany will import Russian gas again. Obviously, the war has not taught this man anything. He still hasn’t realized what dependence on Putin costs the country. My fear is that the German population will not draw any conclusions and will quickly forget about the war. I think that if any format of peace negotiations emerges and there are talks of easing Russia’s gas blackmail, Ukraine should not trust Germany too much. The influence of right-wing political movements is gaining momentum in our country, and there are constant rallies and demonstrations protesting the government’s actions and, among other things, support for Ukraine. These are risks that we should pay attention to, but we should not forget about the positive aspect of the current situation: the Germans are overwhelmingly on the side of Ukraine, and the state should really do more for you – both in terms of arms supplies and humanitarian support.

Leona Goldstein:

I would add that Germans are still feeling the effects of the Cold War and the division of Germany into East and West. The eastern part retains this connection with Russia, a different understanding of Russia, where Russians are still "liberators". It is very difficult to unite society, and therefore it is difficult to consolidate its position. All these rallies that Thomas spoke about also do not have a single origin – there are those who are dissatisfied with everything regardless of the Ukrainian issue, and "nostalgics" who miss the past and idealize the communist times, and the German "right"...

Thomas Berthold adds that for many Germans, after the state border in the east, Russia immediately begins, as if the countries of Central and Eastern Europe do not exist in the perception of a part of the German population.

This is a great historical omission – the failure to perceive the space between Germany and Russia as separate independent states. Because of this, for example, the protests of Poland and Ukraine against the construction of the Nord Stream pipeline were perceived as manifestations of nationalism, not as opposition to the processes that threaten these countries, – Thomas notes.

 I am sure you follow the news from Ukraine and not only from the official media in Germany. What touches you the most, what worries you, what fascinates you?

Thomas Berthold:

Some messages are not just impressive, they change me. In particular, when I see videos on Twitter about Ukrainian soldiers returning home for a vacation and meeting their families, I react very emotionally. These are quite touching moments. I always see this as the anti-militaristic essence of your struggle – you do not attack, you defend and protect. This war is different – it is about the struggle for liberation. Especially if we look at the German context, Germany is now behaving too self-confidently for a country that once has done the worst of what can only be imagined. It seems that because of our short memory, we forget to take the side of those who not only need support, but are entitled to it. I hope that German society will learn its lesson and maintain a clear position of support for Ukraine.

Leona Goldstein:

I am angry that this war has not been perceived in Germany since 2014, and now, when it comes to rising gas prices, the threat of nuclear strikes. there is interest among the population, a lot of news reports. We talked about Crimea incorrectly and not enough, instead invested a lot in cooperation with Russia, and our politicians have long gravitated toward contacts with this country. There is a feeling that we realized the situation too late. On the other hand, because of the war, many people who had nothing to do with civic activism before have emerged and are now part of a large community that resettles refugees, collects humanitarian aid, deals with logistics, and donates money. This is important for stimulating civil society as a whole. Yes, the peak of activity has passed, and now people are talking more about the consequences of various scenarios for their own lives and for Germany. And Ukrainians continue to impress and set an example – they do not fall to their knees before the enemy’s superpower, they unite as a society. I was amazed by the lines of people willing to defend their land. I do not think that in a similar situation in Germany there would be as many people willing to do so.

The last question especially resonated with Hosya, a Polish woman who has been working in Germany for a long time and has lived in Kharkiv for four years, and she could not hold back her tears. She speaks Ukrainian, calls the military "our guys", and is integrated into Ukrainian civil society. While in Uzhhorod, Hosya got acquainted with our Kharkiv volunteers and happened to meet Kharkiv residents from the volunteer search and rescue team "Milena" at the warehouse. They had a lot to talk about.

The events in Ukraine make one thing clear – you don’t know what will happen tomorrow. What our military are going through today at the front, Ukrainian cities... Yesterday we could not even imagine such a thing. Both in Poland and Ukraine there is a saying that one’s own shirt is closer to the body, so for me the events in Kharkiv were very difficult to perceive emotionally: when Putin was bombing the city, when enemy tanks were driving down your street... It’s terrible and scary what the occupiers will "surprise" you with tomorrow. That is why it is extremely important that the world hears about Ukraine. I don’t know how to describe and share not only the picture, but also the emotions of those who saw the war with their own eyes, however, it is extremely important for everyone.

Among the positive moments are those related to the return of our guys to the de-occupied territories, where they are met by the locals. When women from the liberated Kharkiv region offered pancakes to the soldiers, I cried with everyone who saw that video. It was then that I came to Berlin and gave myself a resolution not to cry, to calm down and start a new job, but a call from my friends about the liberation of Balakliya had a stronger effect than any resolutions.

Kateryna Irkha for CO "MACZ"

Perfect simultaneous interpretation: Lesya Levko