Ukraine refugees in Berlin show their lost happiness

taketonews

You have arrived safely in Berlin, but you have to think back to your home country and the peaceful days there every day. Five Ukrainian women show photos from their lives before Putin’s war.

By Sara Orlos Fernandes

It’s the photos on their phones that remind them of what they once had. There are pictures of restaurant visits, city trips or park trips. Happy moments that they long to wish back.

Since the beginning of March, 100,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Berlin by train and bus. Last weekend there were 5,495 from Friday to Sunday. How many fled privately by car is not known.

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By the end of April, around 55,000 people had already applied for a residence permit in Berlin since Putin started his war against Ukraine.

For most, the first port of call was the arrival center in Tegel. From here they are also distributed to other federal states. With a rate of around 5.2 percent, Berlin has already fulfilled the Königstein key, according to which admission takes place.

So many people who lost everything and now have to start a new life in Berlin.

In the BZ five of them show how it was before:

Tatjana (59) from Vinnytsia: The former police officer came to Berlin alone on March 11. Tatjana shows us a photo from an excursion: “I was just shopping for my food stand here in Hajssyn. I used to cook and sell borscht and shish kebabs on fire on a busy street next to a gas station. I love to cook and would love to do it again for many people. I miss that a lot.” (Photo: Ralph Günther)
Elena (38) from Kharkiv: Elena has found a new home in Moabit with her husband Dmitry (39) and son Miron (3). The family photo shows a joint trip to the Taras Shevchenko Garden in Kharkiv last August. It reminds them of happier days. Her husband was allowed to flee to Berlin thanks to an exception: “I lost ten kilos because of the war. I see that especially when I look at photos from home,” says Elena. (Photo: Ralph Günther)
Elena (38) from Kharkiv: Elena has found a new home in Moabit with her husband Dmitry (39) and son Miron (3). The family photo shows a joint trip to the Taras Shevchenko Garden in Kharkiv last August. It reminds them of happier days. Her husband was allowed to flee to Berlin thanks to an exception: “I lost ten kilos because of the war. I see that especially when I look at photos from home,” says Elena. (Photo: Ralph Günther)
Katerina (52) from Kharkiv: The water supply technician shows us a photo from her hometown. “I still had blond hair,” says Katerina, “the photo was taken in a Cypriot restaurant. I love Cyprus and the sea, so I went there on vacation twice a year. Now I live in a container and have no prospects. It is no comparison to my beloved home.” (Photo: Ralph Günther)
Valeria (20) from Zaporizhia: The student arrived in Berlin on March 11 with her mother, brother and grandmother. Valeria and her family live in a temporary refugee shelter. They often look at old photos from home. While scrolling through her Instagram profile, Valeria finds this photo: “It’s a nice memory from my homeland. Here I was walking by a lake.” (Photo: Ralph Günther)

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