Why I Write About Ukraine
The Echoes of World War II
Image: Lystopad, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
The war in Ukraine affected me deeply, resulting in a mix of great sadness and sympathy. It brought back vivid memories of the recollections my parents shared about their own suffering during World War II, when Poland was invaded first by Nazi Germany and then by the Soviet Union. A particular story from my father stands out: he told me that, for many years, he had dreams of loaves of bread being barred from him by a brick wall. My father was imprisoned in two concentration camps, and I mention this aspect below.
Both of my parents endured great hardship, and the current war has rekindled those emotions in me. These memories influence my viewpoint and how I see the world, and they are why I’ve launched this new Substack, South Coast View, dedicated to keeping the focus on Ukraine.
My father was captured during the Warsaw Uprising, where he fought as a combatant, and was imprisoned first in Stutthof and then in Buchenwald concentration camps. His first wife was executed in Auschwitz.
As the war in Europe was ending, the SS began evacuating part of the Buchenwald concentration camp. My father was among those evacuated. During this time, he saw the guards argue. Some wanted to execute the prisoners, while others wanted to let them go. In the end, in a rare occurrence, the guards took a vote, and the prisoners were freed. They made their way to the U.S. Army lines.
My father was from an ethnic Polish family in Olshana (Polish: Olszana), which was part of the Russian Empire. Today, Olshana is called Vilshana (Ukrainian: Вільшана) and is in the Cherkasy region of Ukraine.
My mother came from the Cieszyn Silesia region of Poland. During the war, she worked as a counter clerk for the German Post Office in Kraków. Near the end of the war, the postal authorities forced her and other personnel to evacuate westwards into Germany. After the war, she ended up in the U.S. occupation zone. Like many other Poles, she entered a displaced persons camp run by the Americans. That’s where she met my father. Over the next year, my parents moved through several camps in Germany and Austria, and finally to Porto San Giorgio, Italy.
During the war, Soviet authorities took one of my mother’s brothers and sent him to a labour camp in the Soviet Union. The family in Poland received only one letter from him. He asked for gloves because his hands were frostbitten from forced labour in the cold. For decades, they heard nothing more, even though my mother contacted both the British and Soviet Red Cross and wrote a personal letter to President Brezhnev of the USSR.
Both the British and the Soviet Red Cross replied that they had no information. The letter to President Brezhnev was never answered.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, the British Red Cross finally heard from the Russian Red Cross about my mother’s brother’s death in the Soviet Union. He had died in 1942.
In 1946, my parents received clearance to enter the United Kingdom and arrived by ship from Italy. They stayed at the Morfa Conwy Polish Resettlement Camp in Wales. They married in London in 1947.
The emotional legacy of history and current events motivates my devotion to advocacy and compassion, not only through words but also via practical support wherever possible.
What do I do to support Ukraine? I write blog posts on my UK website, South Coast View, highlighting pro-Ukraine YouTubers and sharing their fundraising efforts. As much as I can at age 72, I donate to some of these YouTubers who raise money for Ukraine. Some are outside Ukraine (like U.S. war commentator Jake Broe), while others are often near or on the front lines (like Canadian infantry soldier Brandon Mitchell). You will find links to the above YouTubers at the end of this post.
I also share the charitable work of the Ukrainian community in my small town of Worthing on the south coast of England. Our museum has organised cultural events showcasing Ukrainian art, music, and food to introduce Ukrainian refugees to the wider community.
I stand with local Ukrainians at the Remembrance Sunday Ceremonies in Worthing, where each year we remember British Defenders who gave their lives for our freedom. We plant crosses for each British Defender who has died in Ukraine.
I meet Ukrainians in Worthing regularly. They have become my friends.
For those who would like to help, there are several ways you can make a difference, wherever you are. You could donate to trusted defenders supporting Ukrainian causes. You can find a list of defenders I trust on the South Coast View website (links are at the bottom of this post). To show solidarity, you could attend local Ukrainian cultural events. This is a practical way to learn about their history and traditions. Additionally, sharing compelling stories and verified information on social media can create important awareness and inspire others to get involved. Remember, each action, no matter its scale, contributes directly to a wider wave of care and practical support for everyone impacted by this war. It all makes a difference.
I recently completed an online A1-level Ukrainian language course through the Ukrainian Institute London. The tutor introduced us to parts of Ukrainian culture I had known little about before. One intriguing detail I learnt more about was the rich art of Ukrainian bandura playing, as practised by artists such as Maryna Krut. Learning about the tradition of bandura playing not just strengthened my appreciation for Ukrainian art but also helped me better understand how cultural symbols can act as a form of resistance and identity.
I do what I can, and I know that victory will come. I hope you will join me here as we continue to watch, learn, and offer our support.
If you want to follow my experience as I connect my family’s history to the modern fight for Ukraine, please consider subscribing to free updates.
Links
Posts About Ukraine on South Coast View’s website
U.S. War Commentator Jake Broe on South Coast View and his YouTube channel.
Canadian Infantry Soldier Brandon Mitchell on South Coast View and his YouTube channel.