An outdoor exhibition has opened in Dnipro that tells the story of the European heritage of the city and the region
An open-air exhibition titled “The European Heritage of Dnipropetrovsk, Luhansk, and Donetsk Regions,” created by the filmmakers behind the documentary EuroKryvbas, has opened in Dnipro.
The exhibition consists of individual informational displays dedicated to the history of Dnipro, Kamianske, and Kryvyi Rih, and features archival materials.
For example, the display dedicated to Dnipro highlights the city’s European heritage and recalls its long-standing ties with Western Europe. Indeed, at the end of the 19th century, Dnipro—then known as Katerynoslav—was experiencing a boom in industrial development. After researcher, local historian, and entrepreneur Oleksandr Pol discovered iron ore deposits in the Kryvyi Rih basin, European capital began flowing into the region in large quantities.
The history of Kryvyi Rih’s industrial development is also closely linked to the figure of Oleksandr Pol. Following his sensational discovery of vast iron ore deposits, he initially approached the government of the Russian Empire but found no support there. Pol then began inviting European engineers and entrepreneurs to the region. Eventually, the Gdańsk Iron Foundry was established in Kryvyi Rih.
Photo: Press Office
The exhibit dedicated to Kamensk tells the story of how a small village eventually grew into a large and developed city. This happened after Belgian capital began flowing into the area. The city itself still preserves its Belgian and Polish heritage.
The exhibition also highlights the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Most of the cities featured are currently either occupied by Russia or have been completely destroyed. For example, at the exhibition, you can learn about the German heritage of “New York” in the Donetsk region, the Belgian heritage of Lysychansk, the French heritage of Druzhkivka, the British heritage of Donetsk, and more.
The exhibition will run until October 10. You can check it out simply while taking a walk or on your way to work. The address of the exhibition—2b Oleksandra Polia Avenue—was also chosen for a reason. While some residents previously walked down the street without even thinking about who it was named after, they can now learn more about the city’s history along the way.
Photo: Press Office
The exhibition was conceived and organized by the EuroKryvbas film team. It is part of a large-scale project that, in addition to the exhibition, includes special screenings of the documentary film in Dnipro, Kamianske, and Kryvyi Rih, as well as strategic sessions on decolonization and the preservation of cultural heritage. A digital archive will also be presented upon the project’s completion.
The documentary film “EuroKryvbas” explores the European heritage of Dnipro and the region. It tells the story of Belgian, French, British, German, and Polish entrepreneurs and engineers who contributed to the region’s development over a century ago.
The creators of the film and exhibition remind Ukrainians that years of Soviet—and later Russian—propaganda sought to erase from our memory any mention of the contribution Western specialists made to the region’s development. Now we are reclaiming our shared heritage and history, which connect Ukraine with Western Europe. Amid a full-scale war, the film serves as yet another means of reexamining Ukrainian history and reminding us of Ukraine’s deep ties to Europe, which existed as far back as a century and a half ago.
The experts for the film EuroKryvbas include Luc Jacobs, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belgium to Ukraine; Anton Lyagush, Ph.D. and expert in public history; Ihor Kochergin, local historian; Maksym Kavun, historian and local historian; and Professor Nataliia Suprun. The film’s consultant is Bruno de Cordier, a professor at Ghent University (Belgium).
The second screening of the film “EuroKryvbas” will take place on October 8 at 5:00 p.m. at the Planeta Kino movie theater (Appolo Shopping and Entertainment Center, 2nd floor), Theater No. 7. Address: 36 Nezalezhnosti St., Dnipro. Admission is free upon registration.
The project “European Heritage of Dnipropetrovsk, Luhansk, and Donetsk Regions” is implemented with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation. It represents the authors’ views and does not necessarily reflect the position of the International Renaissance Foundation. The film “EuroKryvbas” was produced with financial support from the German Embassy in Ukraine and in partnership with Ghent University.
Source: NV
