Hello Friends,
I am glad to introduce Ivan and present the next video of the Stories Our Grandparents Haven’t Told project. This is the real history told from the 1st person. I believe we must know it. For many reasons, and especially at this time.
Ivan was a 16-year-old boy when he joined SS Galicia hoping that he can contribute to Ukraine’s independence this way. Drawn into the events of WWII, he fought as part of the German air defense battery unit in different parts of Europe. Ivan decided to return home after his unit was dismissed. It led to further events that he had never imagined and more struggle for life. With all unexpected turns and events, Ivan’s story is unbelievable. He has never told all of it before. He is happy that he can finally tell the truth and he is not afraid to do it.
The full version of the interview should be ready next week. We have talked about the training camp in Niepolomice, the events of WWII, the period when Ivan was on the run and in the DP camp, the transition of the DPs to the Soviet Union, Stalin, persecutions and Siberia.
The interview will be published on the Patreon page of our project as it’s the way to keep the project going. You’re welcome to join the project if you like to help us record more stories and get access to all Stories Our Grandparents Haven’t Told we’ve collected so far.
Today, I would like to present the extract of Ivan’s story and pass on his message. It was recorded in September 2021 and it is as relevant as ever now.
Kind regards,
Andriy Dorosh