Germans from Russia Heritage Collection

Prepared by the children of the Shirokolanovak Boarding School & Orphanage, Shirokolanovak, Ukraine, former German village of Landau, Beresan District, May, 2005

1. USA & Ukraine = Friendship
What we know about the country of our friends – The USA is a great country located in northern America – area 9,364,000 square km. – population 270 million people.
USA is populated by American descendents of immigrants from Europe mostly the English men. That is why English became the language of the American nation. Native population of the country is Indians (1.4 million people.)
USA is a country with highly developed industry and agriculture. The capital of the USA – Washington.

2. Welcome!
And now the long-expected May has finally come to us. We all have been looking forward to this month because this is the month when American friends come to visit us.
We have been waiting to meet them, but we had not merely been waiting but also preparing ourselves for this meeting. We made presents with our hands. We learned new songs and dances. For instance, Vanya Gobachov crocheted doilies. Denis Chernenko and Sergiy Chaban made delicate shelves upon which to place the doilies. The girls embroidered a little towel and yet our boys prepared comical dances. We are waiting for you, Bettsy! 8th Grade

3. Welcome to Ukraine!
The students from the 5th grade are anxious to meet their American friends. Each year, our friendship becomes stronger and stronger. Preparing for the meeting, we are trying to get good grades, to behave ourselves, and also we prepared gifts we made with our own hands and decorated a picture album.
Welcome to Landau!

4. Welcome!
Students from our class were looking forward to the guests coming. We had been thoroughly preparing for this meeting; the girls prepared embroidered and knitted items. The boys prepared pieces of woodwork to present to the dear guests in memory of our meeting on the hospitable Ukrainian land.
This meeting will remain forever in our hearts!

5. Cranes soaring to Ukraine
The cranes are flying away. They are flying away not to come back anymore. One could hear from the cries of the cranes the immortal grief and sorrow spread all over the world. And although they flew away more than a century ago, a wounded heart is still aching and grieving; a burning tear for Ukraine is rolling down the face. For Ukraine cherishes equally her children no matter where they now live and the cranes represent our Ukrainian family, which due to many circumstances became disbursed in different corners of the world. American, Germany, Australia, France, Austria and other countries became their second home. But we know too well that all of them love more than anything else their home and their people and no matter where you are, you always will be with us in our thoughts.

Cold wind is rolling the wave like a feather,
Over the borders and seas,
And Ukraine left so far behind,
My eternal and unreached star,
We are waiting for you and love you,
And hope you will never forget us.