School of BogdanivkaSchool of Bogdanivka

The project was The project was created by tenth form created by tenth form pupils Vita Bystrytska, pupils Vita Bystrytska, Maryna Lubinets, Maryna Lubinets, Dasha ZelikovaDasha Zelikova

And is the village large? Oh, no!And is the village large? Oh, no!It’s just a hamlet in a ring.It’s just a hamlet in a ring.All its daily drinking waterAll its daily drinking water

Comes from one, lone tiny spring.Comes from one, lone tiny spring.Neither cold nor hot, its waterNeither cold nor hot, its water

Mild and soft will ever please;Mild and soft will ever please;At times it rains, at times it snows,At times it rains, at times it snows,

And sometimes comes a gentle breeze.And sometimes comes a gentle breeze.

My dear friend, villages keep in their My dear friend, villages keep in their memory the past of our people. Some of them memory the past of our people. Some of them are quiet ancient, others appeared not long ago. are quiet ancient, others appeared not long ago. Each village is individual with its history, Each village is individual with its history, traditions and especially with people. traditions and especially with people.

At the course of the times a lot of villages At the course of the times a lot of villages had been disappearing. The reasons are had been disappearing. The reasons are different. Some of them stopped their existence different. Some of them stopped their existence because of their people had moved to other because of their people had moved to other places. places.

Nowadays there are 60 small and big villages Nowadays there are 60 small and big villages in Chernihivka district. Each of them has its in Chernihivka district. Each of them has its own name with some unusual origin. The name own name with some unusual origin. The name of the village usually comes from the name of of the village usually comes from the name of its founder. Sometimes it is connected with its its founder. Sometimes it is connected with its history or location. It may be the name of some history or location. It may be the name of some river, lake, forest, hill or what not.river, lake, forest, hill or what not.

We know the English word motherland. For Ukrainian We know the English word motherland. For Ukrainian people it has two meanings. Firstly, it is the place you people it has two meanings. Firstly, it is the place you were born in. Then it means the whole country where were born in. Then it means the whole country where you live. For us our motherland begins in our own you live. For us our motherland begins in our own village, in which we have grown up. To our mind our village, in which we have grown up. To our mind our native village is the best place in the world. As the native village is the best place in the world. As the English people say, “East or West, home is best” or English people say, “East or West, home is best” or “There is no place like home”.“There is no place like home”.

Our village’s Our village’s name is name is Bohdanivka. It Bohdanivka. It is situated in is situated in the the Chernihivka Chernihivka district. It is district. It is not big, but it not big, but it is not small is not small either. There either. There are about 300 are about 300 houses in it. houses in it. And 670 And 670 people live and people live and work here.work here.

Our village was founded about 200 years ago by Our village was founded about 200 years ago by the the MennonitesMennonites from Germany. The first name was Gnadenfeld from Germany. The first name was Gnadenfeld (from German it means the (from German it means the beneficial field). beneficial field). The village The village Gnadenfeld was considered to be one of the most attractive Gnadenfeld was considered to be one of the most attractive among the many beautiful Mennonite villages in among the many beautiful Mennonite villages in Molotschna Colony. And later it was renamed Bohdanivka. Molotschna Colony. And later it was renamed Bohdanivka.

Today Today Bohdanivka is a Bohdanivka is a modern village. modern village. There is water, There is water, electricity in the electricity in the houses and on the houses and on the streets. The most of streets. The most of the houses are big, the houses are big, not so new but nice. not so new but nice. There is a secondary There is a secondary school, a school, a kindergarten, a kindergarten, a house of culture, house of culture, shops , a library in shops , a library in the village. In the the village. In the middle of the village middle of the village there is a park.there is a park.

Village Village ССouncil, Club, Kindergarten, Secondary ouncil, Club, Kindergarten, Secondary school of Bohdanivkaschool of Bohdanivka

The historic-cultural The historic-cultural complex “The Mennonite complex “The Mennonite Farmstead” invites to see the Farmstead” invites to see the signssigns of a Mennonite history.of a Mennonite history.

This brick house was This brick house was placed parallel to the street, placed parallel to the street, you can find the original cellar you can find the original cellar and a well there. Besides, all and a well there. Besides, all the wooden things arethe wooden things are original original too too ((floors, window frames, floors, window frames, doors, shutters). The roof has doors, shutters). The roof has been replaced with corrugated been replaced with corrugated cementcement--asbestos. Here one will asbestos. Here one will find the old furniture and find the old furniture and utensils.utensils.

The guests can see the The guests can see the displays of the Mennonite clay displays of the Mennonite clay tiles, bricks, stone tiles, tiles, bricks, stone tiles, millstones and different other millstones and different other things of stone.things of stone.

For the better learning of For the better learning of the history of the land the the history of the land the guests will see theguests will see the agricultural agricultural machinery dating from the machinery dating from the end of the 1end of the 19 9 th century.th century.

From the history of village education (School of Gnadenfeld From the history of village education (School of Gnadenfeld before second world war; School since 1943; School from before second world war; School since 1943; School from

1947 to 1950)1947 to 1950)

There a lot of our compatriots was lost during There a lot of our compatriots was lost during the second world war. In memory of their feat the second world war. In memory of their feat the monument to the Grieving mother and Lost the monument to the Grieving mother and Lost soldier was erected in the park. Each year the soldier was erected in the park. Each year the schoolchildren bring flowers to the Brotherly schoolchildren bring flowers to the Brotherly Tomb to honour them.Tomb to honour them.

Not far from the Not far from the village the old village the old German Cemetery is German Cemetery is located. Today the located. Today the first inhabitants’ first inhabitants’ tombs are hidden tombs are hidden under of bushes of under of bushes of lilac and only lonely lilac and only lonely fragments in a grass fragments in a grass remind to us of died. remind to us of died. In 2004 the In 2004 the monument for future monument for future generations here was generations here was put.put.

You can find the saphora on the territory of our village. You can find the saphora on the territory of our village. The Japanese pagoda tree, a deciduous tree native to The Japanese pagoda tree, a deciduous tree native to China and Korea, is also known as the Chinese scholar China and Korea, is also known as the Chinese scholar tree because it is traditionally planted by the graves of tree because it is traditionally planted by the graves of Chinese schoolmasters. Several varieties of this tree Chinese schoolmasters. Several varieties of this tree that differ in size, flower color, and hardiness are that differ in size, flower color, and hardiness are cultivated worldwide. We don’t know who planted it but cultivated worldwide. We don’t know who planted it but it is more than 100 years old.it is more than 100 years old.

In summer, autumn, winter or In summer, autumn, winter or spring our village is very beautiful. spring our village is very beautiful. Rolling fields interspersed with Rolling fields interspersed with woodlots are characteristic of the woodlots are characteristic of the countryside in our flat region.countryside in our flat region. Parks, Parks, a lot of gardens make it wonderful. a lot of gardens make it wonderful.

We love our native place. It is We love our native place. It is well worth visiting.well worth visiting.