After four months in safety in Graz, a Ukrainian family returned home and thus went to war. What made them do it and what awaits them in their destroyed city.
Many Styrians have trembled with them. When they sent pictures from the basement while bombs were falling on their hometown of Chernihiv all around them. As they bravely smiled, just for the photo, to reassure those “outside”; always with your mouth, never with your eyes. And so many of our readers feared for the family of Graz-based Oleh Hlazkov when they managed to escape through the hail of bombs and over mined streets – to the Styrian capital, to white-green safety. Little Darina was able to celebrate her tenth birthday here with Mama Yana, her grandparents, carefree for a moment. But dad was in Ukraine. Every minute of the day they were afraid for him here too.Great longing for fatherAfter a few months, Oleh’s family has now returned. “To be honest, I wasn’t happy with it myself,” admits the man from Graz. “But for now the attacks have stopped at least on Chernihiv while the war rages on in other parts of the country. And the family wanted to go to the father.” So far, 79,161 Ukrainian people have been registered as displaced persons in Austria. 57,000 of them are in basic care. At the end of the last school year, more than 11,000 Ukrainian children were in Austrian schools. Over 16,000 are expected in the next school year. So far, the AMS has issued 11,235 work permits to Ukrainians. Private individuals have reported almost 50,000 accommodation places in Austria. A desolate placeAnd came back to the desolate place. “My brother was lucky, his house is still standing, even though the Russians destroyed and took a lot with them,” says Oleh. “And those who stayed behind tried to plant as much as possible to maintain the food situation.”Water and electricity are mostly available. Darina’s school is badly damaged, but the lessons go on – whenever the internet works. But we can’t do that here, where everything is peaceful and every food is available at all times. “Many people are very depressed, they lack prospects,” summarizes Oleh. “It’s all taking too long.” He calls his mum every day, “often I have to set her up. They just had to go back – but that doesn’t mean it was easy for them. Or the situation there would be simple.” Great concern ahead of Independence Day August 24th, the day on which Ukraine celebrates its independence, is also awaited with great concern. “But this year they will not cheer. They will cry.” Especially since violent attacks are expected right there.
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