Gangs of New York outskirts
There are only a few people who know, and even less of those who remember, but by 1951 there used to be the village of New York near the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk region. Now it is Nowgorodske, and with the loss of the name so happened with my attention to the settlement, while the understanding of the ambiguity of the region remained.
Even advanced research on the topic with the use of internet and libraries is not worth of time if it is not proved with the site visit. Pavlo Sheremeta says, that you can not delegate your ears and eyes, but it’s not only of his quote but because of the whole CANactions educational approach, that is based on the idea of profound investigations and field work. So what was my perception of Kramatorsk before the visit? Even a constant connection with the local activist brought more of a despair to the tags of war, crisis, crime and void that are “dancing around the city”. Literally, I expected to arrive at the factory entrance that is next to the railway station, where alcoholics and clochards are sleeping in the drunken nirvana and desperate housewives, who live in the half-destroyed during conflict “hrushchovkas” are asking to help their kids. But it turned out to be way more interesting.
It was not my first travel, so I was not overwhelmed with the comfort of Intercity+ train, but a layer of clichés was harmed by the newly restored railway station, situated in the cozy old part of the city, with quite an interesting architecture and the romantic beauty of the Soviet rusted factory (which at the end of the day was founded by the Swiss entrepreneur Gamper, so first nail in the coffin of communist legend about the industrialization of Ukraine for me was hit). Later happened a bus journey through the wide and green prospects of this garden city with a convenient and understandable network of its frame and first meeting with soldiers in the hotel lobby, who guard officers and head office situated on several floors there. This was the only place where I have constantly been reminding myself about the recent conflict and closeness of actual war. At the same time, only a meticulous person can consider some house reconstructions and international support organizations presence as a reminder of that. From the room on the six floor, I spotted chimneys of the heating station and various large enterprises — understanding that they are an essential part of not only city map but also life bumped up in my head.
Still, even these factories presence is mixed with a large number of trees and parks and if you pay no attention to the poor quality of air and water, somehow start thinking that probably it is not the worst place to live on Earth. Of course, it’s quite hard to imagine the boom of ecotourism here, but after the city tour around the streets of unspoiled constructivist’s experiments and mosaic decorations depicting an idea of perpetual progress the possibility of cultural interest seemed to be quite real.
Apart from the poor internet connection, I could find not so many disadvantages of the city, which totally ruined the image that used to be for me before. And I understood that not only Kramatorsk but the whole brand of Donbas region should be changed. People here are nice and friendly, and I was gifted with a cup of coffee just only for being a tourist in the city. I talked to the self-taught, 83 years old artists, who was born at Kuban and worked all his life at the factory, who taught me a Ukrainian word “tyrlo” (corral), that I didn’t know before — so where is the hate to the Ukrainian-speaking Ukrainians? There is none. As well as it’s not only about industrial life here — my first Chinese buffet was in Kramatorsk. And, of course, the beauty of the industrial landscape that I hope, will also be redeemed one day, is an another ace in the sleeve.
I tried to meet “kramatozavrs” (low-educated, prison-culture raised citizens), who may have graduated from “bursitets” (low-quality colleagues) organized in crime stacks, but it was a failure again. The guys from the gang of a low-income sleeping district we’ve managed to talk to, where the one who organized a DIY gym in the garage and are actively participating in the activities of “Vilna hata” a local nongovernment youth community center.
Kramatorsk is not unique, with both typical problems for Ukrainian cities and factory formed, war affected cities. But it also should not be treated as an ugly swan, as his citizens have what to be proud of and a lot of them really are. It should be appreciated as a site of experiments for socialistic views, industry innovations, and make-ability of the society. And it really needs is a proper management, that has to be not only visual in terms of decommunization — change of street names, the dismantling of monuments, who knows, maybe Nowgorodske will become New York again? All of the interest and support from international donors, migration to city and support to small and medium businesses brought new life and an unexpected chance for Kramatorsk — an opportunity, that can not be failed.
