[Cz-L] Czernowitz: how to get there + cemetary

Dear Czernowitz-List members,

although I am interested in the history and culture of the Bukowina for
almost 15 years now, I joined the Cz-L only recently and am both
fascinated and a bit overwhelmed by the number of emails coming in every
day. Once more I am impressed by how much the Czernowitzer worldwide
stick together!

As an Email of mine has accidentally found its way to the list a few days
ago, there are some points I would like to add.

I think it is a wonderful idea to arrange a meeting of Czernowitzer in
their native town, evern more so as I've often visited Czernowitz
together with friends coming from there and always found it very
interesting and moving.

However, as I will not participate in the organized tour, I do not want
to interfere and complicate things by suggestions and comments. It just
would like to share my experience with those who want to got to
Czernowitz as quickly and directly as possibel (- as I unsually do :-),
repeating what Medelon Fleminger (- thank you!) has already translated in
parts:

1) From Kiev there are filghts to Czernowitz every evening and back in
the morning, operated with rather comfortable Tupolevs. I cannot say how
save they are, but since they are flying this route there has been no
accident. Return tickets cost less tehn USD 100.- and can be purchased
only in the Ukraine.

2) Flights into Lemberg are being offered by Austrian AUA (Vienna) ,
Polish LOT (Warsaw) and Air Ukraine International (Frankfurt). LOT and
AUA arrive in the early afternoon which makes it possible to continue to
Czernowitz by car on the same day (ca. 5 hours drive). Pickup from
Czernowitz in a car or bus can easily be arranged and costs around EUR
100.- per car one way.

3) To approach Czernowitz from Romania is certainly attractive, but also
more complicated. The day train from Bucharest takes 12 hours (ca. 7 am
to 8 pm). Getting on the train in Suczawa does not help, as the train ist
standing on the border for 4 hours... (for the change of wheels). Flying
into Suczawa and the going on by car is an option, but first of all the
planes from Bucharst to Suczawa don't go every day and then at very
unpleasant hours in the late evening or early morning. Secondly, being
picked up by car is possible but more expensive as Ukrainian vehicles
have to pay taxes at the border and the drivers need Romanian visa.

A propos "visa": as some of you want to visit places in the Southern
Bukowina please keep in mind that if you want to make an excursion there
from Czernowitz and want to go BACK to Czernowitz, you need a 'multiple
entry visa', as normal visa allows you to enter the Ukraine only one
time. However, as visa-duty is already abolished for EU-citizens (and
maybe for the US, that I don't know) that might not be a problem any more
next spring.

That little about the "art to approach Czernowitz"!

Now, as far as the cemetary is concerned it is correct that it is owned
by the city of Czernowitz. In recent years the city renovated some tombs
of prominent persons, such as most recently the one of mayor Eduard
Reiss. There are always 2 or 3 workers there, trying to tidy up
the place, but as Nina Kern described very well: it is a jungle in large
parts, being accessible only with special tools ... Yurij Prestupenko is
not the 'boss' but working for the administration of both the jewish and
the opposite christian cemetary. Having all the records, he is earning
some extra money showing tourists and relatives graves they are looking
for. The problem is actually not to locate them on the map (as there are
registers) but to make ones way there through the bushes....

The ceremonial hall at the entrance is in a deplorable condition. I've
been whitnessing its decay over the years with pain. It really is much to
early to talk about that, but I am planning to go to Czernowtz in fall
together with an architect and expert for renovation of such buildings in
order to make a plan of work (Arbeitsplan) to see what has to bee done,
and a cost calculation. This will be done in cooperation with a local
company that has good expertise. A soon as I have the results of this
trip I will let you all know.

Until then thank you very much for your attention and kind regards from
Vienna,

Helmut Kusdat
Received on 2005-08-23 07:23:44