Past suffering fuels patriotic zeal

This story tells the story of Ukrainian immigrants, who started going to the Rochester area in the early 1900s and are still immigrating there. 31 of the 41 ESL students in the school are Ukrainain. These people have added to the community and are proud Americans now. DP

Fleeing persecution, they came to U.S. with a hunger for a fresh start, a zest for hard work

Marketta Gregory, Staff writer

Democrat & Chronicle: They all have stories to tell — of being arrested for supporting democratic ideas, of hiding to read the Bible and worship God, of family decisions to leave the rich black soil of their native country.

But for the thousands of Ukrainians who have settled in the Rochester area, the stories don't end in their beloved and beleaguered homeland. In their suitcases they brought the intricate needlework that graced their wedding dresses, and in their hearts they brought the determination of a people hungry for freedom and a fresh start.

They came here in the early 1900s and again in the 1930s for jobs and better wages. Then family member started following family member. Another wave of immigrants came during World War II as Ukraine was battered by both Nazis and Soviets. Yet another wave in the late 1980s and early '90s carried Pentecostals who felt they had to choose between communism and God. Ukrainian Jews from the former Soviet Union arrived in the early '90s as well, seeking more opportunities.

The more than 11,000 local Ukrainians have established their own credit union, set up Saturday schools to teach their language and culture, donated to cancer research, helped the children of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, and built homes and businesses and churches.

"I think we're much more patriotic than some people who were born here because they don't know the difference," said Stephany Wowkowych, whose parents were forced to go to Germany and work for the Nazis during World War II. Few children were allowed to go with the adults, so Wowkowych's older sister, Kateryna, stayed behind in Krychovychi, Ukraine. She was 13.

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