Shortly before the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine, ten-year-old Ukrainian refugee Kateryna Tereshchenko published a children’s book in Ukrainian and German.
It’s been two years since Kateryna and her mother Svitlana fled the war to take refuge in the city of Cologne in western Germany.
The book entitled “Anton Digs” tells the adventures of a marmot named Anton whose alpine habitat is threatened by roads and tourists.
Through this character, the little girl evokes the courage to start from scratch and not let sadness get her down.
“It’s sort of a book of encouragement.“Kateryna said in an interview with the Associated Press.
Kateryna’s mother Svitlana, 43, was a real estate agent in Ukraine and hopes to find a similar job in Cologne. Although they both feel very comfortable, mother and daughter hope to return to Ukraine one day.
“Most of my life is there, my friends, all my family,” Svitlana said.
_”I would also like to come back to Ukraine. But I want us to be safe and that’s why I think it’s better to stay in Germany now,” Kateryna added.
Illustrator Olesia Poleva, who also fled Zaporizhia for Cologne with her daughter and granddaughter, created the illustrations for the book.
The book was created on the initiative of Pastor Wolfgang Fey, whose parish hosts Kateryna and her mother in Cologne.