#FundReise Day 0 – Longing

Electricity: 24 hours
Temperature: 19 degrees (economy mode)
Donations: 0 of 18,000 Euros
Special events: War in my life
All blog posts: Sibylle’s #FundReisel to Kyiv in the midst of war

My name is Sibylle von Tiedemann, I am a historian and Slavic scholar, 48 years old, and on Thursday I will board the ICE 802 at Munich Central Station to start my journey to Kyiv.

I’m going where no one wants to be. To war. I’m going because I want to be there. In Kyiv. With my friends, in the country I love, in the city I have grown so fond of.

The 24th of February 2022 is a sunny and cold Thursday. It is the first day of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

On Friday I go into the weekend thinking that in one week only Ukraine will have ceased to exist. I check the news every minute. I check Facebook messenger for signs of life. I check escape routes and still don’t understand anything.

I offer my flat to everyone. To Alla from Kyiv. To Mila and Vera and their son Vladik; they are from Kyiv, too. Vladik is disabled. I offer it to Shura, her husband and the three children. Her youngest is still a baby. To Lena from Odesa. I think Lena has a cat. I write to Svitlana and Nastya from Kherson. Kherson is occupied.

At night I can’t find any sleep and toss around because I only have two rooms. I don’t know anything about autism, babies, cats and occupied cities.

The photo of Volodymyr Zelensky and Oleksii Reznikov posted on Twitter after 85 hours of war touches me deeply. They look like two boys who have spent a few nights gambling. And somehow that’s kind of true. Can these men win a war against the strongest army in the world?

As time goes by, it shows that the Russian army is nowhere near as strong as we expected, and that Ukraine will not lose any time soon. And yet my fear that I am losing Ukraine is rising. That I will be missing too much, not noticing developments, people, places, a whole country changing. I see an intense moment in history. And I am not part of it.

They are all so brave

I can no longer bear to watch the misery from afar, to send a little heart via Facebook here, to post a #StandwithUkraine there, to transfer money from time to time.

The attacks on Ukraine’s infrastructure are meant to wear down the people of Kyiv. And kill them. Slowly, but still. Kyiv has become a cold city. Kyiv is dark. My Ukrainian friends post photos with candles and cats. They are so brave. Do they have a choice?

I, however, have a choice. I have talked to experts about the risks. I have had a medical check-up. I bought thermal underwear.

I am boarding ICE 802 on Thursday with the absolute desire to raise 18,000 euros. For Kyiv, for the people I love.

And I will tell you all about it. About my plans, about the trip, about Kyiv. This blog is for you. Will you join me?

#FundReise #MunichKyivLove #18,000Euros

Sibylle collects money for

Individual help

Munich Kyiv Queer has its own fundraising campaign via www.paypal.me/ConradBreyer to support people in Ukraine with whom we have worked closely over the past ten years. They are our friends and partners. We know them personally and we miss them. We can help fast, directly and unbureaucratically.

Help for War Victims

The association “Bridge to Kiev” supports people in need, especially children and large families.

Recipient: Brücke nach Kiew e.V.
Bank: Raiffeisenbank München Süd eG
IBAN: DE74 7016 9466 0000 0199 50
BIC: GENODEF1M03
Keyword: #FundTravel

A donation receipt can be issued for donations of 200 euros and more.

Help for LGBTIQ* organisations

To support LGBTIQ* in Ukraine we have helped set up the Alliance Queer Emergency Aid Ukraine, in which around 40 German LGBTIQ* Human Rights organisations are involved. All these groups have access to very different Human Rights organisations in Ukraine and use funds for urgently needed care or evacuation of queer people. Every donation helps and is used 100 percent to benefit queer people in Ukraine. Donate here

Questions? www.MunichKyivQueer.org/donations