The history of this memorial began in the distant 1943, during the war. He was an Italian soldier, she was a Ukrainian woman, taken to compulsory labor.
The history of this memorial began in the distant 1943, during the war. He was an Italian soldier, she was a Ukrainian woman, taken to compulsory labor.
Luigi Peduto and Mokrina Yurzuk met in the Austrian prison. Luigi knitted a scarf for her. Mokrina gave him some food in the dining room. She did not know Italian, he knew only a few words in Russian.
In May, the 45th Soviet army liberated them. It could seem that the happy family life was coming. Luigi wanted to take Mokrina with him, but was denied. Then he was ready to move to the Soviet Union, but he was refused. But Luigi will remember the Ukrainian beauty with dimples on her cheeks during all his life ... And will find her only after 60 long years. They will meet in 2004 in the studio of the TV show "Wait for Me" to tell everyone that love is more powerful than the distance, longer than time and stronger than the war.
Being in her 93 years, Mokrina Andreevna couldn’t come to Kyiv for the opening of their monument. But Senior Luigi was here, he even made a speech, with the tears on his eyes: “teacher at our school once said said that even if your life will have obstacles and difficult times - there will always be a reward afterwards. Now, it seems to me that I got mine!
This story is a lesson for all of us - never give up, go to your goal, always believe in yourself and your strength.
Supported by
The project was developed in cooperation with Google within the framework of the campaign "Digital Transformation of Ukraine"
Use of site materials and copying information without written permission is prohibited.©2017—2021 Discover Ukraine. All rights reserved. Developed by Jam Digital
Lorenzo B
Levent Taşdemir
Andrzej Nowacki
Сергей Киселев