"Chernovtsi., Capital of old Bukovina " a Chernivtsi Travel Page by smschley

Bukovina was once a country with its capital in Chernovtsi. At the time of my familiy’s emigration, Bukovina was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Today it is part of the Ukraine though other parts of Bukovina are now located in Moldavia, Hungary and Romania. The first wave of Bukovina German emigration began in the 1880's. Most of these emigrants would settle in communities among their Landsleute. These destinations included Naperville, Illinois where my Grandfather emigrated to in the Early 1900’s. With this in mind I was determined to see the land

When I first visited in 1993 the city was a very quiet and backward area. The economy was doing poorly and many factories were shut down. Small businesses were just starting to spring up, and life was very difficult. There was no concept of customer service and vendors treated you like they were doing you a favor. In the entire city there may have been 100 cars.

The change in 15 years has been amazing. The city is a bustling place. Shops are everywhere and the traffic at times is a real nightmare. Cars rule the street and sidewalks, and one crosses at their own risk. It’s said that the Ukraine has more millionaires than any other country in Europe and Chernovtsi is home to the most of these. There are many grand homes that showcase the fortunes that many have amazed in a short time. Poverty is also large and the site of the two living next to each other is amazing to see. Like many other cities in the Ukraine, the police department has a large number of officers who use their position to extract bribes. Add the criminal element to this scene and living here can be an adventure.

Still there is a sense of hope for the future. The young have little memory of the conditions that were around just a few years ago. They expect a better life in the future and are working to this goal.