Forgotten. Abandoned. Here they remain, dilapidated in various states of decay. A far cry from their former glory.
So what happened, why were these idyllic summer dwellings commonly known as “dachas” and conveniently located on the outskirts of town left to fall into disrepair.
The prestige of having a dacha was a sign of prosperity and signified a position in society such as prominent scientist or political elite but these are not the dachas we are talking about.
The opportunity to participate in the dacha dream was open to all soviet citizens. A small plot of land offered to key workers who were prepared to put in the hard work and build their own little get away.
Even a small dacha would constitute one’s hardworking dedicated nature as more than often they were built with one’s own hands from available materials. People used to cherish their dachas and enjoy the modest harvest it would produce.
So why, if they were such a desired commodity are they now being reclaimed by nature. The answers lie in economics.
Back in the hay day when utilities were virtually free it was so easy to enjoy the convenience they provided. Once upon a time the Ukrainian economy could compete with the top five economies of the world. Steelmaking, coal mining, wheat harvesting and other indicators per capita were comparable to Germany - the locomotive of the entire European Union. Ukraines space program was unique and rivaled only by US.
And then a change happened that brought freedom as well as chaos.
Was it the inability of the elite to keep the country prosperous within the new paradigm? Surely future generations will see it clearly with time. While a change of system was inevitable, it is a polemical question whether it was done in the correct way and with the best interest of the country at heart and not just by politicians thinking of their own gain.
But as result there was a catastrophic decrease in living standards. Scared by this 90’s crisis when poverty came knocking at their door, millions of Ukrainians migrated in search of a better life. They often left everything behind including these little plots of paradise. These dachas now remain silent retaining their stories of previous occupiers. Many have never been privatized under new market conditions as town planners consider them building land for future city growth. And that might be a psychological reason for abandoning, if people thought they were never going to actually own them, then there was less feeling of responsibility anyway.
From time to time you will still see the odd homeless person using them as shelters. They resemble each other in a strange way, both with no future, just trying to survive the present.
Fast forward to our modern way of life, full of city comforts, shopping and entertainment day and night. Is there a place for the humble dacha as is not really a dream for a young urbanite.
As for the old dachas, nature will take its course, what belongs to it will return to its domain. So one day it will just be a big secret garden full of overgrown fruit trees. An occasional stranger who happens upon it by chance will wander around wondering about the story of the place. Before that happen dacha’s empty windows like big eyes just watch to the stars waiting for a moment to be reunited with the Universe.