russia damaged one of Zaporizhzhia’s architectural gems — the Mennonite Mädchenschule

Today, russia once again attempted to destroy not only our city, but also the places that preserve its history. 💔

The building of one of the oldest schools in Zaporizhzhia, located in Upper Khortytsia, suffered severe damage. The Mennonite girls’ school (Mädchenschule), an architectural monument dating back to the early 20th century, was built in 1904 in the Art Nouveau style with funding from a Mennonite industrialist family. Although the school had ceased operating (a decision to close it was made in 2024), the building remained an important part of the historical heritage of the Zaporizhzhia region.

russia deliberately targets more than civilian infrastructure. Historic buildings, museums, monuments, and cultural heritage sites are also coming under attack — everything that shapes Ukraine’s identity and preserves the memory of our past.

This is another way of waging war: an attempt to erase the traces of Ukrainian history.

That is why it is so important to document these losses, speak about them, and preserve their memory. Even if we lose individual buildings, we must never allow their stories to be erased. That, too, is part of our resistance to russian terror. ✊🏻