Virtual museum with photos from Odesa, Kherson and Mykolaiv presented in Munich

A cultural project dedicated to the history of the Germans of the Black Sea region, which includes Odesa and Mykolaiv, was presented in Munich. As part of the event, a photo exhibition with archival and contemporary photographs demonstrating the life and heritage of German communities in the region was opened.

This was reported by the press service of the Council of Germans of Ukraine.

On October 28, 2025, the Haus des Deutschen Ostens presented the "Virtual Museum of the Germans of the Black Sea Region" and opened an exhibition showcasing about fifty photographs from this project. The photographs were taken by three Ukrainian photographers: Herman Krieger, Dmytro Kolosov, and Oleksandr Malon.

The photos were taken in 2023-2025 in Odesa, Mykolaiv, and former German settlements in the Black Sea region.

The color photographs show factories, churches, hospitals, schools, theaters, parks, colonial houses, agricultural buildings, and cemeteries. Due to the lack of repair, many buildings are now in a state of disrepair, some are just ruins. Since the 1990s, restoration work has been underway: some objects have been restored and transferred to the Orthodox Church for use as churches.

As noted in the press service, the restoration of this cultural heritage is impossible without the end of Russian aggression against Ukraine. The exhibition will run from October 29, 2025, to February 27, 2026.

The "Virtual Museum of Black Sea Germans" preserves the cultural heritage of the German minority in the Black Sea region, particularly in Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson, in a digital format. The project documents vulnerable sites, such as churches, cemeteries, and settlements, through photographs, video, and VR filming. Many of the sites were damaged or destroyed by the war, including theAskania Nova nature conservation area.

The museum is digitizing archival materials and creating a multilingual online platform with maps, exhibits, and eyewitness accounts. It reminds us of the destruction of cultural heritage and the contribution of the Black Sea Germans to the history of Ukraine. The project also promotes intercultural dialogue, scientific cooperation, and reflection on memory and responsibility. Its goal is to preserve heritage, educate, strengthen identity, and develop cultural exchange and tourism after the war.

The project is being implemented by the Council of Germans of Ukraine together with Ukrainian and international partners under the House of Europe program with the support of the European Union.

In September, Ukraine, Romania, and Moldova jointly submitted for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List a complex that includes monuments of Trypillian culture, including those in Odesa region.

Анна Бальчінос