A Visit to the Irshava Historical Museum
After returning from our trip, we had a little time left — and we used it to visit the Irshava Historical Museum, where we were welcomed and guided by historian and museum director Mr. Andrei Svitlynets.
Before the bus departure, we stopped by to see Andrei, who had also traveled with us earlier as the driver of the T4. He is an educated man, around 55 years old, and a professional historian. His knowledge spans many periods, but from what I gathered, his specialty lies in the era from World War I to the present, with a focus on military history.
The museum itself is modest in size but incredibly rich in content. Andrei humbly says he needs twice as much space — I would say ten times more. Honestly, I have never seen so much information packed into such a small space. It's like a living database, full of artifacts you can often touch and hold in your hands.
Andrei showed us current war-related exhibits, and then we moved on to banknotes — a topic we had discussed earlier in the car. The Soviets printed their own currency for satellite states, banknotes that were never put into circulation. It's chilling to see — a powerful reminder that freedom is the air we breathe, but it is never free. Sadly, this is not just history.
Then Andrei passionately talked about the Czechoslovak Legion's involvement at Sokolovo, about Ludvík Svoboda’s role, and other notable Czechs who fought alongside the Red Army. What I remember from primary school about this topic was heavily laced with communist propaganda, which in some cases wrongly erased respect for these historical figures from our collective memory.
Andrei himself has numerous ancestors who fought in the Czechoslovak Legion, which is why his work is so deeply tied to his personal heritage. The medals of his relatives, on display in the museum, are part of his private collection, along with original documents from that era. What you’ll see isn’t just a collection of individual artifacts — it’s a cohesive historical narrative, a puzzle of interlinked stories. Listening to Andrei’s enthusiastic and proud storytelling brings the entire exhibit to life. It’s a powerful experience — one that I believe both children and adults would find truly engaging.
For Andrei, his work is also his passion — a rare and fortunate alignment. It makes his tours and educational work incredibly impactful. If you ever find yourself in the area, be sure to visit the museum and meet Andrei. He’ll gladly show you how our histories are connected — and hopefully, how our futures might be, too.
🎥 Here you can see a video walkthrough of the museum.
🎥 Here’s a clip of Andrei explaining the Soviet-issued banknotes.
In the context of today’s events, where Russia’s manipulation of neighboring borders has become normalized, it’s chilling to see historical precedents — such as currency manipulation during occupations. Freedom and the right to exist, unfortunately, never come without cost.
Together to victory!
We will endure because we must, because we want a better world for our children.
СЛАВА УКРАЇНІ! ГЕРОЯМ СЛАВА!
Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!
