Rubizhne Local Customs

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There are still several Lenin monuments in Rubizhne.
They have remained untouched whereas their "counterparts" in similar towns and cities of Western Ukraine have long been demolished.
Does it mean we are more tolerant here and merely have more patience and more respect towards the glorious Communist past?
There is a huge monument at the factory entrance.
Who do you think the biggest chemist of all times was? Comrade Lenin, of course. :-)
The White Giant, as I called it once, the biggest Lenin monument in Rubizhne and one of the biggest in Luhansk region, is located at the entrance to the chemical corporation.
And, of course, you can see Lenin monument in Lenin Street. It is located opposite School 6.
Another Lenin monument is in Yuzhnaya on the southern outskirts of the city in front of the conference center. (See my Yuzhnaya page here)

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The memorial plaque dedicated to militia major Yakov Vulis is at the corner of Lenin Street and Vulis Street.
This modest plaque reads,
Militia major
Yakov Yefimovich Vulis
1911-1960
perished at his post
in the city of Rubizhne
on March 12, 1960.
Major Vulis was a courageous militiaman, the head of the city militia department.
During his routine night ride around the city he found out that the windows of "Cosmos" department store had been broken. He sent his driver to the militia station to bring help and went into the store alone. He was shot dead by the armed robbers who had robbed the store in the early morning of March 12, 1960. The robbers/killers were never found.

Picture 2:
This is the old emblem of PXK
(Russian abbreviation for Rubizhne Chemical Corporation).

Picture 3:
The building of the old railway railway station
called The 111st kilometer.
This is where steam locomotives arrived before 1971.
This station was very close to Lenin Street
and you could walk home after you arrived by train.

Picture 4:
A view of the chemical corporation from the entrance gate.
You cannot enter it without a special pass
that could be arranged in the building of the factory administration
located opposite the central gate.

Picture 5:
A memorial plaque in the old and neglected Pioneers' Park.
The plaque reads,
The city Young Communist League organization
created in May 1920
worked in this building from 1924 till 1930.

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Like in many towns and cities in the former Soviet Union countries, there are memorial plaques in the city.
The plaques are dedicated to outstanding people who used to live and work in the city.
Some memorial plaques are dedicated to Soviet officers who took part in the liberation of Rubizhne in January 1943.
Other memorial plaques are dedicated to the important events in the city history.
I must say those events used to be widely observed in Soviet times.
Now we have new Ukrainian holidays and festivals.
There is a memorial plaque at the building of Ukrcommunebank at 3 Doichev Street (picture 1). It is near the ruins of the old leisure center built in 1934.
The plaque at 3 Doichev Street reads,
The street was named after the Hero of the Soviet Union
Senior Lieutenant Doichev Vladimir Panteleimonovich
1925-1945
................................................................................................................
Doichev Street was called Bank Street before. It is only 360 meters long. It connects former Palace Square with Smirnov Street (former School Street).
Vadim Doichev was born on August 31, 1923 in Mykolayiv. He used to study in Rubizhne at School #3 and lived in the city for almost seven years before he went to Voroshilovgrad (now Luhansk) to study at aircraft pilots’ school.
Lieutenant Vadim Doichev became the Heroes of the Soviet Union on January 29, 1945.He died on March 21, 1945 during an air battle on the territory of present Poland and was buried in the town of Shippenbal.You can see Doichev memorial plaque at 3 Doichev Street now.
..........................................................................................................
There is a memorial plaque at the building of School #1, the oldest one in the city (picture 2).
The plaque reads,
The first secondary school in the town of Rubizhne
was dedicated on September 1, 1929
There is memorial plaques at what I call Cannon of Rubizhne memorial in Liberators' Street (picture 3):
On December 21, 1919 the Red Army units
liberated the station of Rubizhne
from the White Guards
One more memorial plaque at that memorial (picture 4) :
On January 31, 1943 the Soviet Army units
liberated the town of Rubizhne
from the German fascist invaders
I liked the words at the monument to Liberators in Liberators Street (picture 5) :
Your courage was unparalleled,
your will was unbending,
your feat of arms is immortal

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Family Day, a traditional holiday in September, includes such "yard holidays", too.
The residents of apartment houses or streets gather together, bring out tables and lay them in the yard.
They eat, drink and start singing songs, playing games or just talking.
Such things only happen once a year...

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You are fortunate, if your stay in Rubizhne coincides with this city festival - Family Day.
The earlier you come to the main square to reserve a table, the better.
There are tables on the main square and in the alley in Kirov Street near the leisure center.
The former movie theater in Youth Square opposite the main hotel is another place of Family Day celebrations that take place in the afternoon there.

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This nice festival traditionally takes place on the second weekend of September every year.
It has been observed since 1981.
In fact, it's a city day, but unlike many other towns and cities of Ukraine, it is called Family Day.
It's the only city that celebrates a Family Day in Ukraine. All others call their city festivals a city day.
The program of the festival in Rubizhne includes many different things, among them:
- a procession when the local amateur actors show family scenes;
- a relay race in the streets;
- yard holidays called "We Live in One Neighborhood";
- a charity festival "Rubizhne Is a City of Charity";
- a children's holiday "The World I Live in";
- exhibition of handicrafts;
- a show program "Our United Family";
- a gala concert in the evening;
- a fireworks display that starts at about 9 p.m.
- a young people's disco.
The fireworks display team works from the roof of the City Council building and the fireworks display lasts for about ten minutes.

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If you happen to be in Rubizhne on August 24, you are lucky for you can attend the holiday celebrations.
The celebrations take place in Lenin Square in front of the City Council building.
This is the 2010 plan of celebrations:

4 p.m. - Asphalt drawings contest.
-Ò=☻|\/|☻= =☻|\/|☻=Ò-

5 p.m. - Entertainment program for kids.
█==●==●==●==█ █==●==●==●==█

6 p.m. - Entertainment program for grownups.
˜*°♥♥♥ ♥♥♥°*˜

7 p.m. - Holiday concert.
..ιllιlι.ιl.. [♫]♫ ♫]♫]..ιllιlι.ιl..

8 p.m. - Holiday disco.
(¯`'•.¸•°▪♥ ♥▪°•¸.•'´¯)

Welcome to Independence Day celebrations!

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The city leisure center houses several creative groups, among them:
Musical Comedy People's Theater
that occupies Room 205
Tel.+38 099 063 43 31
Leader: A.I.Havva

Maximum modern dance group
Room 215, Room 105
Tel. +38 095 253 61 09

Voyage people’s show ballet
Room 105
on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
from 6 p.m.

Modus variety song and dance studio
for children and teenagers;
there are three choreographic groups:
for ages of 6-10; 10-15 and one for the age of 15 and up:
- Periwinkle folk dance ensemble;
- Pat-a-cake kids ensemble;
- Eaglet kids dance ensemble;
Room 307
Tel.+38 06453 5 03 63

Circus Studio
For children and teenagers starting from 5 years old;
Room 316
Tel.+38 066 492 55 31.
There is also a training room for shaping and body-building
Room 201
from 6 to 9 p.m.

- People’s symphony orchestra;
- Folk insruments people’s orchestra;
- War and labor veterans choir;
- Folk song choir;

Some groups have a special name “people’s” before the name of an emsemble or a group. This name emphasizes that the group is not a professional one, but belong to amateur activities.

Here are some video illustrations to this information:
Star Lights FestivalPeriwinkle Dance Group: Russian Folk Dance Periwinkle Dance Group: Trible Fusion Periwinkle Dance Group: Oriental Dance Periwinkle Dance Group: Spanish & Arabic Fusion