“To our boy Eduard”

The villagers still refer to him as “our boy Eduard,” and the national blue-and-yellow flag flies on the high flagpole over his grave. The family wants this flag to stay on Eduard Hrynevych’s last earthly refuge even when a monument will be erected on his grave. In the meantime, the villagers have unveiled a memorial plaque at the school where the Heavenly Sotnia hero studied. It features Hrynevych’s photo and dates of his short but momentous life, supplemented by the words: “Truly, heroes do not die, / They serve now in the Heavenly Sotnia, / While all living shall always remember / To live worthy lives for themselves and for the dead.” The plaque (its inscription ending with “Glory to the heroes of Ukraine!”) has been installed just below the school’s name plaque. To honor their heroic countryman, the people of Derevok have renamed the village’s central square Eduard Hrynevych Square. It houses the village school, church, municipal government building, and the memorial sign celebrating the 450th anniversary of the first written mention of the village. The plaque commemorating “our boy Eduard” has been blessed by the local priest who conducted a memorial service as well. The speakers at the ceremony included the raion and school leadership, but it was Hrynevych’s older sister Tetiana’s speech that was most touching. “Do not be afraid to fight for truth, as Eduard did,” she said, “for truth will be victorious at the end.” In the last years of his 28-year-long life, Eduard always visited his former school on September 1 (the first day of school), or September 2 at the latest, as his niece, Tetiana’s daughter, studies at it, and the uncle she adored always shared with the child the joy of the holiday. He attended unfailingly her other school holidays as well.

Recently, the district center of Liubeshiv saw a symbolic flag laid down on the site where a monument will be erected to the Heavenly Sotnia heroes, including Hrynevych, who is an honorary citizen of Liubeshiv raion. The monument is the brainchild of local Svoboda party members. As people of Derevok and Liubeshiv say, Heroes of the Heavenly Sotnia have shown that fortitude overcomes the force of arms, so they are sure of Ukraine’s final victory.