[ARSCLIST] German Sound and film archives - Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus

[orest sushko <osinla@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,
I am searching for recordings, as well as any existing
film footage of a Ukrainian folk group known as the
Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus - a folk instrument and
choral ensemble that played the bandura. 
The period I am interested in dates back to 1918 and
through the period of WWII when the group lived in
Germany from 1942-1949. There would also have been
some early recordings of the group made in the US, as
they toured here in 1949-1950 after arriving to NA.

They were sent from Kyiv, Ukraine in August of 1942 -
as slave labour to Hamburg, Germany where they were
interned for a period. Later that year, they were
contracted by a German tour company called
"krafterfroide'. This company arranged performances
for them throughout Germany during the war years. They
played in the factories (on a makeshift stage ) in
countless cities for thousands of Ostarbeiters - slave
workers sent from the east. Would I be able to inquire
anywhere if these performances were either recorded by
the Germans or filmed in some fashion? if so, might
anyone know where i could search for such material?

After the war, the group fled to DP camps - and toured
many of them, including Regensburg, Ingolstadt,
Landshut, etc ... from 1945-1949.  I would also like
to see if any audio or visual material recorded would
exist from this era. It is also my understanding that
at one point  the group played in the communications
bunker in Berlin at the height of the war - the same
bunker where Hitler killed himself. They played a 6-7
song radio program for the eastern front, arranged by
Krafterfroide. I am looking to see if this would have
been recorded and if it indeed still exists somewhere.

I would be grateful for any help or perspective anyone
could provide as i continue my search.

Best Regards,

Orest Sushko






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