Did anybody from Sweden know that there is an old Swedish village in the south of Ukraine, where people still can speak ancient Swedish language? Verbivka (Standard Swedish: Gammalsvenskby, local Swedish dialect: Gammölsvänskbi; literally: "Old Swedish Village"; Ukrainian Старошведське, Staroshveds'ke; German Alt-Schwedendorf) is now part of the village of Zmiyivka (Ukrainian: Зміївка, Russian: Змеевка) in Beryslav Raion of Kherson Oblast, Ukraine which has a Swedish cultural heritage.
Although contacts with Sweden were virtually nonexistent for around a century, the people of Gammalsvenskby maintained their traditions and their Lutheran (Church of Sweden) faith. They also kept their old Swedish dialect. At the end of the 19th century, some ties were reestablished. A considerable amount of money was raised in Sweden and Finland to build a Swedish church, St John's parish, which was inaugurated in 1885. Visits from Sweden became rather frequent, and some villagers even subscribed to Swedish newspapers.
Although contacts with Sweden were virtually nonexistent for around a century, the people of Gammalsvenskby maintained their traditions and their Lutheran (Church of Sweden) faith. They also kept their old Swedish dialect. At the end of the 19th century, some ties were reestablished. A considerable amount of money was raised in Sweden and Finland to build a Swedish church, St John's parish, which was inaugurated in 1885. Visits from Sweden became rather frequent, and some villagers even subscribed to Swedish newspapers.
