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Prologue

Prypiat – Artek – Boston

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 June 2025

Melanie Arndt
Affiliation:
Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
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Summary

Blue skies. Sunshine. A fresh spring breeze rustles through the vibrant green leaves of young birches and tugs at women’s skirts. Children in shorts and dresses romp around a playground, scamper back and forth, and kick a ball about (Fig. 0.1). Mothers and fathers push strollers through the bright streets. It is hard not to notice how many children there are; the town seems so young, the spring day so beautiful. Even the two civil defence officials pacing through the idyll could not appear more relaxed if they tried. And yet – with their drab green overalls and grey-green respirators, they look as if they have come from another world. When someone enquires as to the reason for these strange outfits, they pause briefly to explain that it’s an exercise. It is just an exercise.

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  • Prologue
  • Melanie Arndt, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
  • Translated by Alastair Matthews
  • Book: Chernobyl Children
  • Online publication: 26 June 2025
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009457750.001
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  • Prologue
  • Melanie Arndt, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
  • Translated by Alastair Matthews
  • Book: Chernobyl Children
  • Online publication: 26 June 2025
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009457750.001
Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

  • Prologue
  • Melanie Arndt, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Germany
  • Translated by Alastair Matthews
  • Book: Chernobyl Children
  • Online publication: 26 June 2025
  • Chapter DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009457750.001
Available formats
×