Pumpkin Izbushka (The Pumpkin Museum at the Museum and Cultural Center in the village of Vladimirovo)

The idea of creating the Pumpkin Izbushka museum was connected with the village of Vladimirovo’s history. In the village (formerly Prussian Tharau), at the Magnificent Order Protestant Church built in 1320 (the church is preserved), a daughter named Ännchen was born into the family of Pastor Neander. The Tharau estate was surrounded by greenery; by a fast river, park alleys, and ponds. Everything was conducive to relaxation and creativity. Poets and creative people came there for inspiration and among them was the professor of philology, poet, and future rector of the Albertina (a university), Simon Dach. He admired the beautiful and well-bred girl. But at the age of twelve, Ännchen left Tharau for Königsberg (Kaliningrad) to live with her uncle, a brewer, because the plague had taken their loved ones. There, on the seventeenth year of her life, she met a fellow countryman of Simon Dach, her future husband, a student by the name of Mr. Portatius. At their wedding, friends from the Pumpkin Izbushka presented a wedding song called Ännchen from Tharau. This song is still popular in European countries and is currently experiencing the third wave of its popularity.

People sang it in Russia (the tune “Spinning and swirling …”), but with changed words. Now it is sung in the USA and Australia. Why? Its words are close to every good person in any country: it is about love, devotion, and fidelity. And the Izbushka was called the Pumpkin Izbushka because its inhabitants – young poets, writers, and composers – planted pumpkins, scratched their names on them and looked to see who would grow which talent or love:

“I’m sorry, I’ll repeat myself a little,

That music lovers gathered here

And read aloud what they composed

And played music. And to that

Zucchinis and pumpkins, jokingly, they planted …

On them they wrote names;

Theirs and of their passions.

Albertina

was delighted:

One that grew

Autographed by Robert Robertin,

I’ll tell you directly, a giant pumpkin,

After all, what a talent is – such is a pumpkin!”

F. Hirsch (1882), translation by S. Simkin.

They became famous throughout the district for their talents and pumpkins. A little later, famous fairs were held in Tharau. The visitors stayed at the Golden Pumpkin Guest House (preserved, it is 270 years old). The village has been celebrating Pumpkin Day for nine years, which includes dishes, contests, and the crowning of the Pumpkin Queen. 50 varieties of pumpkins are grown, weighing more than 130 kg. Everyone is happy to visit the museum and the Pumpkin Izbushka.

The exposition consists of more than 250 exhibits from around the world and the collection is constantly being updated. There are handmade pumpkin dolls, candlesticks, candles, glass pumpkins, paintings, marzipan figures, Cinderella carriages, tablecloths, books, dinnerware, etc.