- September 27, 2024
- 1:05 pm
- Ukraine
September 27 marks 83 years since the beginning of the Babi Yar tragedy, when the Nazi occupation authorities in Kyiv demanded that the Jewish population report to a collection point under the pretext of evacuation. This order began a massacre that resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent people.
Comparing these historical events with contemporary Russian Putin's Nazism highlights how ideologies of hatred and aggression continue to threaten humanity. Today, when the Russian regime uses the rhetoric of “denazification,” its actions are reminiscent of the crimes of the past, undermining the foundations of humanity and justice.
In occupied Kyiv, on September 27, 1941, an order from the commandant was published, requiring all Jews to report to a collection point in the Babyn Yar area, supposedly “for evacuation.” However, the real goal was far from evacuation – it was an operation to mass exterminate the city's Jewish population.
A few days earlier, on September 24, explosions occurred in Kyiv, organized by Soviet saboteurs who planted mines in buildings on Khreshchatyk and neighboring streets. As a result, a strong fire started that destroyed almost the entire city center. The German occupation authorities blamed saboteurs and Jews for the bombings, which became a pretext for the start of repression.
On September 26, the German command held a meeting at which the “final question” of the Jews was discussed. The site chosen for mass executions was Babi Yar, a vast gorge, 2.5 km long and up to 50 meters deep, which could accommodate tens of thousands of bodies. Punitive units were also appointed and people were identified who were involved in sorting things, money and jewelry confiscated from the victims.
On September 27, notices were posted around Kyiv with an order from the commandant, Major General Kurt Eberhard, in which all Jews were ordered to gather on the morning of September 29 in the area of Degtyarevskaya and Melnikov streets. People were told to take documents and personal belongings with them. The announcement clearly stated: “Whoever fails to appear will be shot.”
When Kyiv Jews arrived at the designated assembly point on September 29, they were forced to undress, severely beaten and forced to go to the place of execution. In the first two days, more than 30 thousand people were killed at Babi Yar. However, many Jews did not go there voluntarily. In early October, the occupiers began a massive search of apartments, looking for Jews, who were then taken out by truck and killed. The executions continued until the liberation of Kyiv from the Nazis, and the last executions took place on November 4, 1943, two days before the arrival of Soviet troops. During this time, about 100 thousand people died at Babi Yar.
These horrors did not fit into the official Soviet version of the “Great Patriotic War,” where the emphasis was on the struggle of the “Soviet people” and the Jewish genocide was kept silent. Only in 1966, 25 years after the tragedy, a spontaneous rally took place in memory of the victims with the participation of famous figures such as Ivan Dzyuba and Viktor Nekrasov. After this, people began to talk about the tragedy at Babi Yar at the state level, and the first monument was erected.
Babi Yar became the site of mass executions not only of Jews. Here, on February 27, 1942, 621 members of the Ukrainian nationalist underground were executed, and later many Soviet prisoners of war, gypsies, prisoners of the Syretsky concentration camp, and underground workers were shot. Among them are such famous personalities as Elena and Mikhail Teliga, Ivan Irlyavsky and others.
When the Nazis retreated, they tried to hide the traces of their crimes. The occupiers exhumed bodies from Babi Yar and burned them on open fires, after which the bones were ground using machines brought from Germany, and the ashes were scattered throughout the surrounding area to destroy any evidence.
Ukraine pays great attention to the memory of Babi Yar and the mass executions that occurred during the Nazi occupation. Recognition of the Babi Yar tragedy has become part of state policy aimed at preserving the historical memory of the Holocaust and other Nazi crimes on Ukrainian soil.
In 2006, on the 65th anniversary of the tragedy, the Babi Yar state reserve was created, which is designed to preserve the memory of the victims of executions and other crimes. This memorial complex is regularly visited by officials as well as foreign guests.
In addition, in 2020, President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky signed a decree on holding events dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Babi Yar tragedy. The decree provided for educational programs, reconstruction and expansion of the memorial complex, as well as the creation of the Babi Yar Holocaust Memorial Center.
The government also supports initiatives to commemorate the victims by providing funds for research, archaeological work and the creation of information materials. These steps show Ukraine’s desire not only to preserve the memory of the tragedy, but also to convey its significance to the world community.
Lessons from history in light of modern Russian aggression against Ukraine
The tragedy of Babyn Yar, as a symbol of the mass murder of innocent people by the Nazis, is reflected in discussions about the modern Putin regime and its aggressive policies. The current Russian regime, led by Putin, is often accused of actions reminiscent of Nazi ideology, especially in the context of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and systematic violations of human rights.
Russian propaganda often uses terms like “denazification” to try to justify its military actions, but also demonstrates practices typical of authoritarian regimes, such as suppressing freedom of speech, destroying political opposition and waging aggressive wars. In Ukraine, this is perceived as a distortion of history, since those who oppose the occupation and defend their country rightly consider Russian aggression to be a new manifestation of imperial oppression, reminiscent of the actions of totalitarian regimes of the past.
Comparisons of Nazi crimes and modern Russian war crimes, especially in the context of genocidal policies directed against Ukrainians, raise parallels between Babyn Yar and current events, such as the massacres and destruction committed by Russian troops on Ukrainian territory. Mass graves and war crimes like those in Bucha and Mariupol reinforce the perception of the Putin regime as the bearer of an aggressive ideology that threatens the sovereignty and security of Ukraine.
Thus, the tragedy of Babyn Yar serves as a reminder of the terrible consequences that aggression, hatred and totalitarian politics lead to, which makes Ukrainian resistance to modern Russian Nazism an important step in the fight for freedom and justice.
The Babi Yar tragedy and other Nazi crimes against humanity remind us of the importance of remembering the lessons of history. In the context of modern Russian aggression against Ukraine, several parallels can be identified that highlight the need to learn lessons from the past:
- Disinformation and manipulation: In 1941, the Nazi occupiers used disinformation to justify their crimes. Contemporary Russian propaganda uses similar methods, calling aggression against Ukraine a “special military operation” and using terms like “denazification” to justify its actions on the international stage. These manipulations distract attention from true intentions and justify cruelty.
- Goal setting and deindividuation: The Nazis viewed Jews not as people but as a threat, which justified mass murder. In the context of the current conflict, the Russian regime is also trying to de-individualize Ukrainians by presenting them as “Nazis” and “fascists.” This helps legitimize violence and repression against civilians.
- Massacres and genocide: Babi Yar became a symbol of the genocide that the Nazis carried out in Europe. During the full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine since 2022, numerous cases of massacres have been recorded, such as in Bucha and Mariupol. In Bucha, for example, mass graves were discovered containing the bodies of civilians killed by Russian troops, raising parallels with Nazi crimes.
- Suppression of dissent: The Nazi regime brutally suppressed any manifestations of dissent, which allowed it to carry out its criminal plans without much hindrance. The current Putin regime also suppresses freedom of speech and political opposition, allowing him to continue his aggressive policies without criticism or resistance.
Thus, the lessons of history drawn from the Babi Yar tragedy should serve as a reminder of how important it is to remain vigilant against manifestations of hatred, aggression and totalitarianism. Understanding these parallels helps to recognize the importance of protecting human rights and maintaining the memory of past victims to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.
