As I have come to know Kyiv better I have tried to move beyond the better know historical attractions located in the downtown area. This time I was ready to go to Babi Yar, the site of one of the first and worst massacres of the Holocaust. The problem seemed to be less difficult than looking for similar sites in the Baltics, for example. In Riga I had to do copious online research and then plot and plan my way on maps. There were no signs nor information in guidebooks. Conversely, Babi Yar is mentioned in guidebooks and there is ample knowledge by locals that the place does indeed exist. But physically getting there from the nearest metro station was a chore. First, the ravine where hundreds of thousands of Jews, Roma, mental patients, etc. were brutally gunned down is located in a park across a busy road. But there are no signs that say this. Second, there is another part of the park right next to the metro station where other monuments are located. Once again there are no signs or maps to show visitors where to go. For such an important piece of history is this a coincidence, an oversight, or a passive aggressive way to pay lipservice to remembering (while discouraging people from actually finding the site)? It's hard to know...or is it?
Until Ukraine became an independent nation in 1991, there was severe omissions at Holocaust sites such as Babi Yar; specifically any mention of Jews. Remembrance sites talked of 'Soviet Citizens' who are died at the hands of Nazi oppressors. But time after time Jews were purposely not mentioned even if the site contained a majority of Jewish victims. The post-Soviet leaders tried to rectify the situation by building a menorah memorial and having Jews mentioned at the main monument at Babi Yar. But, after searching for the menorah (which was torched on the first night of Rosh Hashanha in 2015) I came to find that it was at the far end of the park....in a parking lot! Additionally there was not much more information regarding the monument and the importance of remembering it's victims. For an event that many claim was a testing ground for the Final Solution, this omission seems bewildering.
Fortunately, I was finally able to get orientated. I spent a blazing hot morning walking from one side of the overgrown park to the more manicured main massacre site. Looking at the site today and you can understand why the Nazis used it. The ravine is long and wide and at one time the site was covered in forest. And of course it was on the outskirts of town. But even though it is now surrounded by busy streets and large apartment buildings people walk by and don't seem to notice. Just like in 1941, citizens don't pay it any mind. I think that is a shame. The Babi Yar's of the world need to be remembered. And the way to remember is to let people know it is there and encourage them to visit and share their memories. Menorahs in parking lots won't do the trick.
More on Babi Yar: http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/babiyar.html
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babi_Yar
Menorah memorial at Babi Yar...in a parking lot far from the massacre site.
Cross with further explanation of the site. This, for some reason, is much closer.
Inscriptions in Hebrew.
Main memorial at Babi Yar, built during Soviet times, I believe.
Another view of the Babi Yar Memorial. Note the three plaques describing the events.
Third plaque that actually mentions the Jews intead of only "Soviet Citizen" on the other two plaques. You do the math.
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