Ukrainian Nationalists and the Holocaust - OUN and UPA's Participation in the Destruction of Ukrainian Jewry, 1941-1944

During the German occupation of Ukraine in 1941-1944, the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and its armed force, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), were involved in the destruction of the Jewish population. The extent of their culpability in the Holocaust has been a controversial issue in Ukraine, the Ukrainian diaspora, Jewish communities, and Israel. This book uses a variety of sources to establish that OUN militias were key actors in the anti-Jewish violence of summer 1941, recruited for and infiltrated police formations that provided manpower for the German mobile killing units, and thousands of these policemen deserted from German service to join the OUN-led nationalist insurgency in 1943, during which UPA killed Jews who had managed to survive the major liquidations of 1942.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 540 pages
Publication date: 15 March 2022
Publisher: ibidem-Verlag, Jessica Haunschild u Christian Schon

One-quarter of all Holocaust victims resided in the territory that now comprises Ukraine, yet the Holocaust in that region has received insufficient attention. This book explores the involvement of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) and its armed force, the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (Ukrainska povstanska armiia-UPA), in the systematic destruction of the Jewish population of Ukraine during German occupation from 1941 to 1944. The extent of OUN and UPA's culpability in the Holocaust has been a contentious issue in Ukraine, the Ukrainian diaspora, Jewish communities, and Israel. Occasionally, the controversy has reached the press in North America, the European Union, and Israel. By utilizing a diverse range of sources, including Jewish survivors, Soviet investigations, German documentation, documents produced by OUN itself, and memoirs of OUN activists, it has been possible to establish the following key findings:

OUN militias played a pivotal role in the anti-Jewish violence that erupted in summer 1941.
OUN actively recruited individuals for its armed forces and infiltrated police formations, which provided the German mobile killing units with indispensable manpower.
In 1943, thousands of these policemen deserted from German service and joined the OUN-led nationalist insurgency, during which the UPA perpetrated acts of genocide against Jews who had managed to survive the major liquidations of 1942.

It is crucial to acknowledge and confront the historical truth of the Holocaust in Ukraine, as it represents a severe violation of human rights and dignity. The involvement of OUN and UPA in the genocide of the Jewish population is a matter of profound shame and responsibility. It is essential to promote education, awareness, and remembrance of the Holocaust in Ukraine and to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated. The legacy of the Holocaust should serve as a reminder of the importance of promoting tolerance, respect, and compassion for all individuals, regardless of their race, religion, or ethnicity.

Weight: 656g
Dimension: 150 x 212 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783838215488