Babyn Yar in the history of Ukraine: how to overcome the Soviet legacy of indifference
At the end of September 2024, when Ukraine commemorated the 83rd anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy, the Suspilne Kultura channel, as part of the project With Our Own Essentially, hosted a discussion about the horrific events of the Nazi occupation of the Ukrainian capital (1941-1943), the total murder of Kyiv Jews by the German occupiers, and other victims of Nazi crimes in Babyn Yar.
The discussion was attended by Anatolii Podolskyi, PhD , Head of the UCHS, and Roza Tapanova, Director of the National Historical and Memorial Reserve Babyn Yar. The programme was hosted by a well-known Ukrainian journalist Lisa Tsarehradska. In general, the discussion revolved around complex questions about the memory and understanding of one of the greatest tragedies in the history of Ukraine - the mass shootings at Babyn Yar. Is this a Jewish tragedy alone, or is it a common pain for the entire nation? What is the role of the state in commemorating this tragedy? How to overcome the Soviet legacy of indifference and create a strategy of national memory.
Announcements
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Bulletin «Lessons of the Holocaust», № 2 (86), 2026
Dear colleagues! The fresh issue of information-pedagogical bulletin of UCHS «Lessons of the Holocaust», № 2 (86), Aprile-June, 2026 has been published.
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New Publication of the Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies
Ukrainian Society and Holocaust Memory: Challenges in Times of War. Papers of the 19th Round Table for the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Kyiv, January 27, 2026 / compiled by A. Podolskyi. Kyiv: Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies, 2026. 96 pp.
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History of the Genocides in Ukraine: Learning from Experience and Challenges of Modernity Seminars in Odesa and Kyiv
In early July, the Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies held two two‑day academic and methodological seminars for teachers in Odesa and Kyiv under the title History of the Genocides in Ukraine: Learning from Experience and Challenges of Modernity.
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Learning from the Past - Acting for the Future. Training on Holocaust History and Human Rights. Seminar in Lithuania
The Olga Lengyel Institute (TOLI), together with the International Commission in Lithuania and the Jewish Community of Lithuania, held a five‑day seminar in Vilnius: “Learning from the Past – Acting for the Future.” The program brought together educators from across Lithuania, Ukraine, and Poland to deepen their understanding of the Holocaust, antisemitism, human rights, and effective teaching practices.
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One Stone - One Life: 80 Stumbling Stones for Kyiv. Cleaning the Stumbling Stones
On June 11, 2026, passersby noticed two Stumbling Stones shining brighter, with fresh yellow flowers nearby. A group of four students, researchers, and activists had cleaned them.
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