Jewish in Kyiv: The Horrors of Babyn Yar Massacre
Babyn Yar holds a deep, personal pain for the Jewish community in Kyiv. In just two days in 1941, over 33,000 lives were taken, leaving behind memories of terror and loss. This article carries the memories of those who lived through this horror, preserving their voices so that their pain and courage will never be forgotten.
Jewish in Kyiv: The Horrors of Babyn Yar Massacre
On September 28, 1941, as Nazi forces occupied Kyiv, announcements appeared across the city in Ukrainian, Russian, and German, ordering all Jews from the city and its surroundings to gather by 8 a.m. the next day at Dehtiarivska and Melnykova streets, near a cemetery. They were instructed to bring their documents, money, clothing, and other belongings, with a warning that non-compliance would result in execution.
At that time, mostly the sick, elderly, women, and children from the poor Jewish community remained in the city, as young, healthy men had been mobilized to fight, and those who could evacuate had already left. On September 29, columns of Jews were driven toward the Lukyanivska railway station. Many believed they were being taken to another country, possibly to Palestine, as rumors spread that they would be relocated. Little did they know that they were walking toward one of the most horrific massacres in Jewish history.
Hope and Despair in Kyiv
As the Jews walked toward their destination, trucks carrying Germans drove past, with soldiers sitting on them, playing accordions and laughing. This unsettling image created confusion among those in the crowd. Some people felt reassured, thinking that such joy meant they weren’t being led to their deaths. “Surely, they couldn’t laugh like that if people were being killed,” they thought.
People clung to any shred of hope. “Faster! You’re going to miss the train!” someone shouted in the crowd, as if this forced march was simply part of an orderly relocation. Some tried to joke in the face of this terror: “What kind of cars will they be – sleeper or cushioned?” These desperate attempts to maintain a sense of normalcy reflect the human need to deny impending doom. However, as they drew closer, the terrible reality set in, stripping away any illusions they might have held.
An authoritative voice in the crowd declared, “Don’t you know? The Jews will be shot in Babyn Yar!” It scared the little Valentyn Terno, who was only 10 years old and was observing these process with his friends.
The Massacre of Jewish at Babyn Yar
Babyn Yar, a ravine on the outskirts of Kyiv, became the site of one of the largest mass shootings in history. This massacre is one of the darkest chapters in the Jewish history of Eastern Europe. On September 29 and 30, 1941, over 33,000 Jews were systematically shot and buried in mass graves by the Nazis. The Jews were ordered to strip naked and surrender their belongings before being lined up at the edge of the ravine and shot, falling into the ravine in layers of bodies.
The executions didn’t stop there. Over the following two years, Babyn Yar became a killing ground for not only Jews but also Roma people, Soviet POWs, Ukrainian nationalists, and others deemed “undesirable” by the Nazi regime. The total death toll at Babyn Yar is estimated to exceed 100,000, making it one of the largest single massacres of the Holocaust.
Eyewitness Accounts from Babyn Yar
Valentyn Terno, who was just 10 years old at the time, witnessed these events. He later recalled: “An endless stream of frightened people, sobbing and wailing, not yet fully grasping their fate. Many women were hysterical, the elderly tore at their clothes and hair, scratching their faces until they bled. They dragged their household belongings by hand, carried them in baby carriages, and even on bicycles.”
Other eyewitnesses described how, around 1 p.m. on September 29, the sound of machine gun fire broke out, lasting about 10 minutes. Survivors reported hearing a prolonged groan emanating from the ravine as thousands of people were killed. It was said that over 30,000 civilians were executed on the first day alone, and the shooting continued late into the night.
One woman, Henia Batasheva, who miraculously survived, described the scene: “I saw very young people turning gray right in front of my eyes. Some laughed hysterically, others twitched in panic, while many appeared frozen, as if everything happening around them didn’t concern them. Like living statues, they stood in line before the passages, completely naked, ready to take their last few steps.”
Dina Pronicheva: Survived by Pretending to be Dead
Another survivor, Dina Pronicheva, shared her harrowing experience: “We were led to the edge of the ravine and began to be shot with automatic guns… As the gunfire approached me, I threw myself alive into the ravine. It felt like I was falling into some kind of eternity. I landed on the bodies, in a bloodied mass.”
Dina survived by pretending to be dead, lying still among the bodies until she found an opportunity to escape. These firsthand testimonies are crucial for understanding the full horror of the events that transpired, providing a direct connection to this dark chapter of Jewish history and Kyiv history.
The Impact on Jewish Life in Kyiv
For centuries, Kyiv had been home to a vibrant Jewish community. By the time of World War II, the city was a center of Jewish culture, education, and religious life. Jewish residents contributed significantly to the social, cultural, and economic development of Kyiv. This rich history is an essential aspect of any Kyiv guide that seeks to explore the city’s diverse past.
However, the Nazi occupation sought to erase this heritage entirely. The systematic destruction of Jewish life in Kyiv did not end with the massacre at Babyn Yar. The Nazis uprooted all traces of Jewish culture, including changing the names of traditional Jewish dishes in restaurants to neutral ones. “Gefilte fish” turned into stuffed fish, ‘tzoln’ became beef and lamb brisket, and the Sabbath bread “challah” was renamed a “braided loaf,” as recalled by Vasyl Terno. This attempt to erase Jewish identity from the everyday life of Kyiv is a stark reminder of the Holocaust’s broader goal of not just exterminating a people but erasing their culture and history.
Babyn Yar in Contemporary Memory
Today, Babyn Yar is a site of remembrance and reflection, an integral part of any comprehensive Kyiv guide exploring the city’s history. It serves as a reminder of the atrocities committed and the resilience of those who survived. The Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center, established to honor the victims and educate future generations, plays a crucial role in preserving this memory. Visiting Babyn Yar offers an opportunity to confront the horrors of the past and reflect on the impact these events had on Kyiv’s identity, as well as on the Jewish history of the city.
The Importance of Remembering Babyn Yar
The massacre at Babyn Yar is not just a tragic chapter in Jewish Kyiv but also a significant part of the global narrative of human rights violations and genocide. For many years, the Soviet regime suppressed information about Babyn Yar, and it wasn’t until decades later that the full extent of the atrocities became widely known. Today, scholars, activists, and survivors’ descendants work to ensure that the memory of Babyn Yar is kept alive, making it an essential story in the broader history of Kyiv.
As we reflect on this history, it is essential to remember that Babyn Yar symbolizes the consequences of unchecked hatred and the dangers of authoritarianism. This site is more than a memorial; it is a reminder of the importance of tolerance, human rights, and the need to stand against prejudice in all its forms.
A Legacy of Horror
Over five days of executions, more than 100,000 people were killed, and only about 29 survived. Babyn Yar stands as a witness to unspeakable horror, a reminder of the cruelty and inhumanity that must never be forgotten. It remains a crucial site for understanding Kyiv history, offering valuable insights into the experiences of Jewish Kyiv during one of the darkest periods in human history.
For those exploring Kyiv or interested in Jewish history, visiting Babyn Yar provides an opportunity to pay respects to the victims and to learn about this tragic but important chapter in the city’s past. It stands as a testament to the resilience of Kyiv’s Jewish community and serves as a stark reminder that such atrocities should never happen again.