Exhibition “The Shooting of Jews in Ukraine: Holocaust By Bullets” opened in New York

On 23rd November 2008, in the Museum of Jewish Heritage, New York, for the first time in the United States opens an exhibition dedicated to the Holocaust in Ukraine. The event is supported by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation. The exhibition titled «The Shooting of Jews in Ukraine: Holocaust By Bullets» is formed on the basis of the evidence, both physical and testimonial, gathered by Father Patrick Desbois, a Catholic priest, with the purpose to uncover the truth behind the deaths of 1.5 million Jews in Ukraine during World War II.

The exhibition presents the result of a four-year-long research of Father Desbois and his team from Yahad-In Unum. This includes photographs, weapons, bullets, clothes and testimonies of the witnesses. The gathered evidence reveals a chilling story of Jewish victims — men and women, children and elderly — most of them were shot by mobile killing units consisting of German SS, army, police, and local collaborators and only a minor proportion of Jews was executed in death camps. Victor Pinchuk, a Ukrainian businessman and founder of the charity Fund, said: «Everyone knows about the horrors committed at death camps like Auschwitz and Dachau, but until now, the atrocities that took place on the Eastern front and in Ukraine remain undocumented and largely unknown. Father Desbois’ groundbreaking work brings to light a new, almost forgotten chapter, from the Second World War. Father Desbois again reminds the world that we must forgive, but we must also never forget what took place.»

Father Patric Desbois: «Majority of Ukrainian young generation hardly knows anything about Holocaust. Often, when talking to the witnesses and all family gathered together, the young were astonished to hear the stories their grandmothers had to tell about the atrocities of those times. However, I must admit that the youngsters are willing to embrace this historic information. To prove it, we have numerous requests form teachers to help them with the Holocaust-related resources. War ends, when its last victim is buried. Therefore I think we must put an end to this war.»

Back to the list