Exhibition “Shoah by Bullets: Mass shootings of Jews in Ukraine 1941–1944” officially opened in Dnipropetrovsk on September 28

The Victor Pinchuk Foundation, in partnership with the Memorial de la Shoah, Yahad – In Unum, Jewish Community of Dnipropetrovsk, Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, and the Embassies of Israel, France, Germany and the United States in Ukraine, presented exhibition “Shoah by Bullets: the Mass Shootings of Jews in Ukraine 1941-1944.”

The exhibition is on display in the hall of the diorama Battle for the Dnieper River at the Yavornytskyi National Museum of History (Dnipropetrovsk, 16 Karl Marx Ave.) from September 29 through October 17, 2012. Official opening of the show took place on September 28 2012 at 12:00.

The event was attended by the Deputy Head of the Board of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation Valeriy Vakariuk; Chief Rabbi of Dnipropetrovsk and Dnipropetrovsk region Shmuel Kaminetsky; Deputy Chairman of Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration Maria Pustova; Second Secretary of the Embassy of Israel in Ukraine Nelly Shulman; Ph.D., assistant professor at the history department of Dnipropetrovsk State University Olga Khakhovkina; leading historians, experts, and many others.

Valeriy Vakariuk, Deputy Head of the Board of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation: “The main objective of this project is not only to commemorate the tragic events of Holocaust during the Second World War and to pay tribute to its victims, but also to draw the attention of young people to such issues as anti-Semitism, xenophobia and hatred, and help them understand what causes it and the consequences it may have. After all, even just remembering the tragic lessons of the past, the new generation will have a chance to prevent future discrimination in the society, and contribute to the fostering of tolerance, cooperation and democratic coexistence.”

Maria Pustova, Deputy Chairman of Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration: "National history is an integral part of the national ideology and shared culture of the society. Without knowing the past, it is impossible to understand the present, to build the future and to foster a conscientious citizen, a true patriot of the Ukrainian state. With these commemorative events, we reveal history that forms a responsible individual."

The exhibition had been previously displayed in Paris, New York and other cities. In autumn 2011, under the auspices of the Victor Pinchuk Foundation, the project was presented in Ukraine (in Kyiv and Kharkiv) for the first time as part of the official national program commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Babi Yar tragedy.

This project provides evidence of the mass murder of Jews and other victims by Nazi soldiers in Ukraine, and seeks to promote tolerance and prevent discrimination by increasing public awareness and understanding, particularly among younger generations.

The exhibition was created by the Memorial de la Shoah, updated and adapted with the help of leading Ukrainian experts. The “Shoah by Bullets” is based on the work of French Catholic priest, Father Patrick Desbois, and his association, Yahad – In Unum, which conducts archival and field research and videotapes interviews with witnesses to the mass shootings in Ukraine. The show features information on historic facts, video interviews, war time documents, photos of the identified locations of mass graves, weapons and other items, bearing testimony to the atrocities.

An educational program created by the USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education, USA and the Ukrainian Centre for Holocaust Studies will be carried out during the exhibition to involve, inform and engage Ukrainian pupils and students in a dialogue on the subject.

Exhibition in Dnipropetrovsk will be on display from September 29 through October 17, 2012, in the hall of the Battle for the Dnieper River diorama at the Yavornytskyi National Museum of History (16 Karl Marx Ave.).

Opening hours: Tuesday through Sunday, from 10:00 to 16:30
Addmission is free. Advance booking of guided tours: +380 56 246 34 26

Organizers:

Victor Pinchuk Foundation
Memorial de la Shoah
Yahad – In Unum

Partners:

Jewish Community of Dnipropetrovsk
Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration
Embassy of Israel in Ukraine
Embassy of Germany in Ukraine
Embassy of the United States of America in Ukraine
Embassy of France in Ukraine
Ukrainian Centre for Holocaust Studies
USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education
Center of Studies of History and Culture of Eastern-European Jews

Media Partner

“Istorychna Pravda”

Official website of the exhibition: istpravda.com.ua/themes/holocaust-history

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