“The same could be with us,
If we had been born that time”
Imanuil Gleyser

On November 1, 2005 United Nations Organization General Assembly adopted a resolution deciding to commemorate Holocaust victims. It was no coincidence about chosen date; on January, 27 1945 the Soviet Army set free one of the biggest camps of death “Auschwitz – Byrkenau” (Poland). In totality there were killed 6 million of Jews and millions of the other nationalities in such camps of death.

Ukraine was the first of post-Soviet countries which supported the resolution of UNO General Assembly and included Holocaust problem that have educational value into school curriculum. This proved that Ukrainian vision of history stepped aside from the Soviet cliché about “similar fate” of Soviet people.

According to the official sources of information, before the war there were at about 50 000 inhabitants in Uman, but as a result of German fascist occupation more than 15 000 Jewish people were burnt in Sukhyi Yar. From eyewitness’ words in the ravine of Sukhyi Yar were buried at about 25 000 of people among them were not only Jews. Sukhyi Yar in Uman is a prototype of Babyn Yar in Kyiv.

A lot of testimonies and documents on that terrifying event have been collected. In the department of readers servicing of our university scientific library there is an exhibition of books “Holocaust: crime against humanity”. Information and educational photo exposition at the Museum of History in our university is dedicated to Commemoration Day of Holocaust Victims.

Holocaust as a big tragedy of European Jews, organized by German national and social regime and supported by collaborates is a significant problem of contemporary culture. Holocaust history is a part of Jewish, Ukrainian and European history of XX century. Unfortunately, the events of the Second World War are similar to the nowadays situation in Ukraine.

People should remember that Nazi camps began with hatred, prejudice and anti-Semitism. Remembering the sources of evil, we can resist hatred and international hostility. Now, when the Holocaust is the past, our generation should prolong memory and defend people’s dignity.