Evening in memory of femine 1932-1933.

In respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms

Seventy-five years have passed since famine (“holodomor” in Ukrainian language) raged through Ukraine eradicating the lives of millions of children, women and men.
Holodomor– one of the most heinous crimes in the history of mankind, was the result of a deliberate political strategy masterminded by Stalin and his totalitarian communist regime. The Holodomor is one of the least known tragedies of the 20th century.

At the height of the famine were dying at a rate of 25,000 per day. The Soviet Union dumped 1.7 million tons of grain on Western markets during the Famine in 1932-1933.Nearly a fifth of a ton of grain was exported for each person who died of starvation. Over 3,000,000 children born between 1932-1933 died of starvation.

The Ukrainian World Congress is launching the first International Holodomor Awareness Week on November 16-23. The goal is to unite annually Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians alike in remembering the victims and raising awareness of this tragedy.

Throughout the year Ukrainians successfully engaged politicians, researchers, journalists and citizens in a discussion of this often forgotten tragedy. The International Remembrance Flame successfully toured 34 countries ending its journey in Ukraine beginning November 1. The Hoodomor was recognized as an act of genocide by 17 countries. European Parliament adopted a resolution of 23 October 2008 on the commemoration of the Holodomor. In Ukraine, the Security Service (SBU) opened its archives and published a list of perpetrators of this crime. The historians research Polish, Italian and German archives оn the topic of awareness of European diplomats in 30ies with questioning why the famine was silenced in Europe and if it wouldn’t t be so, could it prevent next coming holocaust ?

Even so that there are a lot of discussions around the topic the famine in 1932-1933, we just feel a moral obligation to ensure that the personal stories of our survivors are documented and preserved for those who not aware about the Holodomor. Let us remember together.

Ukrainian Sunday School “Materynka, Berlin invite to evening in memory of Femine Horror in Ukraine in 1932-1933 under the motto «Ukraine remembers – the World Acknowledges».

The film Famine-33, the first Ukrainians production film of this topic, will be shown. The film depicts one family’s destruction as caused by the 1932-33 famine. Technically, this film does not come close to matching the quality of films that we are used to seeing in the west. It was created on a very small budget. The film is subtitled in English.

The special part of the evening is an exhibition of the pictures made by Ukrainian children from Poltava’s region (one of the regions where Famine-33 left its deeprst trace) on the subject of Holodomor. Pictures will be presented by Valentyna Shemchuk from Ukraine who brought them to Berlin.

Many Ukrainians who live in Berlin have their personal stories to tell about the famine intervention in their families. They would share with them in informal discussion round during evening.

It will be a moment of silence and light a candle of remembrance of Holodomor.

We should remember.
It should not repeat!

The place of event is Ukrainian Sunday School “Materynka” in Familienzentrum Mehringdamm (Berlin 10965, Mehringdamm 114, 2^nd floor, Room 402)

Time: on Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 16.00 .

Contact: Olga Samborska samborska@gmx.de or 01775495465

Ukrainian version of the text you can find on the blog of Ukrainian community in Berlin.