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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAt the entrance to the memorial park in Kyiv, there is a sculpture
of an extremely thin girl with a very sad look holding a handful of wheat ears in her hands. Behind her back is the Candle of Remembrance, a monument with details reminiscent of authentic embroidery that can be found on traditional Ukrainian costumes. This is a monument that commemorates a historical event known as the Holodomor.
What is the Holodomor?
After the end of the First World War, Ukraine was an independent state, but in 1919 the Soviet Union "sucked" it into the community of Soviet states. The Ukrainians, who even then considered themselves a Central European people like the Poles and not an Eastern European like the Russians, tried to restore Ukraine's independence.
In 1932, not wanting to lose control of Europe's main granary, Stalin resorted to one of the most heinous forms of terror against one nation. In the process of nationalization, he took away the grain-producing land from the Ukrainian peasants, but also all its offerings, thus creating an artificial famine. The goal was to "teach Ukrainians to be smart" so that they would no longer oppose official Moscow. Thus the people who produced the most grain in Europe were left without a crumb of bread. The peak of the Holodomor was in the spring of 1933. In Ukraine at that time, 17 people died of hunger every minute, more than 1,000 every hour, and almost 24,500 every day! People were literally starving to death in the streets.
Stalin settled the Russian population in the emptied Ukrainian villages. During the next census, there was a large shortage of population. Therefore, the Soviet government annulled the census, destroyed the census documents, and the enumerators were shot or sent to the gulag, in order to completely hide the truth.
World War. Their poison gas was hunger. Their Hitler was Stalin. Their Holocaust was the Holodomor. For them, fascist Berlin was Soviet Moscow, and their concentration camp was the Soviet Union.
Today, 28 countries around the world present the Holodomor as genocide against Ukrainians, which you could not learn about in school, because almost all evidence was destroyed and victims were covered up for decades, survivors were forcibly silenced by not having the right to vote until recently.
The Holodomor at that time broke the Ukrainian resistance, but it made the desire for Ukraine's independence from Russia eternal.
~Unknown author.
lapfog_1
(29,199 posts)empty Ukraine of the people and resettle with loyal Russians.
You either leave as a refugee or stay and become a victim of a the coming chemical attacks.
Deuxcents
(16,200 posts)No wonder the spirit of Ukrainians are so deep.
Javaman
(62,528 posts)Told me about her grand parents surviving through that imposed famine. They resorted to eating grass. After making it through that, one night, the NKVD showed up and took her grandfather away never to be seen again.
She hated the Russians
I havent seen her for a number of years I know she still had family back there. I really hope she and her family are okay
Hugin
(33,140 posts)That word of a "food substitute" being used by the peasantry to reduce the pangs of starvation reached Stalin. So he dispatched an investigator to see if this was true and figure out a way to thwart it, because, anything which reduced the suffering would extend the time before the desired compliance with collectivism Stalin was seeking.
The investigator found that the victims were grinding up bark, wood, dirt, cloth, and other non-nutritive items and eating the resulting pulp to reduce the agony many of them were experiencing.
Stalin ordered the investigator to take measures to keep them from using these "food substitutes".
Charming fellow, Stalin.
No wonder his wife committed suicide. (Allegedly over the Stalin made famine in Ukraine or over his indiscretions. take your pick)
Donkees
(31,396 posts)...The Viburnum opulus red berries symbolize 'one's home and native land, blood, and family roots.' The Protectress Spirit in Kiev's Independence Square holds these same berry swags, and their symbolism is deeply rooted in ancient beliefs.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska have visited the Holodomor Memorial to Victims of the Ukrainian Famine-Genocide of 19321933 in Washington, the presidential press service has reported.
According to the report, the head of state and his wife put symbolic sheaves of wheat at the foot of the Memorial. After that, members of the official delegation of Ukraine honored the victims of the terrible tragedy of the Ukrainian people.
The Holodomor Memorial was unveiled in downtown Washington in November 2015.
ffr
(22,669 posts)To abandon his homeland is to betray his heritage.
brer cat
(24,562 posts)I have been learning a lot of history I didn't know before.
Lonestarblue
(9,986 posts)He may not have murdered as many people as Stalin, but he has caused many deaths without mercy as he consolidated his power and his wealth. Putin is evil incarnate, and Western leaders need to recognize that id they havent already. He is starving the people in Mariupol to death before our eyes, allowing no food or water to enter the city. Mariupol had a population of almost 432,000 before Putin attacked. Who knows how many escaped and how many are left, butnit could well be over 200,000. How can we stand by as humans and watch one man destroy a couple hundred thousand people!
Raine
(30,540 posts)mcar
(42,311 posts)A horrible thing.
Hekate
(90,674 posts)Never surrender. 🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻