MAY THE MEMORY OF THE TORTURED BE BLESSED!

Abstract

The relevance of the topic. Holocaust became another tragic page not only of Hebrew people but of all Europe. The genocide against the Jews during World War II remains in the folk memory. However, in order to prevent the similar tragedy and make future generations remember such grisly crime memorial complexes, obelisks, monuments, commemorative plaques are installed in many human settlements of Europe. The purpose of this publication is to reveal architectural and memorial objects dedicated to Holocaust that are located in Kharkiv region. In order to achieve this goal, the author uses the next scientific reason: to demonstrate the way of Holocaust commemoration in Kharkov region and to show the attitude of ordinary Kharkiv citizens and representatives of the city public organizations to such action. The main aim is disclosed through the using of heuristic technique in such research methods as: historical-genetic, systematic, socio-cultural and informational. The tragedy of Jewish people during World War II became public in 1942. Nevertheless, the study of this topic started in Ukraine only during perestroika. Kharkiv regional committee “Drobytsky Yar” was organized in 1988. It was aimed at the information-gathering about Holocaust in Kharkiv region. This in turn led to the decision of Holocaust memorialization through the means of memorial and architectural buildings. To such cultural heritage objects in Kharkiv we can refer two mass graves in the cemetery on Academic Pavlov Street, memorial complexes “Drobytsky Yar” and “The wall of grief”, a commemorative plaque on the house No. 3 on Chichibabin Street. There are also cultural heritage objects dedicated to Holocaust in Kharkov region. They are mass graves in the village of Natalyne, Krasnohrad Raion; mass graves in the city of Bohodukhiv; a memorial sign in the urban-type settlement Zolochiv. Another important aspect of Holocaust commemoration is the installation of three commemorative plaques in memory of Righteous Among the Nations persons in Kharkiv region. Thus, it can be stated that Holocaust commemoration in Kharkiv region took place during perestroika and later this process continued in the years of Ukraine independence. A key role in this direction played Kharkiv regional committee “Drobytsky Yar” and the staff of Kharkiv Holocaust Museum. Both these organizations are the initiators of monuments creation and commemorative plaques installation. They also provide educational work in the local educational institutions.