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By Kara Ouellet , Special to the Register
New Haven Register.com, New Haven, CT, Dec 18, 2003
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NEW HAVEN, CT.....Call it the holocaust few knew about.
Until Ukraine separated from the Soviet Union in 1991 and its secret
archives were opened, the genocide that occurred there in 1932-33 was
concealed.
Now, that the magnitude of a man-made famine that killed between seven
and 10 million people has been uncovered, Greater New Haven's
Ukrainian-American community is doing its part to shed light on this dark
patch in world history.
The Ukrainian National Women's League, Branch 108, New Haven, in
collaboration with the Connecticut Ukrainian-American Historical Society,
a branch of the Ethnic Heritage Center, is sponsoring an exhibit at the
center.
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Stalin Comes to Power and Liquidation Comes to Ukraine: Two panels of the Ukrainian Holodomor Exhibition when it was first exhibited at the United Nations in NYC in November, 2003 (Click on images to enlarge them)
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The display of 26 panels of text and photographs commemorates the 70th
anniversary of the man-made Great Famine of Ukraine of 1932-33, also
known as "Holodomor," said Christine Melnyk, president of Branch 108.
The exhibit was originally organized at The Ukrainian Museum in New York
City, where Melnyk and several League members saw it and wanted to bring
it to New Haven, said Melnyk.
The National Board of the Ukrainian National Women's League wanted
people to commemorate the tragedy in every city that has a branch, and
setting up the exhibit in New Haven was a good way to do that, she said.
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The famine was brought on by Stalin's communist regime, which sought to
punish farmers supporting the independence of Ukraine from the Soviet
Union.
"They didn't want to be collective farmers," said Melnyk. "So they were
forced out of their homes and sent to labor camps in the north where they
were starved."
According to an article written by Rutgers University professor Tara
Hunczak, Stalin imposed unattainable grain production quotas and the
farmers starved while Stalin and his government exported millions of tons of
grain.
Ukraine's borders were closed to outsiders to prevent any foreign relief
services or migration.
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Some Historical Information Leading to the Famine and Holodomor: Two panels from the exhibition when it was on display first at the United Nations in New York in November of 2003
Note: The two lower photographs on the left panel were taken in
Russia during the famine of 1921-1922 and are shown for illustration
purposes only as no photographs were allowed in Ukraine during the
genocidal famine of 1932-1933.
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The genocide was covered up until 1991 when records were finally opened.
Walter Duranty, a famous New York Times reporter, was implicated in the
cover-up and now many Ukrainian Americans are demanding the revocation
of his Pulitzer Prize.
Members of Branch 108 are hoping to raise public awareness about the famine.
They are concerned about the absence of the event from students' curriculums
and the lack of general public knowledge.
"This was a hidden famine that we need to bring to life," said Melnyk. "It's
important for educators to come in and try to incorporate it into their
curriculum."
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The Holodomor exhibit will be on display at the Ethnic Heritage Center at
270 Fitch St. until Sunday, said Melnyk.
The exhibit is free and open to the public, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today, 10
a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Any educators who are interested in bringing their students to the display
and anyone who is interested in more information should call the Heritage
Center at 392-6126, or Gloria Horbaty at 269-5909.
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A visitor viewing two panels from the genocidal famine (holodomor) exhibition, organized by The Ukrainian Museum in New York City when it first was
displayed at the United Nations in November, 2003
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Photographs by the
www.ArtUkraine.com Information Service (ARTUIS) FOR PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC USE ONLY
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