Local residents gathered at the Narrowsburg Union on November 5 to remember the estimated seven to 10 million people who perished from the Soviet aggression against Ukraine 90 years ago in the Holodomor Famine-Genocide of 1932 to 1933.

The struggle for Ukraine’s identity, culture, language, religion and national borders has existed for nearly a century. It continues today in defiance of Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the full-scale war between the two nations that broke out in February of this year. 

The event remembering the Holodomor was organized by Sullivan County Legislator of District 2, Nadia Rajsz, who gave a presentation on the tragedy dubbed as “best kept secret of the 20th century.”

The information in the presentation was prepared by Maria Kiciuk, PhD. and Chair of the U.S. Holodomor Education Committee, Oksana Kulynych.

The term “Holodomor” roughly translates into English as “murder by starvation.”

“There is this drive [to promote the Holodomor] because of my father’s experience,” Rajsz said. 

Rajsz recalled memories of her father, who was born in 1929 and survived the Holodomor. Her father managed to escape to safety out of the nation with his family when he was just three years old.

Rajsz also talked of the importance of how the Holodomor relates to current events, and how understanding the past could better help our understanding of the present situation.

Alongside the presentation was a Holodomor exhibit on display, which featured a variety of maps, data, literature, and newspaper clippings that summarize the tragedy. The exhibit remains available to the public for viewing and education.

In her presentation, Rajsz spoke on how Soviet political leader Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) implemented policies throughout the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) that affected millions of people, spanning over three quarters of the nation of Ukraine, and decimating 25 percent of the population. 

These political decisions made by the Soviet nation brought forth a great man-made famine that swept through Ukraine and beyond. 

Millions of Ukrainian citizens were left tactically starved for food and other necessities. It is estimated around three million children died.

Farmers who harvested the plentiful wheat and other crops were left with next to nothing as the Soviet nation took the food as property of the State.

Stealing such property, even just a single ear of corn, could result in executions by firing squads or imprisonment in compliance with what is now known as the “five ears of corn law.”

At its height in June of 1933, it is estimated that 28,000 people died of starvation each day.

Despite the events taking place 90 years ago, the ripples of the horrors still are making waves through the nation of Ukraine, as well as the numerous other residents of Sullivan County who have personal ties to the famine-genocide of the Ukrainian people not long ago.

“We need to promote this event [the Holodomor], even if it’s just 15 minutes in class,” Rajsz said. “It happened, and this is why it happened…the schools must do a better job in promoting all of these tragedies, including the Holodomor.”

To learn more about the “best kept secret of the 20th century,” as well as what is currently happening in Ukraine, please visit the exhibit in the Narrowsburg Union, which showcases newspaper clippings, literature, signage, data, and further information on the not so far away history of the nation of Ukraine. 

Building hours and further information are also available online at the Narrowsburg Union website, www.narrowsburgunion.com.