By Courtney Lefebvre Holodomor Counter-Memorial Erected on 24 October 1983, the Holodomor Memorial in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada was established by the local Ukrainian community to commemorate the millions of people who lost their lives due to Joseph Stalin’s grain collectivization programs in Ukraine (and other areas), and fear of Ukrainian nationality in 1932 and 1933. The monument was erected on the fiftieth anniversary of the tragic event, and has now been in place for over twenty five years. Its existence predates the recent controversies surrounding the interpretation of the famine. Today, most countries and nationalities acknowledge that the Holodomor famine happened under Stalin’s governance of the USSR. The controversy regards whether or not Holodomor was a deliberate act of genocide. In 2008, Canada recognized Holodomor to be an act of genocide, and thus the plaque on the memorial, which uses the term genocide, is “correct” from a Canadian political-legal perspective. The plaque, as it stands now, states the following: “In memory of the millions who perished in the genocidal famine inflicted upon Ukraine by the Soviet regime in Moskow 1932-33. Let us all stand guard against tyranny, violence and inhumanity.” The plaque states that the famine was genocide, but it fails to acknowledge the other nationalities that were affected by the Soviet regime, as well. Kazakhs, Russians, Germans, and Bulgarians were among those impacted by the famine, but no mention is made of them. The location of the famine is correct, in a sense, but somewhat limited. According to recent work by historians, Ukraine was very much targeted, but so were the Lower Volga and the North Caucasus regions. To deny that other ethnicities in other areas suffered is to deny that Holodomor happened to any group other than Ukrainians, and partially to deny that it even happened. If the plaque were to be rewritten to reflect a broader perspective, as well as the new research that has come forth about Holodomor, the Joint Declaration at the United Nations meeting for the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Great Famine in Ukraine of 1932-1933 could serve as a model: “Honoring the 70th anniversary of the Ukrainian tragedy, we also commemorate the memory of millions of Russians, Kazakhs, and representatives of other nationalities who died of starvation in the Volga river region, North Caucasus, Kazakhstan and in other parts of the former Soviet Union, as a result of Civil war and forced collectivization, leaving deep scars in the consciousness of future generations.” Using some of the information from the current plaque, along with some of the statements from the UN declaration, one might reword the plaque as follows: “Honouring the millions who perished in the Ukrainian tragedy (the Great Famine of 1932-1933), we also commemorate the memory of millions of Russians, Kazakhs, and representatives of other nationalities who died of starvation in the Volga river region, North Caucasus, Kazakhstan and in other parts of the former Soviet Union, as a result of Civil war and forced collectivization, leaving deep scars in the consciousness of future generations. Let us all stand guard against tyranny, violence, and inhumanity.” It is a bit wordier, but the information conveys that the famine did not only target Ukrainians. Ukrainians were primarily affected, but to ignore the impact on other nationalities is offensive to them. That Canada was the first country to erect a monument dedicated to millions of people is a great honour, but to deny memorialization to some nationalities is shameful. The design of the monument is beautiful – it evokes the suffering that those millions went through during the famine, and it should by no means be changed in any way. Regardless, awareness is rising about the extent of this tragic event, and as memorials continue to be erected, hopefully the new ones will pay homage to those forgotten.

By Courtney Lefebvre

Holodomor Counter-Memorial

Erected on 24 October 1983, the Holodomor Memorial in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada was established by the local Ukrainian community to commemorate the millions of people who lost their lives due to Joseph Stalin’s grain collectivization programs in Ukraine (and other areas), and fear of Ukrainian nationality in 1932 and 1933. The monument was erected on the fiftieth anniversary of the tragic event, and has now been in place for over twenty five years. Its existence predates the recent controversies surrounding the interpretation of the famine.

Today, most countries and nationalities acknowledge that the Holodomor famine happened under Stalin’s governance of the USSR. The controversy regards whether or not Holodomor was a deliberate act of genocide. In 2008, Canada recognized Holodomor to be an act of genocide, and thus the plaque on the memorial, which uses the term genocide, is “correct” from a Canadian political-legal perspective. The plaque, as it stands now, states the following:

“In memory of the millions who perished in the genocidal famine inflicted upon Ukraine by the Soviet regime in Moskow 1932-33. Let us all stand guard against tyranny, violence and inhumanity.”

The plaque states that the famine was genocide, but it fails to acknowledge the other nationalities that were affected by the Soviet regime, as well. Kazakhs, Russians, Germans, and Bulgarians were among those impacted by the famine, but no mention is made of them. The location of the famine is correct, in a sense, but somewhat limited. According to recent work by historians, Ukraine was very much targeted, but so were the Lower Volga and the North Caucasus regions. To deny that other ethnicities in other areas suffered is to deny that Holodomor happened to any group other than Ukrainians, and partially to deny that it even happened. If the plaque were to be rewritten to reflect a broader perspective, as well as the new research that has come forth about Holodomor, the Joint Declaration at the United Nations meeting for the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Great Famine in Ukraine of 1932-1933 could serve as a model:

“Honoring the 70th anniversary of the Ukrainian tragedy, we also commemorate the memory of millions of Russians, Kazakhs, and representatives of other nationalities who died of starvation in the Volga river region, North Caucasus, Kazakhstan and in other parts of the former Soviet Union, as a result of Civil war and forced collectivization, leaving deep scars in the consciousness of future generations.”

Using some of the information from the current plaque, along with some of the statements from the UN declaration, one might reword the plaque as follows:

“Honouring the millions who perished in the Ukrainian tragedy (the Great Famine of 1932-1933), we also commemorate the memory of millions of Russians, Kazakhs, and representatives of other nationalities who died of starvation in the Volga river region, North Caucasus, Kazakhstan and in other parts of the former Soviet Union, as a result of Civil war and forced collectivization, leaving deep scars in the consciousness of future generations. Let us all stand guard against tyranny, violence, and inhumanity.”

It is a bit wordier, but the information conveys that the famine did not only target Ukrainians. Ukrainians were primarily affected, but to ignore the impact on other nationalities is offensive to them. That Canada was the first country to erect a monument dedicated to millions of people is a great honour, but to deny memorialization to some nationalities is shameful. The design of the monument is beautiful – it evokes the suffering that those millions went through during the famine, and it should by no means be changed in any way. Regardless, awareness is rising about the extent of this tragic event, and as memorials continue to be erected, hopefully the new ones will pay homage to those forgotten.