Maria Figlus | Ukrainian Oral History WWII to Present

Background | Ukrainian Oral History WWII to Present

“Ukraine” translates as “borderlands.” Ukraine’s borders are often challenged, as they currently are by Russia's February 2022 invasion. Once again, thousands of Ukrainian citizens have been forced to flee their homes at a moment's notice and become refugees, seek shelter, or take up arms as Russian missiles threaten their cities, homes, and lives.

The history of Ukraine during World War II is one that is rarely explored when learning about the war. Historians argue that Ukraine suffered more devastation and human casualties than any other nation during the war. This is due to the fact that Ukraine suffered the impact of a "scorched earth" policy retreat twice; once by Soviet Russia and again by Nazi Germany.

Before the Nazi invasion, Ukraine suffered under Soviet rule. Despite being one of the most fertile nations in the world for growing grain, a man-made famine created by the Soviet Union led to the deaths of nearly 7 million Ukrainian citizens. This famine is referred to as Holodomor and is now considered genocide by 16 different nations.

In addition, thousands of Ukrainian leaders, business owners, writers, artists, and academics were arrested by Soviet secret police. In many cases, these individuals were exiled to gulags, political prisons in Siberia, or were never seen again.

World War II massively displaced Ukrainians from their homes, leaving approximately 2 million Ukrainians stranded in Western Europe by the war's end. Though many were returned to Ukraine, often forcibly, approximately 200,000 ended up in Displaced Person (DP) camps, later immigrating to the Americas and elsewhere. Their challenges, in the DP camps and in establishing new "homes," help us better understand how immigrant experiences influence American society.

Each of the World War II survivors featured in the video clips were born and grew up in Ukraine. Each of them have suffered the loss of their possessions, their homes, friends, and family members during the war. They share their personal stories about what it was like to be in the middle of the fighting during World War II, and how they were able to start life again after the war.