Materials / Articles

Zhanna Kovba. Humanity in the abyss of hell. Behavior of the local population of Eastern Galicia during the years of the "final solution of the Jewish question"

Based on archival sources, memoirs, oral testimonies of native Galicians recorded by the author. Includes witnesses of Ukrainians, Poles, Jews on the events, social, economic and living conditions of three peoples during the interwar period and during the Second World War.

It focuses on the behavior of the local population during the so-called "final solution of the Jewish question".

Contains the names of Galicians: Poles and Ukrainians who were exterminated by the Nazis for helping Jews. It also includes data on Galicians Righteous Among the Nations. Recommended for historians, sociologists, Ukrainian scholars, those who are interested in history, modernity, and the prospects of interethnic relations.

The Righteous Among the Nations: Reference book

Edited by I. Shchupak. - Dnipro: Ukrainian Institute for Holocaust Studies "Tkuma", 2016. - 224 p.

The reference book provides systematized information about the Ukrainian "Righteous Among the Nations", summarizing information about the social portrait of the Ukrainian Righteous (nationality, religion, social background, profession), as well as about the future fate of both rescuers and rescued.

The book is based on official data from the Yad Vashem, World Holocaust Remembrance Center. The reference book will be useful for historians, postgraduate students, students, teachers and anyone interested in the history of Ukraine during the World War II and the Holocaust.

Righteous among the Nations and Other Rescuers during the Holocaust: Ukraine’s Example in the Comparative Context

The collection of academic papers. – Dnipropetrovsk: “Tkuma” Institute, 2015. – 200 p.

The collection contains academic articles about the history of the Holocaust in Ukraine. The articles are dedicated to such problems as rescue of the Jews by the locals during the period of Nazi occupation of Ukraine in 1941–44.

Recommended for researchers, postgraduate students, students, teachers and those who are interested in the Holocaust and WWII studies.

"Those who restore faith in human": Righteous Among the Nations of Dnipropetrovsk region

Edited by I. Shchupak. Dnipro: “Tkuma” Institute; "Lira LTD". 2019. 108 p.

Popular science edition dedicated to the Righteous Among the Nations who were residents and natives of Dnipropetrovsk region. Contains biographical essays about the Righteous Among the Nations and history of rescue of Jews in the region.

The book is based on unique archival documents, oral testimonies and data from the Yad Vashem, World Holocaust Remembrance Center.

The publication is addressed to general readers.

Presentations from the International academic online conference dedicated to the 155th anniversary of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptysky’s birth

Compiled by Yuriy Skira, edited by Hanna Dydyk-Meush. – Lviv: Koleso, 2021. – 220 p.

The collection includes presentations delivered by the participants of the International academic online conference (September 26–30, 2020) to commemorate the 155th anniversary of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky’s birth. It raises issues related to various aspects of the activity of the onetime Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.

«I was ready to sacrifice even my life for you…» writings of the Righteous Among the Nations, hieromonk Danyil Tymchyna

Compiled by Yuriy Skira, edited by Hanna Dydyk-Meush. – Lviv: Svichado, 2020.

The writings of the Righteous Among the Nations, hieromonk Danyil (Dmytro Tymchyna, 1900 – 1972) are being published for the first time. The documents presented in this book are stored in the Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine in Lviv (fond 358, opys 1, file 81), in the archives of the Univ Holy Dormition Lavra of the Studite Rule (fond 15, file 15, vol. I), in archives of the Postulation Center of Monasteries of the Studite Rule (collection of old prints), in the V. Stefanyk National Scientific Library of Ukraine in Lviv. These documents reflect the worldview and interior perceptions of a man who, during the Holocaust, saved Jewish children at the risk of his own life and the lives of his fellow monks.

Skira Y. The activity of hieromonk Herman (Budzinsky) in the salvage of Jews during the Holocaust in the village of Univ and city of Lviv

The Caucasus – 2017. – 16. – P. 38 – 42

The article is based on the materials from the Archive of the Institute of History of the Church of Ukrainian Catolic University, Archive of Univ Holy Dormition Lavra and other sources. This article is dedicated to the activity of hieromonk Herman (Budzinsky) in the salvage of Jews during the Holocaust in the village of Univ and city of Lviv.

Skira Y. Sheltering of Faina Lacher by Monks and Nuns of the Studite Rite during the Holocaust

Scientific notes of Vinnytsia Mykhailo Kotsubynskyi State Pedagogical University. The collection of academic papers. Edited by prof. Melnychuk O.A. - Vinnytsia: 2017.25. - P. 138-144

The article studies Faina Lacher rescue by monks and nuns of the Studite Rite during the Holocaust. The author emphasizes Faina Lacher’s key life moments, analyzes the role of environment and family relations, observes the stages of hiding, motives of those involved in this process and methods they used. The research particularly focuses on the issues of Faina Lacher’s worldview evolution which led to her entering the Holy Protection Monastery of the Studite Rite.

Skira Y. The stern family rescue by metropolitan archbishop Аndrey Sheptytsky in the light of memories of Lili Pohlmann

Bulletin оf Taras Shevchenko National University оf Kyiv. – 2017. – 2(133). – Р. 68 – 70

For the attention of scientific community, we propose the document "My meeting with the metropolitan archbishop Andrey Sheptytsky" being the memory of Mrs. Lili Pohlmann who was rescued during the Holocaust. It tells us a deadlock situation the Jewish family of Sterns was in, and how they did call for help to the head of the Greek Catholic Church metropolitan archbishop Andrey Sheptytsky. The document is witnesses the stance of the Greek Catholic clergy and monkhood on the Holocaust events. It represents the mechanisms and methods used by the immediate circle of Andrey Sheptytsky in order to carry out his commission of the Jews rescue from the hands of the Nazis.

Скіра Ю. Переховування євреїв монахами Студійського уставу на взуттєвій фабриці «Солід» у Львові в 1942 – 1944 рр.

Historical and Cultural Studies. - 2016. - 1(3). - P. 113 - 117

The article describes sheltering of the Jewish families in the cellars of the “Solid” shoe factory in Lviv by the Monks of Studite Rite during 1942-1944. The stories of the factory and its director Yoann (Peters) are represented in the article. In the second part, there is a description of the living conditions of workers in the ghetto of Lviv, the labor of the Jewish shoemakers and their escape after the invitation from the Monks of Studite Rite.

Skira Y. Start of the campaign for the rescue of the Jews by the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky in August 1942

Еvropský filozofický a historický diskurz. – 2017. – 3(3). – P. 14 – 18

Start of the campaign for the rescue of Jews by the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky in August 1942 is studied in the article. The author begins with an analysis of the August campaign in 1942 as a massive Holocaust of Lviv’s Jewish community. He focuses on the fact that a foreboding of imminent catastrophe felt by some Jews led them, in despair, to address the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. A visit of Rabbis Dawid Kahane and Kalman Chameides started the campaign for the rescue of Jewish children from Lviv Ghetto. Active rescue efforts regarding adult Jews were made during the August operation. Events that took place in August 1942 became the turning point for Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky and Lviv Jews and their relationship, since they started the process of rescuing people deprived of the right to live by the Nazis.

Skira Y. Empathy of Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky toward the victims of Holocaust in the reminiscences of witnesses

Actual problems of Ukrainian and world history. The collection of academic papers of Rivne State University of the Humanities. - Rivne: 2016.27. - P. 50 - 54

Empathy of the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, was studied in the article based on the reminiscences of witnesses to those events and people who spoke to him on this matter and gave their testimony. For the author, it was very important to show the Metropolitan first and foremost as a person having a fairly compassionate perception of the world. To reach the goal, the author analyzed the Church leader's key life moments and substantiated that the Metropolitan had been familiar with persecutions and sufferings. He had been a victim and subjected to persecutions, but his outmost desire was to fulfil his vocation to the priesthood, and to implement and enforce the Christian commandment of love for one's neighbour. That is what laid the basis for his inner anxiety and empathy with the Jewish tragedy, compassion for the Jewish people and brought him to save their lives.