The Babyn Yar

The Babyn Yar has been known in Kyiv since remote past as a natural ravine between two local areas Dorogozhitska and Syrets. But the name itself has come in notice ones at the beginning of this century and was closely connected with the lady-landowner, the master of a nearby estate. Ukrainian word "Baba" stands for the English "Old lady", "Yar" for a "Ravine". In September of 1941, right after Kyiv was occupied by the Nazis, the Babyn Yar became the place of massive execution of thousands of the Soviet people. The occupants chose it for the very convenient location. It was outskirts of the city, far from the centre, on slight vision of the residence, and well connected by the direct highway with the city.

The first victims of the Babyn Yar were communists and activists, killed here. On the first day of occupation, and in a week, the Nazis announced that all the Jews of Kyiv were to be gathered with valuable property as if to be deported from Kyiv. On the 29^th of September people, mostly women, the old men and children, started along the street towards the railway junction. This street was lined up with soldiers who hurried people up to the Babyn Yar. In order to stifle shooting loudspeakers were broadcasting music. People began to understand what was going on there but could not escape. In the Babyn Yar people were undressed, then placed on the edge of the ravine and killed. Kids were thrown to the pits alive. Many of the people were thrown there been only wounded.

The ravine was three kilometers long and forty meters deep. Corpses were thrown in it and covered with earth. For a few following days the ravine was stirring and roaring was heard. During two days 29^th and 30^th of September 34 thousand people were executed there.

In a meanwhile the Nazis made a concentration camp right on the top of the ravine and it was in operation up to the liberation in November 1943. Thousands of people were kept in slavery conditions. They starved. In August of 1943 when common liberation of Kyiv was real the Nazis decided to hide up the evidence of cruelty. They picked up the strongest men in the camp and forged them tight in groups of five by chains. These people were making a huge stove 10 meter long and 10 meter wide, then they put out a layer of firewood and next the corpses of the prisoners of the concentration camp.

The height of the stove reached 3m. After big fire was fixed remained ashes were carefully checked for gold and precious things and mixed up with earth. Those people who were forced to make such stoves could not escape the execution themselves, and to preserve the truth of such tragedy they decided to organize a massive escape from the camp. But finally only 16 of them managed to come out alive. After the war the number of fell victims of the concentration camp and the Babyn Yar tragedy was estimated over 200 000.

Besides this there were two more concentration camps put in operation during the Second World War in Kyiv. The one in Darnitsa district - on the bank of the Dniepro river - was for the military staff only. 65 000 people were executed there during the war. The third camp was organized in Syrets district for civilian population. Close to 40 000 people were put to death there.

2. Comprehensive questions:

1. Who was the name “Babyn Yar” closely connected with?

2. Why did the occupants choose this place for the massive execution?

3. Who were the first victims of the Babyn Yar?

4. What happened on 29 September 1941?

5. How many people were killed during 29 and 30 Sptember?

6. How did the Nazis hide up the evidence of their cruelty?

 3. Explain the meanings and give the context of the following words from the text above. Find the appropriate synonyms for the words:

ravine, landowner, to stand for, execution, outskirts, to stifle, to stir, to roar, cruelty, to forge, corpse, precious.

 4. Match the words in the left column to the definition in the right one:

1. evidence	a. a deep narrow valley with steep sides
2. occupy	b. to get away from a dangerous or bad situation
3. starve	c. facts or signs that show clearly that something exists or is true
4. escape	d. to enter a place in a large group and keep control of it, especially by military force
5. ravine	e. to suffer or die because you do not have enough to eat