This project involves creation of Holocaust museums in public schools and colleges in Ukraine. We pick an educational institution that is located within a short walking distance from a place where the Jews were killed. Our educational activities include excursions to the place of massacre, making a museum material real and not theoretical.
For students from other cities and nearby villages we organize bus trips to the museums and memorials where they have educational and commemoration events.
A few words about our research and artifacts used in the museums: we focus on the local Shoah events and use rare, archival materials from major museums like United States Holocaust Museum and Israel’s Yad Vashem Museum as well as from other sources. All information is being analyzed and verified. High school students work as guides in our school museums.
Segue into History
Ever since Jews first settled in Myrhorod in 15th century, the city’s Jewish population was gradually increasing and by the end of 19th century reached about 20% of total city’s population. Jews began to play a significant role in the life of the city: a large number of merchants and owners of industrial enterprises were Jews.
On October 27, 1941, all the Jews of the city of Myrgorod were ordered to gather on the market square. Next day, the first 200 Jews were shot. Jewish mass executions continued throughout 1942.
Project Description
Before WWII, Myrhorod, a Ukrainan city in Poltava region, was a well-know as a resort town with a large Jewish population. The Holocaust took the lives of a large number of Mirgorod Jews, and with the help of the local Jewish community, we were able to recover some victims’ names. The history of the Holocaust in the Poltava region and in particular in the city of Myrgorod is reflected in our school museum, the museum itself is located in school# 5.
Acknowledgements
– Michail Rutgayzer, the Head of the local Jewish Community of Myrhorodwas the key contributors in Lubny project.
