On the 85th Anniversary of the Tragedy: The Full Ukrainian Edition of Anatoly Kuznetsov's Novel 'Babyn Yar' to Be Presented in Kyiv

On the eve of the 85th anniversary of the beginning of the mass executions at Babyn Yar, a new Ukrainian edition of Anatoly Kuznetsov's documentary novel 'Babyn Yar' will be presented in Kyiv. The full version of the book, which the Soviet authorities once tried to suppress, has been published by the 'Fronesis' publishing house. This was announced by Boris Lozhkin, President of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine, who shared details of the project.

A Witness Who Was Twelve

Kuznetsov's novel is dedicated to the events of September 29, 1941, and the two years of Nazi occupation of Kyiv. The author himself, who was 12 years old at the start of the occupation, lived not far from Babyn Yar and became a direct witness to those events, which later formed the basis of the book. It is precisely the personal experience of a child who grew up in the shadow of this tragedy that gives the text its documentary accuracy and emotional depth.

A Memory That Was Tried to Be Erased

According to Boris Lozhkin, the book tells not only about the crimes of the Nazi occupation but also about 'how the memory of the crimes at Babyn Yar was first tried to be erased by the perpetrators themselves, and then by the Soviet authorities.' In order to publish the full version of the novel without Soviet censorship, Kuznetsov had to leave for the United Kingdom, where the text first saw the light of day in its unaltered form. One of the fragments quoted by Lozhkin conveys the atmosphere of that time: 'Grandfather stood in the middle of the yard, straining his ears to some shooting. — You know, — he said in surprise, — they are not taking them to Palestine. They are shooting them.'

Ukrainian Translation and Illustrations

The Ukrainian translation of 'Babyn Yar' was done by Oleg Protsenko, and the new edition was illustrated by the Ukrainian artist Matvey Weissberg. The book was published with the support of the Jewish Confederation of Ukraine and the National Historical and Memorial Reserve 'Babyn Yar'. The edition was also supported by Yaroslav and Stanislav Gryshyn, as well as the families of Yuri Budnyk, Oleksandr Ignatenko, and Oleksandr Khudoley. 'Babyn Yar' became the tenth anniversary book in the 'Jewish Library' series.

Presentation Details

The presentation of the new edition will take place on September 30, 2026, at 18:00 at the Readeat bookshop in Kyiv, located at 50 Antonovycha Street. Advance registration is required to attend the event. The choice of date is symbolic: it falls on the eve of the 85th anniversary of the beginning of the mass executions, which gives the presentation the character of a commemorative event combining the literary and memorial significance of the text.