Jewish Resistance during the Holocaust in Ukraine: the historiographical aspect

Abstract

The article is devoted to a review of the scientific study of the problem of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust in Ukraine. Ukrainian and foreign historiography on this issue is analyzed. Special attention is paid to the Soviet historiography of the topic. It is noted that the problem of Jewish resistance is considered by scholars not only in the context of the Holocaust history but also as an integral part of the general resistance movement against Nazism and the occupation regime during the Second World War. It was found that the emergence of a particular Jewish Resistance was influenced by both the historical separation of the Jewish communities from the neighboring ethnic groups and the one that provided for the strict isolation of the Jews from the other population. The main stages of the study of the topic are highlighted. Socio-political factors that influenced the study of the history of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust are traced. It is stated that active development of the Holocaust in Ukraine is connected with the proclamation of independence. The center of Holocaust study abroad has become the national Yad Vashem Memorial in Israel. It has been established that in the study of Jewish resistance to Nazi policy, extermination is dominated by small scientific forms (articles, conferences). The main problems that have become the focus of modern researchers are the forms and methods of resistance and the identification of regional features. The historiographic achievements of modern historiography include the establishment of two components of resistance. «Confrontation» involved the taking of active actions for the purpose of self-preservation, which included evasion of orders, sabotage, escape - armed resistance. The accumulated and put into circulation over the last three decades considerable archival material, the formation of a database of oral testimonies create the prerequisites for a monographic understanding of the problem of Jewish resistance in Ukraine, the underground activities of Jews in the ghetto and camps. The issues of spiritual, individual resistance of the Jews to Holocaust policies, strategies of ethnic assistance, and forms of solidarity in resisting Nazi policies remain among the poorly understood.

Keywords

• holocaust
• jews
• resistance
• historiography,
• history of ukraine