Reminiscent of the WW2 in Kiev, Ukraine

Ukraine was one of the hardest damaged countries by the Second World War. The years before the war under the Soviet army, were very difficult for the country's population. So when in 1941 the German army invaded Ukraine many people received them as liberators. When they saw German brutality became opponents and fought with the Red Army. The total losses inflicted upon the Ukrainian population during the war are estimated between five and eight million.

At the battle of Kiev , the city was acclaimed as a " Hero City ", because of the resistance offered by both the Red Army and the local population.

Today the city of Kiev offers some memorials and museums that commemorate the years of occupation.

MOVING IN KIEV

Kiev is quite large so some distances are too long to go walking. There are buses and trolley buses that connect all parts of the city. A faster and more convenient option is to take the subway. I leave a plane with the lines:

MUSEUM OF THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR IN KIEV

Location here .

Metro station: Arsenalna

Bus 24, 38 Trolleybus
Website: http://www.warmuseum.kiev.ua/

Opening hours: permanent exhibition (10:00 to 17:00), military vehicles and weapons (09:00.18:00)

Permanent exhibit admission: 10 UAH (0.93 euros)

Afghanistan exposure admission: 5 UAH (0.47 euros)

Exposure of military vehicles admission: 3 UAH (0.28 euros)

Mi.24B helicopter, and Li-2 aircraft and MiG-23 exposure admission: 5 UAH (0.47 euros)

Going up to the monument of the Motherland: 50 UAH (4.7 euros) to the platform of 36.6 meters and 200 UAH (18.65 euros) to 91 meters.

Open every day except Monday

 
The Soviets called the Great Patriotic War to the war against Nazi Germany. The complex was built in 1981 and it's one of the largest museums in Ukraine. It's located under the 62-meter statue of the Motherland. The area of ​​the museum is divided into several parts. All of them form the Memorial Complex.

• The Memorial Complex: occupies the area of 10 hectares and it includes the museum with the memorial of the Motherland , the main square with the Hero Cities alley , sculptures called "Crossing the Dnipro and Arms Transfer, Heroes of the Front and Rear" with bronze reliefs, the cup" Fire of Glory ", exhibition of combat vehicles and weapons, as well as an  independent building with an exhibition of war relics. We can also find a Li-2 aircraft , a  Mi-24В helicopter, and a МіG-23 fighter jet.

 Excerpt from "Heroes of the Front and Rear."

 "Crossing the Dnipro".

 View of the complex.

Exhibition of military vehicles.

• The museum in the pedestal of the statue. the exposure is inside. It offers a tour of the history of Kiev from 1941 to 1945. Here you can see the plans of each floor.

 Each room corresponds to a phase of the occupation.

• Monument to the Motherland: The whole structure forming the statue with the base measures 102 meters high and weighs 560 tons. It contains a shield with the emblem of the Soviet Union. Visitors can climb to a viewpoint located at 91 meters.

BABI YAR MEMORIAL

Location: here.
Metro station: Dorogozhychi

 

It is estimated that between 100,000 and 150,000 people were executed in the ravine of Babi Yar during the Nazi occupation. The massacre of September 29th 1941 is the best known and was the first of them all. It happened in retaliation for guerrilla attacks against German troops. On September 28th the German army placed in the streets of Kiev this ad:

All jews of the city of Kiev and its vicinity must appear on Monday, September 29, by 08:00 a.m. at the corner of Mel'nikova and Doktorivska streets (near cemetery). Must take with them documents, money and valuables, also warm clothing, linen etc. Those of jews who won't follow this order and will be found in other place, will be shot. Those of civilians who enter the dwellings left by jews and plunder stuff, will be shot.

30,000 people complied the order thinking they were to be deported. Instead, they walked to the Babi Yar ravine where they were executed.

  

Today it is a memorial park that shows several memorials.

 Monument to victims.

 Memorial to the Murdered Jews.

 Monument to the children who perished in the slaughter.

WEREWOLF BUNKER

A fairly visited place by lovers of the Second World War is the Werewolf. It was one of a number of Führer Headquarters throughout Europe, and the most easterly ever used by Hitler in person. It was used betwen 1942 and 1943. It is located 8 km north of Vinnitsa and can be visited in a day from Kiev but. You can get Vinnitsa (sometimes spelled as Vinnica) by train from Kiev Pass. For schedules and routes click here . The trip takes about 4 hours.