CREES/Bentley Historical Library Lecture - Archives of Holodomor: New Findings, Documentary Publications, and Prospects of Studies

Known internationally by its Ukrainian name Holodomor, the Ukrainian famine-genocide of 1932-1933 was the disastrous result of Soviet totalitarian policies. For more than half a century, any open discussion of the famine in the USSR was considered a violation of both ideology and public policy. Uncovering the truth about the famine played a key role during the process of Ukrainian national awakening that occurred in the late 1980's. However, the official ban on publication of the Communist Party archives on Holodomor was lifted only after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Dr. Boriak will analyze controversies surrounding the famine archives, and new attempts to suppress publication of archival materials and dissemination of truth about the famine. He will address new prospects for archival publication and academic research on the subject of Holodomor.