Memory Wars - Ukraine in WWII

Ukrainian Institute
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Memory Wars' about the Second World War in Ukraine

During the Second World War, Ukraine experienced multiple overlapping narratives shaped by diverse national and social groups under changing regimes. This lecture explores how these competing memories have clashed since the collapse of the Soviet Union in what scholars call the "memory wars."

We examine:
– The Soviet “Great Patriotic War” myth and its geopolitical uses by Russia
– Jewish Holocaust memory and the culture of remembrance
– Western Ukrainian narratives centered on the UPA and OUN struggle
– Polish perspectives on victimhood during Nazi and Soviet occupations
– Crimean Tatar memory focused on deportation and repression
– The post-Soviet efforts to integrate these narratives into an inclusive Ukrainian memory
– How Russia’s ongoing invasion intensifies the contest over WWII memory and monuments in Ukraine

📚 This lecture is part of the course Ukraine: The (Un)finished Second World War — exploring Ukraine in WWII, global conflict, historical narratives, and modern “memory wars” over the “Ukrainian question.” The full course with additional teaching materials and tests is available here:
https://www.udemy.com/course/ukraine-the-unfinished-second-world-war/?srsltid=AfmBOoqrwFcB17zFLVFpLttL_IT942c4rpfa5Anar_RlF9a6XQG2vzjx

🔔 Subscribe to follow the full series and gain deeper insight into Ukraine’s past and present.

#Ukraine #WWII #MemoryWars #GreatPatrioticWar #UPA #Holocaust #CrimeanTatars #HistoricalMemory #RussianInvasion

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About the Author

Ukrainian Institute
The Ukrainian Institute is a public institution affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Our mission is to make education accessible and inspiring.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Institute, U. (2025, August 22). Memory Wars - Ukraine in WWII. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/video/3344/memory-wars---ukraine-in-wwii/

Chicago Style

Institute, Ukrainian. "Memory Wars - Ukraine in WWII." World History Encyclopedia, August 22, 2025. https://www.worldhistory.org/video/3344/memory-wars---ukraine-in-wwii/.

MLA Style

Institute, Ukrainian. "Memory Wars - Ukraine in WWII." World History Encyclopedia, 22 Aug 2025, https://www.worldhistory.org/video/3344/memory-wars---ukraine-in-wwii/.

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