Prien's Babyn Yar speech Köppel challenges memory

Oct 6

Köppel reports that education minister Prien commemorated Babyn Yar's victims on its 85th anniversary and advocated remembrance restoring victims' names, dignity, history and identity. He recalls nearly 34,000 Jews killed by German occupiers in two days in September 1941 and subsequent murders until 1943. His extended response alleges Ukrainian nationalist collaboration and continuing honors for Melnyk and Bandera, invoking Stalinist famine as context. He attributes large Jewish and Polish death totals to collaborators and says they probably also participated in the commemorated massacre. He acknowledges the historical ambivalence, including Bandera's later opposition to the Nazis, rejects calling all present-day Ukrainians Nazis and says he speaks as a journalist/reader rather than a Ukraine expert. He criticizes Germany's alignment with Ukraine and what he calls media silence. The sweeping collaboration, honor and discrimination claims remain his allegations, without new direct historical testimony.

TSN reports Kyiv's official 85th-anniversary Babyn Yar commemoration with hundreds of public, religious, cultural and diplomatic figures. It describes 'The Right to Memory' audiovisual installation, candles at the Menorah monument, remembrance addresses and rabbinical prayer. Security concerns postponed the ceremony from September 29 until October 6. Germany's minister Karin Prien attends the same ceremony. In his October 7 commentary Köppel criticizes her remarks about massacres' moral imperative and Ukraine's struggle, discusses German responsibility and alleged historical nationalist collaboration, and rejects labeling all present Ukrainians Nazis. His political criticism does not erase TSN's ceremony reporting. The broadcast calls her 'Katrin'; the official identity is Karin Prien.