Book Publication “War and Occupation: Germany and Ukraine, 1939–1945”

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The book “War and Occupation: Germany and Ukraine, 1939–1945” is the result of long-term collaboration between Ukrainian and German historians within the framework of the German-Ukrainian Historical Commission (DUHK). It is primarily aimed at German readers, and its goal is to deepen understanding of Ukraine during World War II, the German occupation, and the experiences of Ukrainian society during that period.

Presentation of the book at the Babyn Yar National Historical and Memorial Reserve

On October 7, 2026, the Babyn Yar National Historical and Memorial Reserve held a presentation and public discussion of the book “War and Occupation: Germany and Ukraine, 1939–1945.”. The event took place as part of the program marking the 85th anniversary of the start of the mass shootings at Babyn Yar. Kai Struve, Oleksandr Lysenko, and Yuri (Amir) Radchenko were present in person. Gelinada Grinchenko,Professor Yuri Shapoval and Vladyslav Hrynevych joined online. In her opening remarks, Roza Tapanova, director of the Babyn Yar Memorial, emphasized the importance of collaboration between Ukrainian and German researchers and of professional discussion of the complex chapters of their shared history. Participants in the discussion noted that the occupation has become a distinct field of historical research. The book’s objective is not to cover all aspects of World War II, but rather to highlight important events and issues in the shared history of Ukraine and Germany through specialized studies by various authors. The book also includes studies that shed light on the number of people killed in Babyn Yar and other sites of terror between 1941 and 1943. The authors and editors of the publication are Kai Struve and Gelinada Grinchenko. The collection also includes studies by Vladyslav Hrynevych, Oleksandr Lysenko, Ljudmyla Chojnacka, Yuri Shapoval, Olha Marmilova, Matthias Kaltenbrunner, Yuriy (Amir) Radchenko, Oleksandr Kruglov, and Johannes Spohr.

A recording of the presentation and public discussion will be published next week on the Babyn Yar National Memorial Complex’s YouTube channel.