About the Holodomor

The term Holodomor refers to the genocidal famine in Ukraine that occurred in 1932-1933 during which millions of men, women and children were starved to death by the communist regime of Joseph Stalin, Holodomor means “death inflicted by starvation.” The Soviet government used food as a weapon against the Ukrainian rural population. It also wiped out the cultural, religious, intellectual and political leadership of Ukraine. In committing this genocide, Soviet authorities sought to repress Ukrainian aspirations for autonomy and eradicate all opposition to collectivization and communist rule.

In the Soviet Union, the Holodomor was a taboo subject, denied and covered up. Soviet authorities also attacked those western journalists who strove to inform the public about the famine. Thus the Holodomor nearly disappeared from world awareness. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, archives in Russia and Ukraine, which for decades had been off limits to scholars, became accessible. This had led to a fuller understanding of the Holodomor and its historical significance, including its far-reaching consequences in current affairs.

This website offers educators and students information about the Holodomor, including background information, primary documents, articles, excerpts from literature, and eyewitness accounts. This site also features lesson plans and suggested assignments for students grades 6-12 as well as a comprehensive list of resources and specific curriculum applications for courses in provincial curricula.