Корюківська трагедія: як вижили живі?

Abstract

У статті здійснено спробу аналізу способів порятунку цивільного населення в м. Корюківка 1–2 березня 1943 р. під час наймасштабнішої нацистської каральної операції в історії Другої світової війни. Аналіз зроблений винятково на спогадах очевидців.

The town of Koryukivka of the Chernihiv region was under Nazi occupation from September 5, 1941 until September 19, 1943. During this time the population of the town from 13 thousand people decreased to 4 thousand people. The main losses of the civilian population (about 7 thousand people) were the result of a punitive operation March 1-2, 9, 1943 – the largest in the history of the Second World War. An active research on this topic has been conducted only during the last ten years. Soviet historical science has tried to avoid this problem, given the causal links with the guerrilla movement of Chernihiv. After all, for the guerrilla raid on February 27, 1943, the occupying power of Koryukivka punished all its inhabitants. The Belarusian village Khatyn, instead of the Ukrainian Koryukivka, became the symbol of all burnt villages in the former Soviet Union. After decades of half-forgottenness, researchers continue to determine the causes, scale and executors of punitive operation in Koryukivka. However, against this backdrop, the inhabitants of Koryukivka who managed to escape on March 1-2, 1943, remain less known. In this respect, an invaluable source for researchers are the memories of the eyewitnesses of this tragedy. The author of this study analyzed 141 testimonies, which are stored in the funds of the Koryukivka Historical Museum. Thus, according to preliminary estimates, on March 1-2, 1943, 500 inhabitants of Koryukivka were rescued. In this article an attempt is made to analyze the methods of their salvation. Among the main ones, one can distinguish a flight to the nearby forests, hiding in the swamps that were at that time in the city, shrubs, industrial facilities (sugar and sausage factories, sawmill), church, etc. Also, in the article there is a list of surrounding villages, which took the largest number of fugitives, as well as those villages that did not accept Koryukivka people. In addition, the author analyzed testimonies about the executors of punitive operations or those who cooperated with the occupation authorities, who nevertheless tried to preserve their humanity and rescued Koryukivka people. These people set free the fugitives through the chain, instead of shooting the victims shot at the ceiling, managed to warn someone and even take them out of the burning town.