Ivan Petrenko presented ‘Darkness over Kyiv’ to readers at the National Historical Library

On 27 May, at the National Historical Library of Ukraine, Ivan Petrenko, Head of the Department for the Study of Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes at the Holodomor Museum and a PhD in History, presented his book ‘Darkness over Kyiv: The City on the Eve of and During the Holodomor’ to the public.

The author shared with the audience how and why the idea for this publication came about, and discussed its structure and content. Readers then joined the author on a virtual journey around the streets of Kyiv in the 1930s, peering into its courtyards, houses, workers’ canteens and railway stations, and travelling on the ever-crowded trams, which were effectively the only form of public transport. The city at that time faced many infrastructural, municipal and social problems, the main ones being hunger and food shortages, which affected the vast majority of the residents. Kyiv was truly engulfed in a state of survival and hopelessness, a situation created by the Soviet authorities.

Our thanks to the National Historical Library of Ukraine for organising the event! A recording of the event is available on the library’s YouTube channel.

Dear friends, just a reminder that you can purchase this book, as well as other museum publications, from 28–31 May at the Book Arsenal (look for the ‘Publications of Ukrainian Museums’ stand). And also at our museum ticket office!