Individuals who rescued Jews from the Nazis during World War II, despite putting themselves and their families at risk, are known as the Righteous Among the Nations. Out of those acknowledged globally, 2,707 individuals from Ukraine have received this distinction—the fourth highest count internationally. Each year, they are commemorated on May 14th. Below is an explanation of how these righteous people are remembered in Ukraine.
Intervention amid mortal danger
On May 14, a traditional interfaith prayer was held at the Babyn Yar National Historical and Memorial Preserve to honor the Righteous Among the Nations. Ukraine has been observing this day for the fifth consecutive year.
“When Ukrainians once welcomed Jews into their homes, they weren’t considered heroes at first, yet they eventually earned that title. They came to be known as the Righteous for this reason. The date May 14 was specifically selected. Seventy-seven years prior, on this very day, the State of Israel was established. This nation owes part of its existence to the Righteous since they rescued countless Jewish people across the globe,” stated Roza Tapanova, who serves as the General Director of the Babyn Yar National Historical and Memorial Preserve.
The international documentation and research center on the genocide of Jews, Yad Vashem, has recognized that 2,707 Ukrainians selflessly helped Jews during the Nazi occupation. Their names are inscribed on the Wall of Honor in the Garden of the Righteous at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem.
Roza Tapanova (screenshot)
“Our event focuses on understanding who Ukrainians were during World War II. We aim to reclaim our history and challenge Russian narratives. For many years, we experienced what can be called a ‘Holocaust of memory.’ Sites connected to the Jewish tragedy were often covered up or ignored. The bravery of these individuals needs to be accurately represented—they were regular folks making remarkable decisions daily,” explained Tapanova.
In addition to the 2,707 Ukrainians recognized by Israel as rescuers of Jews, there are about 4,500 more Righteous of Ukraine and Righteous of Babyn Yar.
“In the Soviet Union, discussing the rescue of Jews was prohibited, and details about the victims were censored. We now have the responsibility to share these narratives through the experiences of actual individuals,” Tapanova emphasized.
On May 14, an interfaith prayer took place at Babyn Yar to pay tribute to the Righteous Among the Nations (screenshot).
A dozen lives were saved in secrecy.
One of the Righteous Among the Nations was Nina Hudkova — a physician who rescued 12 Jewish boys in Kyiv.
“My mother served as a doctor at a kindergarten that was converted into an orphanage during the war since numerous children had become parentless. To protect them, she altered records for some Jewish kids to hide their backgrounds. Over two years, she sheltered 12 boys in a basement because SS officers frequently visited the facility,” recounted Nina Hudkova’s son, Yurii Zaichenko.
One of the rescued boys was Caesar Katz. During the Nazi occupation of Kyiv, his mother died, and his grandmother and older brother fled the city. In September 1941, 3-year-old Caesar was being taken to Babyn Yar for execution. A maid managed to hide him in nearby courtyards.
Thismaid discovered the orphanage where mymotherwas employed.She bestowedtheboythenameVasya, adoptingherownsurname,Fomin,andabandonedhimatthatorphanage.AfterKyivoliberation,theMykhailovskyfamilytookhimin.Theyhadintendedtoadoptagirl,butCaesarrusheduptothemwailing”Mom,Dad,”andtheirheartswere touched.Fromthentheme,CaesarkatztransformedintoVasylMykhailovsky,Zaichenkoremarked.
Yurii Zaichenko (screenshot)
Years later, Katz-Mykhailovskyy told his story in the newspaper “Khreshchatyk.” Afterward, parents of other adopted children also spoke about Nina Hudkova’s actions. In 1994, she was awarded the title of Righteous of Babyn Yar, and a year later, Yad Vashem officially named her among the Righteous Among the Nations based on these testimonies.
“My mother never spoke about those tragic stories of World War II. She believed saving children was a duty of any sensible person. Now I’m in contact with Yad Vashem and dream of visiting Israel to see the Wall of Honor, where the name of my mother, Nina Hudkova, is engraved among the Righteous,” Yurii added.
Voices of those who survived
Among the participants at the memorial event for the Righteous Among the Nations were Jews who survived the Holocaust. They are the last witnesses to the crimes of the Nazis.
“I’m one of those who survived the Sharhorod ghetto (in Vinnytsia region —ed.). Our family was saved by the family of Filip and Kylyna Sambirski — they are Righteous Among the Nations. Today, most of those who saved us are no longer alive, but those they rescued remain,” said Borys Zabarko, head of the Association of Former Juvenile Prisoners of Ghettos and Concentration Camps.
Today, around 220,000 Holocaust survivors remain worldwide, including 6,200 in Ukraine.
Borys Zabarko (screenshot)
“I came into this world on the eighth day of the conflict. My dad was Jewish, and my mom had Russian origins. All members of my father’s family—including my grandma, grandpa, and aunt—were killed at Babyn Yar. My younger sister, who was six at the time, and I narrowly escaped thanks to our German grandmother. She kept us hidden in some sheds located in Podil, where we stayed for many years,” shared Inna Yakivna.
In the midst of the conflict, her mother became a partisan, managed to survive, and passed away in 1985. Her sister subsequently relocated to Israel and died merely a month before turning ninety years old.
“In my lovely family, I have two children, four grandchildren, and even two great-grandchildren,” stated Inna Yakivna.
Inna Yakivna (screenshot)
The event was organized by the Babyn Yar National Historical and Memorial Preserve along with the All-Ukrainian Charitable Foundation “For Your Sake.”
