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Meet Babi Yar survivor, Melbourne resident, Yelena Gorodetsky

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Published: 14 September 2017

Last updated: 4 March 2024

Over two days in September 1941, more than 33,000 Jews were executed by Nazi soldiers in the capital of Ukraine. Yelena Gorodetsky, 82, was one of the lucky ones — she was not executed, and is now one of only a handful of living Babi Yar survivors.

Babi Yar: Survivor of massacre that killed 33,000 Jews lives in Melbourne (ABC News)
When the massacre began on September 29, 1941, Ms Gorodetsky was just six years old.
She was out walking with her mother and two older sisters. None of them realised their lives were in danger. By chance, they encountered a close family friend, who told them about the mass shootings that were taking place, and warned them to head home (Sep 12)

Photo: Yelena Gorodetsky, now living in Melbourne, is a survivor of the Babi Yar massacre in 1941 (ABC RN: Fiona Pepper)

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TJI Pick

TJI Pick

TJI Picks are curated articles selected by The Jewish Independent Editorial team.

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