Dem'ianiv Laz (Ukrainian: Дем'янів Лаз, Polish: Demianów Łaz)[1] is a mass burial site of victims of the Soviet extrajudicial killings committed following the Soviet invasion of Poland near Stanisławów (modern Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine). At least 524 captives (including 150 women with dozens of children) were shot by the NKVD and buried in several mass graves dug by the prisoners themselves in a small gorge outside of the city.[2]
The mass murder site was located in the vicinity of a small village called Pasieczna in Soviet-occupied Poland, in a gorge called Demianów Łaz at the outskirts of Stanisławów (Ivano-Frankivsk since 1962). Some of the earlier victims were killed in the infamous NKVD prison in Stanisławów; others were brought to the site ahead of time in order to dig mass graves prior to their own execution.[2]
Among those executed, a majority were of Ukrainian origin and locals of the area and the horrors of these mass executions are still present in the minds of the Nation today. The mass graves of the Germans and the Soviets were in close proximity to each other in Dem'ianiv Laz. The excavators were able to identify who was responsible for each mass grave by the weapons used on the people and the markings they left behind on the remnants. The excavation of the bodies showed that the people were not only executed, but tortured before death. Both parties targeted a similar group of people: the educated (and their families), the rebellious, Jewish, homosexuals, and the disabled. The site is marked by a church where mass regularly takes place. Below the Church is a museum where visitors are able to learn more about the history of the site and the people affected.
Cover up
During World War II the grave site was first discovered by the German forces. After the war, in the 1960s the Soviet authorities tried to bulldoze the area in order to cover all traces of the crime.[2] In 1970, following the Radio Liberty broadcast about Dem'ianiv Laz, the site's landscape was changed by heavy machinery to hinder any future attempts to excavate it. The cover-up continued almost until the end of the Soviet Union, as in 1984 and 1985 the site was further covered with rubble and debris of several demolished buildings.[3]
Despite these efforts, in 1989 remains of more than 500 men, women and children were uncovered during excavation performed by a local branch of the Memorial society. Only 22 victims were identified by name and all were Polish citizens of either Polish or Ukrainian ethnicity.[4] The memorial complex "Dem'ianiv Laz" was opened near the excavation site in 1998.
After the invasion in 1941, the German authorities under SS-HauptsturmführerHans Krueger perpetrated another Aktion against Polish intelligentsia called the Czarny Las Massacre. It was committed near the village of Pawełcze (Pawelce) several km away.[5][6]
^Robert Nodzewski, "Demianów Łaz" IV Rozbiór Polski, 1939. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
^ abc. A chronicle of the communist inquisition. Memorial Society. Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
^. News.ru (in Ukrainian). 2009-10-11. Archived from the original on 2011-10-05. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
^. memorial.kiev.ua (in Ukrainian). Memorial. 2000. Archived from the original on 2012-04-14. Retrieved 2011-10-19.
^PWL. . Województwo Stanisławowskie. Historia. PWL-Społeczna organizacja kresowa. Archived from the original on 27 November 2014. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
^Tadeusz Kamiński, (The Black Forest Secret, Internet Archive). Publisher: Cracovia Leopolis, Kraków, 2000. Book excerpts.
References
Мемориальный комплекс «Демьянов Лаз» : г. Ивано-Франковск, урочище Демьянов Лаз УКРАИНА : Памятники и памятные знаки жертвам политических репрессий на территории бывшего СССР :: База данных :: Программа Память о бесправии :: Сахаровский центр. (Russian)
Мемориальный комплекс «Демьянов Лаз» 2020-07-06 at the Wayback Machine (Russian)
(Ukrainian)
Demianiv Laz Cemetery of Ivano-Frankivsk at Find a Grave
ianiv, ukrainian, Дем, янів, Лаз, polish, demianów, Łaz, mass, burial, site, victims, soviet, extrajudicial, killings, committed, following, soviet, invasion, poland, near, stanisławów, modern, ivano, frankivsk, ukraine, least, captives, including, women, with. Dem ianiv Laz Ukrainian Dem yaniv Laz Polish Demianow Laz 1 is a mass burial site of victims of the Soviet extrajudicial killings committed following the Soviet invasion of Poland near Stanislawow modern Ivano Frankivsk Ukraine At least 524 captives including 150 women with dozens of children were shot by the NKVD and buried in several mass graves dug by the prisoners themselves in a small gorge outside of the city 2 Massacre at Dem ianiv LazThe memorial complex Dem ianiv Laz LocationPasieczna Now Pasichna Soviet occupied Poland modern Ivano FrankivskDate1939 1941Attack typeMass shootingDeathsAt least 524PerpetratorsNKVD Contents 1 Killings 2 Cover up 3 See also 4 Notes 5 ReferencesKillings EditThe mass murder site was located in the vicinity of a small village called Pasieczna in Soviet occupied Poland in a gorge called Demianow Laz at the outskirts of Stanislawow Ivano Frankivsk since 1962 Some of the earlier victims were killed in the infamous NKVD prison in Stanislawow others were brought to the site ahead of time in order to dig mass graves prior to their own execution 2 Among those executed a majority were of Ukrainian origin and locals of the area and the horrors of these mass executions are still present in the minds of the Nation today The mass graves of the Germans and the Soviets were in close proximity to each other in Dem ianiv Laz The excavators were able to identify who was responsible for each mass grave by the weapons used on the people and the markings they left behind on the remnants The excavation of the bodies showed that the people were not only executed but tortured before death Both parties targeted a similar group of people the educated and their families the rebellious Jewish homosexuals and the disabled The site is marked by a church where mass regularly takes place Below the Church is a museum where visitors are able to learn more about the history of the site and the people affected Cover up EditDuring World War II the grave site was first discovered by the German forces After the war in the 1960s the Soviet authorities tried to bulldoze the area in order to cover all traces of the crime 2 In 1970 following the Radio Liberty broadcast about Dem ianiv Laz the site s landscape was changed by heavy machinery to hinder any future attempts to excavate it The cover up continued almost until the end of the Soviet Union as in 1984 and 1985 the site was further covered with rubble and debris of several demolished buildings 3 Despite these efforts in 1989 remains of more than 500 men women and children were uncovered during excavation performed by a local branch of the Memorial society Only 22 victims were identified by name and all were Polish citizens of either Polish or Ukrainian ethnicity 4 The memorial complex Dem ianiv Laz was opened near the excavation site in 1998 After the invasion in 1941 the German authorities under SS Hauptsturmfuhrer Hans Krueger perpetrated another Aktion against Polish intelligentsia called the Czarny Las Massacre It was committed near the village of Pawelcze Pawelce several km away 5 6 See also EditBykivnia Graves NKVD murder site near Kyiv NKVD prisoner massacres during World War IINotes Edit Robert Nodzewski Demianow Laz IV Rozbior Polski 1939 Retrieved 1 December 2014 a b c Dem yaniv Laz A chronicle of the communist inquisition Memorial Society Archived from the original on 27 September 2011 Retrieved 19 October 2011 Yushenko zaklikav pam yatati pro kativ i znishuvati sataninski simvoli News ru in Ukrainian 2009 10 11 Archived from the original on 2011 10 05 Retrieved 2011 10 19 DEM YaNIV LAZ MEMORIAL ZhERTVAM STALINSKIH REPRESIJ memorial kiev ua in Ukrainian Memorial 2000 Archived from the original on 2012 04 14 Retrieved 2011 10 19 PWL Mord w Czarnym Lesie Murder in the Black Forest Wojewodztwo Stanislawowskie Historia PWL Spoleczna organizacja kresowa Archived from the original on 27 November 2014 Retrieved 9 December 2014 Tadeusz Kaminski Tajemnica Czarnego Lasu The Black Forest Secret Internet Archive Publisher Cracovia Leopolis Krakow 2000 Book excerpts References EditDem ianiv Laz Age and number of victims found in separate burial places Memorialnyj kompleks Demyanov Laz g Ivano Frankovsk urochishe Demyanov Laz UKRAINA Pamyatniki i pamyatnye znaki zhertvam politicheskih repressij na territorii byvshego SSSR Baza dannyh Programma Pamyat o bespravii Saharovskij centr Russian Memorialnyj kompleks Demyanov Laz Archived 2020 07 06 at the Wayback Machine Russian Novini NEWSru ua Yushenko zaklikav pam yatati pro kativ i znishuvati sataninski simvoli Ukrainian Demianiv Laz Cemetery of Ivano Frankivsk at Find a GraveCoordinates 48 56 35 N 24 40 07 E 48 9431 N 24 6685 E 48 9431 24 6685 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dem 27ianiv Laz amp oldid 1143611461, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
