National Museum “The Memorial in Commemoration of Famines’ Victims in Ukraine” presents the exhibition “Famine of 1946-1947: Documents and Facts”.
The goal of the exhibition is showing the mechanisms and consequences of the post-war famine, proving that the famine of 1946-1947 in the Ukrainian SSR was man-made, caused by the policy of the regime which started “fighting for harvest” in spite of contrary weather and the post-war situation. “Fighting for harvest” meant forced grain requisitioning, collective farms members’ exploitation, inadequate taxes imposition (for plants, fruit trees, cattle etc.) as well as creating various taxation systems (e.g., compulsory loans system, compulsory insurance system etc.). All of these innovations led to mass starvation in 1946-1947.
This post-war famine could be avoided if the Soviet government granted the government of the Ukrainian SSR the right of reducing grain requisitioning plan. In general, inadequate requisitioning plans seem to be rather a political repression as the government was profiting from literally robbing the peasants. Grain export was increasing immensely. Export money was used for strengthening military forces, industry as well as strengthening the reputation of the Soviets among the countries of the “socialist commonwealth”.
According to different researchers’ calculations, the total number of victims is between several hundred thousands and two million people.
The exhibition consists of ten information posters, several documents in show-cases and a video installation revealing the causes, mechanisms and consequences of the famine of 1946-1947 as well as the chronicles of the post-war famine.
The exposition includes archival documents, excerpts of documentary videotapes and press materials.
The impression of the exhibition is strengthened by the collection of children paintings handled over to the “Memorial in Commemoration of Famines’ Victims in Ukraine” by the International Charitable Fund “Ukraine 3000”.