Holodomor Famine (1932–1934)

In 1932–34, the Ukraine, then a part of the Soviet Union, experienced widespread famine as a result of political policies. Under the Stalinist regime, 7 to 10 million people died of starvation, with an estimated one-third of them children. This incident is referred to as the Holodomor, or Holodomor Famine. The word holodomor is based on the Ukrainian words holod, meaning hunger or starvation; and moryty, meaning to kill or induce suffering. The Holodomor is also known as the Great Famine or the Terror Famine.

The Ukraine had been known as the breadbasket of Europe for its rich grain production. Production in the impacted years was not significantly different than in other years, and the Soviet Union continued to export grain during this period. Under Stalin, exorbitant grain quotas were exacted on the peasant farmers, leaving them little or nothing to eat. These policies were directed at Soviet Ukraine and the Kuban region of the northern Caucasus, which was populated largely by Ukrainians, and were enforced by armed soldiers. Implementation of these measures has been attributed to efforts to undermine the peasantry and quash any attempt at national independence, as well as a means of enforcing collectivization on previously independent farmers. Under collectivization, farmers were issued quotas and directed in their farming methods by the government. Soviet authorities denied existence of the famine at the time, and persisted in doing so until the 1980s.

The Holodomor is not officially recognized as genocide by United Nations (UN), though the UN does recognize the tragedy and its impact on the Ukrainian people. Ukrainian citizens continue to push for formal acknowledgement of genocide in that the Ukrainian people were directly targeted. Regardless, the Holodomor persists as an example of political decisions causing widespread, preventable disaster that impacted millions of lives.