Volodymyr Bahaziy
Encyclopedia
Volodymyr Panteleimonovych Bahasiy (Bagaziy, Bagasij, Bahasij), (1902, Ryabovka village, Ukraine — 21 February 1942, Kiev
, Babyn Yar) was a Ukrainian nationalist affiliated with the Andriy Melnyk's
faction of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
and head of Kiev
City Administration under German
occupation in October 1941 - January 1942.
He was a professional pedagogue, taught in a Jewish school, and later was a postgraduate student at Kiev Pedagogical Institute. In September 1941, when the Germans occupied Kiev
, Oleksandr Ohloblyn who knew him for years invited him at the meeting where representatives of OUN (Andriy Melnyk
's faction) formed the new Kiev city administration. Although Bahaziy was supported by a large group, the OUN representatives mistrusted him and agreed to appoint him a deputy to Ohloblyn who became the city mayor. Very soon, however, Bahaziy gained favor of both OUN people (for his active participation in the activities of the Ukrainian National Council) and the German military leaders. Claims that he was personally present during the execution of Jews in Babyn Yar were later proven to be untrue. In October 1941 Ohloblyn retired and Bahaziy was appointed the new Kiev mayor.
As mayor of Kiev, Bahaziy encountered the bitter opposition of Erich Koch
, the brutal Nazi administrator of Reichskommissariat Ukraine
. At a speech before journalists Bahaziy praised OUN leaders and proclaimed that "the eyes of all Ukrainians are turned toward Melnyk." A German officer begged the journalists not to disseminate this remark for fear of inflaming Nazi authorities. In January 1942 he was arrested and accused of various crimes, including: threatening the pro-Russian bishop of Kiev; theft of German property in order to aid the Ukrainian nationalist cause; being a leader of the OUN-M; attempting to secure the control of the Ukrainian police. He was very soon executed in Babyn Yar along with other Ukrainian nationalists, although his wife was left unaware of his death and kept bringing him packages to Kiev prison until summer 1942.
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Babyn Yar) was a Ukrainian nationalist affiliated with the Andriy Melnyk's
Andriy Melnyk
Andriy Melnyk , Ukrainian military and political leader.-Life:Born near Drohobych, Galicia into a peasant family. Between 1912 and 1914 he studied at the Higher School of Agriculture in Vienna...
faction of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists
The Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists is a Ukrainian political organization which as a movement originally was created in 1929 in Western Ukraine . The OUN accepted violence as an acceptable tool in the fight against foreign and domestic enemies particularly Poland and Russia...
and head of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
City Administration under German
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
occupation in October 1941 - January 1942.
He was a professional pedagogue, taught in a Jewish school, and later was a postgraduate student at Kiev Pedagogical Institute. In September 1941, when the Germans occupied Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Oleksandr Ohloblyn who knew him for years invited him at the meeting where representatives of OUN (Andriy Melnyk
Andriy Melnyk
Andriy Melnyk , Ukrainian military and political leader.-Life:Born near Drohobych, Galicia into a peasant family. Between 1912 and 1914 he studied at the Higher School of Agriculture in Vienna...
's faction) formed the new Kiev city administration. Although Bahaziy was supported by a large group, the OUN representatives mistrusted him and agreed to appoint him a deputy to Ohloblyn who became the city mayor. Very soon, however, Bahaziy gained favor of both OUN people (for his active participation in the activities of the Ukrainian National Council) and the German military leaders. Claims that he was personally present during the execution of Jews in Babyn Yar were later proven to be untrue. In October 1941 Ohloblyn retired and Bahaziy was appointed the new Kiev mayor.
As mayor of Kiev, Bahaziy encountered the bitter opposition of Erich Koch
Erich Koch
Erich Koch was a Gauleiter of the Nazi Party in East Prussia from 1928 until 1945. Between 1941 and 1945 he was the Chief of Civil Administration of Bezirk Bialystok. During this period, he was also the Reichskommissar in Reichskommissariat Ukraine from 1941 until 1943...
, the brutal Nazi administrator of Reichskommissariat Ukraine
Reichskommissariat Ukraine
Reichskommissariat Ukraine , literally "Reich Commissariat of Ukraine", was the civilian occupation regime of much of German-occupied Ukraine during World War II. Between September 1941 and March 1944, the Reichskommissariat was administered by Reichskommissar Erich Koch as a colony...
. At a speech before journalists Bahaziy praised OUN leaders and proclaimed that "the eyes of all Ukrainians are turned toward Melnyk." A German officer begged the journalists not to disseminate this remark for fear of inflaming Nazi authorities. In January 1942 he was arrested and accused of various crimes, including: threatening the pro-Russian bishop of Kiev; theft of German property in order to aid the Ukrainian nationalist cause; being a leader of the OUN-M; attempting to secure the control of the Ukrainian police. He was very soon executed in Babyn Yar along with other Ukrainian nationalists, although his wife was left unaware of his death and kept bringing him packages to Kiev prison until summer 1942.