Yaroslav Hunka

Yaroslav Hunka
Native name
Ярослав Гунька
Born (1925-03-19) 19 March 1925 (age 101)
Urmań, Poland (now Urman, Ukraine)
Allegiance Germany
Branch Waffen-SS
Years of service1943–1945
Unit SS Division Galicia
Known forReceiving a standing ovation from the House of Commons of Canada in 2023
WarWorld War II

Yaroslav Hunka (Ukrainian: Ярослав Гунька; born 19 March 1925) is a Ukrainian-Canadian World War II veteran of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Galician), which was part of the Nazi Germany military.

Early life

Yaroslav Hunka was born in Urman, Second Polish Republic (now Ukraine) in 1925.

In 1943, Hunka volunteered to join the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS (1st Galician). During his time in SS Galizien, he was photographed training in Munich and Neuhammer. In 1944, Hunka fought against Red Army forces on the Eastern Front of World War II.

The Nuremberg Trials ruled that the Waffen-SS was a criminal organization responsible for mass atrocities including the “persecution and extermination of the Jews, brutalities and killings in concentration camps, excesses in the administration of occupied territories, the administration of the slave labor program, and the mistreatment and murder of prisoners” and that all of its members were guilty.

After the war, Hunka moved to the United Kingdom. In 1951, he married Margaret Ann Edgerton and the couple moved to Canada with their sons.

Controversy over visit

In late September 2023, Hunka was invited to the House of Commons of Canada, where he received a standing ovation. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy were part of the standing ovation. Later, it was revealed Hunka was a member of the Waffen-SS, and Canadian government officials apologized to the Jewish community.

Aftermath

On 26 September 2023, Poland's Education Minister Przemysław Czarnek said that he would try to extradite Hunka as a war criminal.

On 20 October 2023, Russia's Investigative Committee said that it had charged Hunka with "genocide of civilians on the territory of the Ukrainian SSR during the Great Patriotic War". The statement also said that investigators were considering issuing an international arrest warrant for Hunka.

References

  1. ↑ Sochnev, Alexey (29 September 2023). "'Ideyno motivirovan i dukhovno soznatelen'. Chto izvestno o veterane SS, kotoromu ustroili stoyachuyu ovatsiyu v parlamente Kanady" 'Идейно мотивирован и духовно сознателен'. Что известно о ветеране СС, которому устроили стоячую овацию в парламенте Канады ["Ideologically motivated and spiritually conscious." What is known about the SS veteran who received a standing ovation in the Canadian Parliament]. RTVI. Retrieved 31 October 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Golinkin, Lev (September 24, 2023). "Zelenskyy joins Canadian Parliament's ovation to 98-year-old veteran who fought with Nazis". The Forward. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  3. ↑ Hunka, Yaroslav (March 21, 2011). "Моє покоління" [My Generation]. Вісті Комбатанта [Combatant's News] (in Ukrainian). Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
  4. 1 2 Everson, Alana (May 7, 2022). "Sudbury hosts rally for Ukraine". CTV News. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  5. ↑ Golinkin 2023.
  6. ↑ Paas-Lang, Christian (September 24, 2023). "House Speaker apologizes for honouring Ukrainian who fought in Nazi unit in WW II". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  7. ↑ "New Endowments" (PDF). CIUS Newsletter. University of Alberta. 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  8. ↑ Gillies, Rob (September 22, 2023). "Zelenskyy speaks before Canadian Parliament in his campaign to shore up support for Ukraine". Associated Press. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 Schroeder, Pete (September 24, 2023). "Canada House speaker apologizes for recognition of veteran who fought for Nazis". Reuters. Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  10. ↑ Duggan, Kyle (September 24, 2023). "Nazi-linked veteran received ovation during Zelenskyy's Canada visit". Politico. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  11. ↑ Zimonjic, Peter (September 26, 2023). "Poland's education minister says he's 'taken steps' to extradite Yaroslav Hunka". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Russia Charges Nazi Applauded by Canadian Parliament". The Moscow Times. 20 October 2023.
  13. ↑ "Russia charges Ukrainian war veteran mistakenly honoured by Canada with genocide". Reuters. 20 October 2023.

Other websites