Ukrainian Jaroslav Hunka: what happened and why did a political scandal erupt in Canada?
A political scandal has erupted in Canada over the honoring of a Ukrainian who served in a German unit during World War II. Find out who Jaroslav Hunka is and why Anthony Rota was forced to apologize for his words
On September 22, during a meeting of the Canadian Parliament on the occasion of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit, the Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada, Anthony Rota, congratulated and honored 98-year-old Yaroslav Hunka. The speaker said that Hunka "was a Ukrainian hero, a Canadian hero, and we thank him for all his service." The veteran was greeted with loud applause. This gesture eventually led to a political scandal in Canada.
Who is Jarosław Hunka and why Rota was eventually forced to apologize for his words are described in the article below.
Yaroslav Hunka and SS Galicia: why did a Ukrainian cause a scandal in Canada?
During World War II, Ukrainian Jaroslav Hunka served in the 14th Waffen-SS Grenadier Division, also known as the Galicia Division. And despite the fact that the military unit was not part of the Allgemeine SS, which took part in the Holocaust and other punitive operations in the occupied territories, the Canadian Jewish organization CIJA responded to Roth's words and expressed "deep concern" about the veteran's greeting.
The Galicia Division was part of the so-called Waffen SS and was assigned to fight alongside the Wehrmacht at the front. When recruiting Galicians (Ukrainians) to join the division, German propagandists used the rhetoric of "a joint struggle against the most dangerous enemy of the Ukrainian nation, the Bolsheviks, and the fight for Ukraine together with the Germans."
In 1944, the division was completely defeated by the Soviet Red Army in the battle of Brody. Out of 11,000 Ukrainians, 8,000 were killed in action, and about 3,000 fighters escaped from the encirclement, of whom about 1,500 retreated under German command and then returned to the camps. This was the first and last battle of Galicia. Most of the survivors later joined the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.
In 1945, after being re-equipped, the division took part in battles in Slovakia, Slovenia, and Austria for some time, but after the German surrender, Galicia surrendered to the Anglo-American forces and was interned. In 1948, after the liberation, the division members were received in Canada, the United States, Britain, and other countries.
Visit Ukraine on social media: Telegram | YouTube | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok
According to the results of the study of archival materials and interrogation of witnesses, none of the members of the Galicia Division has been found guilty of committing war crimes during World War II, but russian propagandists still use information about the division to spread fakes about "nazi Ukraine".
Therefore, there is no official evidence of Jarosław Hunka's involvement in the murders of Polish and Jewish civilians, of which he was accused by CIJA.
Anthony Roth's apology
After the scandal broke out in Canada, Anthony Rota said that it was solely his initiative, and no one present knew about his intentions.
"Later I received additional information, and now I regret my decision. I especially want to apologize to the Jewish communities in Canada and around the world," he added.
In response to the speaker's statement, the CIJA noted that it appreciated the apology, but at the same time emphasized that "proper vetting is necessary to ensure that such an unacceptable incident does not happen again."
We remind you! The Ukrainian film 20 Days in Mariupol has been selected to represent Ukraine at the Oscars in 2014. The documentary tells about the events that took place in Mariupol during the siege. Read about 5 reasons why you should watch this film and see the events on the front line witnessed by the film team in our previous article.
Photo: Bloomberg
You may be interested in:
Visit Ukraine Donation - make a good deed and an important contribution to the Victory of Ukraine;
Visit Ukraine Legal advice - comprehensive legal support on entry to Ukraine;
Visit Ukraine Tours - the largest online database of tours to Ukraine for every taste;
Visit Ukraine Merch - choose patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery;
Visit Ukraine News - get the latest news and updates in our Telegram channel;
Cooperation - cooperation and advertising integrations with Visit Ukraine and Visit World projects.
Recommended articles
3 min
War
The first massive attack on Ukraine's energy system in six months took place on September 21, when russia attacked critical infrastructure facilities in several regions. Learn more about the consequences of the missile attack and how it affected Ukraine's energy system
22 Sep. 2023
More details3 min
Travel
Entry to Ukraine during the war: citizens of which countries visited Ukraine most often in 2023?
According to official information from the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, more than 1.3 million foreigners crossed the Ukrainian border between January 01, 2023 and August 01, 2023. Find out more about the citizens of which countries and for what purpose they came to Ukraine most often
22 Sep. 2023
More details2 min
War
The General Staff of Ukraine confirms that the russians have broken through the defense in Zaporizhzhia region near the village of Verbove. Find out why this settlement is important for further counteroffensive and what prospects the breakthrough opens up
24 Sep. 2023
More details2 min
War
The labor shortage in Ukraine's defense industry continues to grow. Find out why there is a shortage of personnel in the defense industry and what steps can help solve this problem
25 Sep. 2023
More details