The "Nuremberg of Kyiv" refers to a series of post-World War II trials held in Ukraine, where Nazi collaborators and war criminals were put on trial for their roles in atrocities committed during the German occupation of Ukraine. The term is derived from the Nuremberg Trials, which were held in Germany to prosecute major war criminals of the Third Reich. However, the trials in Kyiv focused specifically on the actions of those involved in war crimes against the Ukrainian population and others in the Eastern Front.
Among those executed in the "Nuremberg of Kyiv" were members of Nazi units and local collaborators who were accused of participating in mass executions, atrocities, and the deportation of civilians. These individuals included local police forces, SS officers, and members of the auxiliary police who aided in the rounding up of Jews, Romani people, Soviet prisoners of war, and resistance fighters. The trials were particularly significant because they highlighted the role of local collaborators, not just the high-ranking Nazi officials who had been prosecuted at Nuremberg.
Public executions were one of the forms of punishment meted out to those found guilty. The process was meant to send a powerful message about the consequences of collaboration with the Nazi regime. These executions often took place in public spaces, with crowds of people witnessing the events. The aim was not only to bring justice to the victims of the Holocaust and Nazi occupation but also to provide a form of catharsis for the local population, many of whom had suffered at the hands of these criminals.
The public executions in Kyiv served as a grim reminder of the atrocities committed during the war and the harsh retribution faced by those who assisted in the Nazi regime's crimes. They were part of the broader post-war efforts across Europe to hold individuals accountable for their role in the widespread suffering caused by the Nazis. While the "Nuremberg of Kyiv" was less known than its German counterpart, it remains an important part of the history of justice after WWII.