Sernyky massacre
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Sernyky (Serniki) massacre refers to the killing of 553 Polish/Soviet citizens, most of whom were Jewish, near the village of Serniki (now Sernyky, Ukraine) by Nazi German forces between August and September 1942.[1][2]
51°49′52.3″N 26°13′31.7″E
| Sernyky Massacre | |
|---|---|
| Location | Sernyky, Rivne Oblast, Ukraine 51°49′52.3″N 26°13′31.7″E |
| Date | August - September 1941 |
| Perpetrators | Nazi Germany |
| Victims | 533 |
Massacre
Of the 553 people identified, 401 were executed with a bullet to the head. The majority of the victims were female (405), with 148 males including 96 children under the age of 10.[3]
Discovery
In 1989, Professor Richard Wright from the Australian Special Investigation Unit led a preliminary investigation into the grave site that was revealed while investigating suspected Nazi collaborator Ivan Polyukhovich.[4] After further investigation of the site by local authorities detected human remains, a full exhumation with support of Soviet soldiers excavated the mass grave led by the archaeologists, forensic scientists and police scientific experts from the Australian Special Investigations Unit.[3]
Ivan Polyukhovich was charged on 25 January 1990 under the Australian War Crimes Act but was acquitted in 1993.[2]
Memorial
Citizens of Sernyky erected a monument on the site of the mass grave in 1992.[3]