On the day of remembrance and victory over Nazism, a new exhibition of archival photographs titled “Kyiv During World War II: Destruction and Reconstruction” opened at the Ukrinform premises. The exhibition showcases unique photographs from 1944 from the photo archive of the Ukrainian National Information Agency «Ukrinform», which have not been published before and are a valuable historical source.
This is reported by Kyiv24
As noted by the General Director of Ukrinform, Serhiy Cherevatyi,
“Today, the capital of Ukraine is once again under aerial attack. The Russians are not the first to destroy Kyiv, nor is this the first time. During World War II, marking the 80th anniversary of its end, it was the Hitler and Stalin regimes that did this. The city was destroyed and rebuilt, losing many historical monuments in the process. The photographs from the Ukrinform photo archive illustrate the scale of the destruction, particularly of Khreshchatyk.”
Destruction and Reconstruction of Kyiv During the War
Cherevatyi emphasized that the historical center of Kyiv was destroyed in two phases: during the retreat of Soviet troops and the German occupation. Many important buildings, industrial enterprises, and residential complexes were destroyed or damaged as a result of hostilities. The city’s reconstruction became a large-scale and complex process that required significant efforts and resources for a long time.
Restoration work began as early as the spring of 1944. Residents, students, and military personnel participated in clearing the ruins, while famous architectural landmarks were given a new look. In particular, the restoration of Khreshchatyk was completed in 1956, when the street was widened to 75 meters instead of the pre-war 35. However, the architectural style at that time was in the style of Stalinist Empire, and the new appearance of the city differed from the pre-war one.
The exhibition can be seen at the following address: Kyiv, Bohdan Khmelnytsky Street, 8/16.