| „Sydney Morning Herald” ( 10th of May 2008 ), in „Good Weekend”, published an article based on a conversation with Helen Demidenko/ Darville. Her novel „The Hand That Signed the Paper” (1993) has been revealed later as a fake starting the storm of controversy described by prof. Andrew Riemer and Jane Wheatley.
In Demidenko’s book we discover – as Jane reminds us - the following thesis : the justification of the Ukrainian’s role in the Holocaust as payback for oppression at the hands of Bolshevik Jews in the Stalinist-induced Ukrainian famine of the early 1930. It is not ecluded, however we should’not forget that already in 17th century there was a strong animosity of Cossacks towards Jews and the Polish troops in Ukraine had to defend the Jewish settlers on this soil.
It is not our goal to comment on Demidenko’s ( aka Darville aka Dale ) book, perhaps not worthy to be remembered. We would like to draw attention to some strange words inserted into the text published by Jane Wheatley. She writes about two Ukrainian brothers ( from Demidenko’s novel) who were „recruited by the German SS to round up and exterminate Jews at the Polish killing fields of Babi Yar and Treblinka.”
Polish killing fields !? The genocide was organized by German forces, Babi Yar is located near Kiev ( capital of Ukraine) and Treblinka was also run by German Nazi. So, why Polish killing fields ? This is a historical nonsense and a geographical absurdity. Too many blunders in few words, blunders which lead to the slander.Was it really your intention Ms Jane Wheatley ?
Dr Marek Baterowicz
| 
