Vladimir Katriuk facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Volodymyr Katriuk
Katriuk during his last years of life in Quebec, Canada
Born	1 October 1921 Lujeni, Cernăuți County, Kingdom of Romania (now Luzhany, Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine)
Died	22 May 2015 (aged 93) Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec, Canada
Allegiance	Nazi Germany (1942–1944) French Resistance
Service/branch	Schutzmannschaft (1942–1944) French Foreign Legion
Rank	Private (in French Foreign Legion)
Unit	Schutzmannschaft Battalion 118
Battles/wars	World War II

Volodymyr Katriuk (born October 1, 1921 – died May 22, 2015) was a man who lived in Canada. He was born in Ukraine. During World War II, he was a soldier. Later in life, he became a beekeeper.

Some groups, like the Simon Wiesenthal Center, accused him of being involved in very serious events during the war. They said he took part in the Khatyn massacre. This was a terrible event where many people died. For several years, Katriuk was on a list of people accused of war crimes. However, Katriuk always said he was not involved in any war crimes.

Early Life and Beginnings

Volodymyr Katriuk was born on October 1, 1921. His village was called Luzhany. It was near the city of Chernivtsi. At that time, this area was part of the Kingdom of Romania. Today, it is in Ukraine.

World War II Service

In 1942, Katriuk joined a group called the Schutzmannschaft Battalion 118. This group worked with Nazi forces. Their job was to fight against Soviet partisans. Partisans were groups of people who fought against the Nazis in secret.

Later, information came out about Katriuk's time in the battalion. Some documents suggested he was directly involved in the Khatyn massacre. This was a very sad event where a village was destroyed and many people were killed.

A historian named Per Anders Rudling studied these documents. He wrote that one witness said Katriuk was very active during the event. The witness claimed Katriuk fired a machine gun at people trying to escape. Another witness said Katriuk and others shot people lying on the road. The Schutzmannschaft Battalion 118 helped the Nazis create "dead zones." This meant clearing out areas where partisans might be hiding.

Changing Sides in the War

Katriuk said that in August 1944, he left the Schutzmannschaft battalion. He claimed he joined the French Resistance. This was a group of people in France who fought against the Nazis.

Later that year, he joined the French Foreign Legion. He was a private soldier. He was sent to fight the German army. Katriuk was in charge of a machine gun. He was badly hurt during his service. He spent time recovering in a hospital in France.

Katriuk said he then fought in Italy until the war ended. He stayed in the Foreign Legion to avoid being sent back home. However, he learned his unit would go to fight in Indochina. He decided to leave the army in July 1945. He got fake identity papers and found a job in Paris.

Life After the War

In 1951, Katriuk moved to Canada from France. He settled in a place called Ormstown, Quebec. By 1959, he had become a beekeeper. He owned a beekeeping farm and lived there with his wife, Maria.

Canadian Citizenship Questions

In 1996, the Canadian government told Katriuk they might take away his citizenship. They believed he had given false information when he came to Canada. In 1999, a court found that he did use a different name to enter Canada. However, at that time, the court said there was no proof he had committed war crimes. So, in 2007, the government stopped trying to revoke his citizenship. In 2012, the Canadian government said they would look at his case again, but they did not.

His Death

Volodymyr Katriuk passed away on May 22, 2015. He was 93 years old. He died in a hospital in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec. Just two weeks before he died, a group from Russia asked Canada to send Katriuk to Russia for a trial. However, the Canadian government did not agree to this request.

See also

• Other Canadian citizens accused of participating in Nazi war crimes:
  • Imre Finta
  • Helmut Oberlander
  • Walter Obodzinsky
• People convicted of participating in the Khatyn massacre
  • Vasyl Meleshko
  • Hryhoriy Vasiura
• Ukrainian Auxiliary Police