Hantman Web Site (http://www.hantman.net)

The following pictures were taken by Susan Hantman at the Khatyn Memorial, 60 km north of Minsk, Belarus, in 1992.  The village of Khatyn was burned to the ground in 1943 by the Nazis.  It is now a "graveyard" for the 185 other villages completely destroyed by the Germans.  Another 433 villages were destroyed and rebuilt.  In Khatyn, there was only one survivor, a grandfather named Yuzif Kaminsky who was out of the village at the time of the massacre.

Note: This village of Khatyn should not be confused with the Khatyn Forest near Smolensk where the Soviets murdered many people in the 1930s and 1940s.

Pictures may not be reproduced or used without prior permission.  Copyright Hantman 1992, 1999.


The only survivor of the Khatyn Massacre was an old grandfather who hid in the woods.


Yuzif Kaminsky


Monuments to the cities and towns either partially of completely destroyed.


A chimney stands for each of the villages destroyed.  Names of families known to live in that
village are listed on the side of the chimney.  A bell inside the chimney rings occasionally.


A chimney stands for each of the villages destroyed.  Names of families known to live in that
village are listed on the side of the chimney.  A bell inside the chimney rings occasionally.


Monuments to the cities and towns either partially of completely destroyed.


Monuments to the cities and towns either partially of completely destroyed.


Monuments to the cities and towns either partially of completely destroyed.


Monuments to the cities and towns either partially of completely destroyed.
 


Gravestones memorializing each of the cities and towns completely destroyed.  Each contains a
canister of dirt taken from the town.
 


Eternal flame.