Name Volodymyr Bahaziy | Died 1942, Kiev, Ukraine | |
Volodymyr (Vladimir, Wladimir) Panteleimonovych Bahasiy (Bagaziy, Bagasij, Bahasij), Ukrainian: Вoлoдимир Пантелеймонович Багазiй (1902, Ryabovka village, Ukraine — 21 February 1942, Kiev, Babyn Yar) was a Ukrainian nationalist affiliated with the Andriy Melnyk's faction of the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists and head of Kiev City Administration under German occupation in October 1941 - January 1942.
He was a professional pedagogue, taught in a Jewish school, and later was a postgraduate student at Kiev Pedagogical Institute. In September 1941, when the Germans occupied Kiev, Oleksandr Ohloblyn who knew him for years invited him at the meeting where representatives of OUN (Andriy Melnyk's faction) formed the new Kiev city administration. Although Bahaziy was supported by a large group, the OUN representatives mistrusted him and agreed to appoint him a deputy to Ohloblyn who became the city mayor. Very soon, however, Bahaziy gained favor of both OUN people (for his active participation in the activities of the Ukrainian National Council) and the German military leaders. Claims that he was personally present during the execution of Jews in Babyn Yar were later proven to be untrue. In October 1941 Ohloblyn retired and Bahaziy was appointed the new Kiev mayor.
As mayor of Kiev, Bahaziy encountered the bitter opposition of Erich Koch, the brutal Nazi administrator of Reichskommissariat Ukraine. At a speech before journalists Bahaziy praised OUN leaders and proclaimed that "the eyes of all Ukrainians are turned toward Melnyk." A German officer begged the journalists not to disseminate this remark for fear of inflaming Nazi authorities. In January 1942 he was arrested and accused of various crimes, including: threatening the pro-Russian bishop of Kiev; theft of German property in order to aid the Ukrainian nationalist cause; being a leader of the OUN-M; attempting to secure the control of the Ukrainian police. He was very soon executed in Babyn Yar along with other Ukrainian nationalists, although his wife was left unaware of his death and kept bringing him packages to Kiev prison until summer 1942.