What the Hunka scandal reveals about Second World War complexities
What the Hunka scandal reveals about Second World War complexities
September 26, 2023
By David Roger Marples
Anthony Rota, the speaker of Canada’s House of Commons, has resigned from his post after inviting “war hero” Yaroslav Hunka to Parliament to take in the recent appearance of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
That invitation — and the two subsequent standing ovations Hunka received from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, MPs of all parties and Zelenskyy — ignited an international uproar.
Hunka, now 98, served in a Nazi unit known as the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, fighting alongside Germany in the Second World War. The unit reportedly participated in a massacre of Jews and ethnic Poles.
Jewish organizations and Poland demanded an apology from the Canadian government and Poland says it’s taking steps to extradite Hunka.
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