Monument to Victims of Political Repressions, Lviv

The Memorial Complex to the Victims of Political Repressions stands as one of Lviv’s most solemn sites, marking the location where the NKVD carried out mass executions in June 1941. Set near the former Prison No. 2 at 7 Zamartynivska Street, the complex preserves the memory of those who were tortured and killed during the final days of Soviet control before the German occupation. This was once the site of the Great Barracks, part of a transit prison network that played a significant role in the political persecutions of the time.

The historical context surrounding the memorial is essential to understanding its gravity. In the summer of 1941, as Soviet forces retreated from Lviv, NKVD officers executed thousands of detainees across several local prisons. The killings on Zamartynivska Street formed part of this broader tragedy, which came to light only after the city changed hands. The discovery of mass burial sites after Ukraine gained independence pushed forward efforts to formally commemorate the victims and acknowledge the scale of the atrocities committed here.

Today, the memorial complex stands in front of the former prison building, which now houses the Law Faculty of the Lviv State University of Internal Affairs. Its presence forms a stark reminder of the site’s earlier purpose, juxtaposed with the modern life of the institution that occupies it. Restoration work carried out in 2012 expanded the list of known victims, ensuring the memorial continues to reflect ongoing historical research.

Visitors will find a series of stone tablets, cubes, and memorial columns engraved with the names of those who were killed. The complex's artistic elements evoke the severity of the past without overwhelming the space, offering a place for reflection and remembrance. As a historic landmark, the memorial provides an important insight into the city’s twentieth-century experience and its long process of confronting and documenting political repression.