The Philadelphia Jewish Exponent has offered commentary on the controversial monument to a Nazi military division, located at Saint Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery (also known as Fox Chase Cemetery) at Cedar and Glenmore avenues in an Elkins Park section of Abington Township.

The article addresses an alleged rise in antisemitism and refers to a number of recent incidents, including the cemetery’s monument.

From the article:

A few examples of redlines we are facing:

St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery in Elkins Park has a monument dedicated to a unit of Ukrainian soldiers who fought for Nazi Germany during World War II. The large stone cross honors the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the Schutzstaffel — the Nazi military branch often referred to simply as “the SS.”

Some historians, including historians from the Ukrainian Jewish community, have argued that painting the monument as a tribute to the SS doesn’t capture the full historical picture. For some, the monument represents Ukrainians who fought for Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union.

The monument was reportedly covered up by the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia earlier this month. For our previous coverage on the matter, you can click here.

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