Yaroslav Hunka: Wife, Children, Age, Family, Biography, Net Worth, Career & Awards

Yaroslav Hunka is a 98-year-old Canadian citizen who has recently sparked controversy for being honored by the Canadian Parliament as a war hero. Hunka served in World War II as a member of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, also known as the SS Galicia Division or the First Ukrainian Division, a voluntary unit that was under the command of Nazi Germany.

Hunka’s recognition came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered an address to the Canadian Parliament on Friday, September 22, 2023, thanking Canada for its support in Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.

Early Life, Age & Background

Yaroslav Hunka was born in 1925 in a village in western Ukraine, then part of Poland. He grew up in a turbulent time, as Ukraine was divided and occupied by various powers, such as Poland, the Soviet Union, and Nazi Germany.

Hunka witnessed the atrocities committed by the Soviet regime, such as the Holodomor, the famine genocide that killed millions of Ukrainians in 1932-33. He also experienced the oppression and discrimination of the Polish authorities, who tried to suppress Ukrainian culture and identity.

Who is Yaroslav Hunka’s Wife?

According to the web search results, Hunka has been married to Maria since 1947. They met in a displaced persons camp in Germany after World War II and immigrated to Canada in 1950. They have two children, whose names and ages are not disclosed. Hunka and his family live in North Bay, Ontario.

Military Service and Immigration

In 1943, when Nazi Germany occupied western Ukraine, Hunka joined the newly formed SS Galicia Division, which was composed of ethnic Ukrainians who volunteered to fight against the Soviet forces. The division was trained and equipped by the Nazis and swore allegiance to Adolf Hitler. Hunka claimed that he joined the division out of patriotism and a desire to liberate Ukraine from Soviet tyranny. He also said that he was not aware of the Nazi ideology and crimes and that he never participated in any atrocities.

The SS Galicia Division fought in several battles against the Soviet army but suffered heavy losses and was eventually disbanded in 1945. Some of its members surrendered to the Western Allies, while others fled to Austria or Germany. Hunka was among those who ended up in a displaced persons camp in Germany, where he met his future wife, Maria. They married in 1947 and had two children.

In 1950, Hunka and his family immigrated to Canada under a program that allowed former members of the SS Galicia Division to settle in the country. They settled in North Bay, Ontario, where Hunka worked as a carpenter and a construction worker. He became a Canadian citizen in 1956 and lived a quiet life with his family. He was also active in the Ukrainian community and supported various causes related to Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty.

Yaroslav Hunka Wiki/Biodata

Name	Yaroslav Hunka
Date of birth	1925
Age	98 years old (as of 2023)
Place of birth	A village in western Ukraine, then part of Poland
Nationality	Canadian
Ethnicity	Ukrainian
Religion	Christian
Profession	Retired carpenter and construction worker
Military service	Member of the SS Galicia Division, a Nazi unit, from 1943 to 1945
Immigration to Canada	1950
Citizenship	1956
Residence	North Bay, Ontario
Marital status	Married to Maria since 1947
Children	Two
Net Worth	$1 million (approx.)
Homepage	newsunzip.com

Nazi Unit Veteran Receives Standing Ovation in Canadian Parliament, Sparking Outrage

Yaroslav Hunka’s past came under scrutiny in 2023, when he was invited by Anthony Rota, the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons, to attend a parliamentary session during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Rota introduced Hunka as a war hero who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians and asked the MPs to give him a standing ovation. Hunka received two rounds of applause from the parliamentarians and Zelenskyy.

However, this gesture sparked outrage from several Jewish groups and human rights organizations, who condemned Rota for honoring a man who fought for a Nazi unit that was responsible for the mass murder of innocent civilians during the Holocaust. They demanded an apology from Rota and an explanation of how Hunka was invited to the Parliament.

Rota issued a statement on Sunday, September 24, 2023, expressing his regret for his decision to recognize Hunka. He said that he was not aware of Hunka’s involvement with the SS Galicia Division at the time and that he acted on his own initiative without consulting his fellow MPs or the Ukrainian delegation. He also apologized to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world for his actions.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office also released a statement saying that Rota had accepted full responsibility for issuing the invitation to Hunka and for the recognition in Parliament. The statement said that no advance notice was provided to Trudeau’s office or the Ukrainian delegation about the invitation or recognition.

Hunka has not commented publicly on the controversy or Rota’s apology. He could not be reached for comment by any media outlets.

Facts & Trivia

• Yaroslav Hunka witnessed the Soviet atrocities and the Polish oppression in Ukraine before joining the SS Galicia Division in 1943.
• Hunka claimed that he joined the division out of patriotism and a desire to liberate Ukraine from Soviet tyranny, and that he was not aware of the Nazi ideology and crimes.
• Hunka fought in several battles against the Soviet army, but his division was disbanded in 1945. He ended up in a displaced persons camp in Germany, where he met his wife.
• Hunka settled in North Bay, Ontario, where he worked as a carpenter and a construction worker. He was active in the Ukrainian community and supported various causes related to Ukraine’s independence and sovereignty.

• Yaroslav Hunka was invited by Anthony Rota, the Speaker of the Canadian House of Commons, to attend a parliamentary session during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2023. Rota introduced him as a war hero who fought for Ukrainian independence against the Russians and asked the MPs to give him a standing ovation.
• Hunka’s recognition sparked outrage from Jewish groups and human rights organizations, who condemned Rota for honoring a man who fought for a Nazi unit that was responsible for the mass murder of innocent civilians during the Holocaust. They demanded an apology from Rota and an explanation of how Hunka was invited to the Parliament.
• Rota issued a statement expressing his regret for his decision to recognize Hunka. He said that he was not aware of Hunka’s involvement with the SS Galicia Division at the time and that he acted on his own initiative without consulting his fellow MPs or the Ukrainian delegation. He also apologized to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world for his actions.

• Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office also released a statement saying that Rota had accepted full responsibility for issuing the invitation to Hunka and for the recognition in Parliament. The statement said that no advance notice was provided to Trudeau’s office or the Ukrainian delegation about the invitation or recognition.
• Hunka has not commented publicly on the controversy or Rota’s apology. He could not be reached for comment by any media outlets.

Profile Summary

Yaroslav Hunka is a 98-year-old Canadian citizen who served in World War II as a member of the SS Galicia Division, a Nazi unit composed of ethnic Ukrainians. He immigrated to Canada in 1950 and lived a peaceful life with his family.

He was honored by the Canadian Parliament as a war hero in 2023 during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, but this sparked controversy and criticism from Jewish groups and human rights organizations, who accused him of being a Nazi collaborator. The Speaker of the House of Commons, Anthony Rota, apologized for his decision to recognize Hunka and said that he was not aware of his past at the time.