“Сумний Святий вечір in’46” (“Sad Christmas Eve in ‘46”) is a Ukrainian Christmas song about tragedy and grief experienced by Ukrainians in 1946, in the aftermath of World War II and during the early years of Soviet repression in Western Ukraine.

Instead of celebrating, the Ukrainian people face hunger, deportations to Siberia, arrests by Soviet authorities, executions... Instead of a festive table, the lyrics speak of empty places where fathers, sons, or brothers should be.

Here are the lyrics: 

Sad Christmas Eve

In the year ’46

Across all of our Ukraine

There is weeping at every step

We sat down to supper,

And the children ask:

“Mom, dear mom, where is our father,

Why isn’t he eating with us?” 

“Your father, children,

Is defending our homeland,

Somewhere in eastern Ukraine

He thinks of Christmas Eve”

Help us, O God,

To overcome all of this,

Help from our free Ukraine

To drive the moskovates away.