Translation of
“The Destruction of Korets” Yizkor Book

Project Synopsis

This project aims to translate and publish the Yiddish Yizkor Book of Moshe Gildenman (1898-1957), a notable World War II partisan fighter from Korets, Russia / Poland / USSR – now present-day Western Ukraine. We hope to start the translation of this memoir in late 2024.

Known as “Dyadya Misha” (uncle Misha), Moshe Gildenman formed a partisan unit after losing his family in the Holocaust. He later joined the Soviet army and participated in the capture of Berlin.

The book covers:

1. Pre-war life in Korets
   
2. Nazi invasion and escape to the forests
   
3. Partisan resistance activities
   
4. Military service with the Soviet army
   
5. The fall of Berlin
   
6. Post-war life and work with Yad Vashem
   

This translation will provide:

1. A firsthand account of Jewish resistance during the Holocaust
   
2. Insights into partisan activities in Eastern Europe
   
3. A personal narrative of survival and resilience
   
4. Valuable historical documentation for researchers and future generations
   

The original book is available online at the Yiddish Book Center site: Ḥurbn Ḳorets

Key Audiences

Jewish historians exploring the roots of Chassidism and Jewish genealogists seeking to trace their roots in Korets constitute the primary audience for the material. Holocaust researchers and scholars researching Jewish history in this region comprise another target audience for the book.

Project Importance

Yizkor books are unique sources of information on once vibrant towns, primarily in central and Eastern Europe, whose Jewish populations were destroyed in the Holocaust. Written after World War II by emigres and Holocaust survivors, memoir books contain narratives of the history of the town.

Usually written in Yiddish, Hebrew, or both, Yizkor books are not accessible to a wider audience. Thus, the translation of this book into English unlocks this information to many more researchers all over the world. In 2002, the JewishGen Yizkor Book Project received the award for outstanding contribution to Jewish genealogy by the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies.

Currently, there is little information available to the English-speaking world regarding the historical Jewish community of Korets. With the destruction of the Jewish community of Korets, the information in this book constitutes a significant portion of its documented history, and undoubtedly contains information that is not available anyplace else. This project will result in the creation of the primary English language source of information for anyone doing research on Korets and its Jewish community.

Project Description

This project is intended to result in the translation, from Yiddish to English, of Moshe Gildenman: The Destruction of Korets. The Project Coordinator will direct a fundraising effort for the translation and secure the services of the professional translators. The Project Coordinator will select the order in which to translate the book text and will work closely with the translator to ensure a grammatically correct and accurate translation. Specific tasks the Project Coordinator will perform include proofreading, editing, and preparing the work for submission to the Yizkor Book Project. The resulting translations will be posted, as they are completed, on the JewishGen Yizkor Book Translations site.

Estimated Cost

The Destruction of Korets is approximately 77 pages in Yiddish and we hope to start this translation in late 2024.

The estimated cost is $1,500 for the translation. JewishGen will be responsible for paying the translator(s), and donations to the fund will be tax-deductible for U.S. citizens.

You may donate to this translation project here: JewishGen-erosity — Yizkor Book Translations