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During the years of the Second World War, no contact existed between the countries under German occupation and the outside world. Only in the final months of 1944, when Hitler's victories in Russia were transformed into an even greater defeat, and the Red Army reclaimed and liberated Jewish cities and towns day-by-day, did the first reports begin to appear in the Jewish press about the extent of the destruction of the Jewish communities in Poland.

In time, Volkovysk was also liberated, but nobody knew what had happened to the ten thousand Jews of this city.

Not a single Jew was found in Volkovysk proper, that had survived the terrifying tragedy, and who could bear witness to the destruction of this large and vibrant Jewish community of Volkovysk, because all of the Jews, down to the last one, had been transported away from the city by the Germans.

My closest family had been in Volkovysk before the War, but I did not know what had happened to my two sisters: Rosa, the dentist, and her family, and Paulia (Pes'shka) and her children. I then commenced to search in every corner of the world, from wherever any news emanated concerning the “vale of tears.” I established connections with every committee and body in America, that searched for relatives. I sent telegrams to all countries, where there existed even the tiniest of hopes, that there might exist knowledge of the fate of the Volkovysk Jews. I established a connection to the Moscow community, with the American ambassador in Moscow, and all the other local relief agencies. However, all my research and effort was for naught.

As quickly as the European war came to an end, that is how quickly I made the decision to fly to the Land of Israel, in order to visit with my sister, Liza Kharakh, who lived in Tel-Aviv with her husband, and to meet with my landsleit at the same time, who had there organized a Society called “Emigrants from Volkovysk.” I hoped that there, I would succeed in determining the fate of my family and that of the Volkovysk Jews. Thanks to my connections, I obtained permission to fly there in a military aircraft. The trip took only a matter of days, and I arrived in the Land of Israel. To my great disappointment, my landsleit there also did not know the fate of Volkovysk.

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Meeting with the First Witnesses in Israel: Joseph Kotliarsky, Zvi Roitman & Shayna Lifschitz

Shayna Lifschitz

The town of Zelva had already been incinerated from before, and the few remaining Jews lived in cellars. He, along with other refugees, were forced to hide out in the local cemetery for lack of space. He could not remain in the cemetery for long, and fled Zelva to Volkovysk, to his great-aunt, Fruma Movshovsky. The town of Zelva was the border between White Russia and the “Greater German Reich.” The river, with the same name Zelva,^[2] was indeed the strategic borderline. Kotliarsky and his child needed to ford the Zelva river in the dark of night. The danger of being apprehended was great, because the Germans swept the river with a searchlight. He went under the bridge, and when the searchlight would sweep by, he would go underwater with the child. Miraculously, the group got across intact, and in the end did reach Volkovysk from the Karczyzna side on Friday morning. They waited in Karczyzna until nightfall, at which time they mingled among the other workers from Volkovysk, and entered the center of Volkovysk together. Kotliarsky was astonished at the great silence and stillness that reigned on that Friday in the city. He discovered that Volkovysk knew nothing of the great Dereczin Massacre that had taken place on Tisha B'Ab, nor about the slaughter in Slonim.

Kotliarsky communicated terrifying details concerning the nine thousand Jews of Slonim who were butchered on the Tchoplova fields. Machine guns were set up in front of them. Graves that had been previously dug, stood before them. The leader of the Nazi murderers then approached the Jews, who stood in an arranged pattern – some of them wept, others murmured their final prayers over and over again – and says: “Who among you wishes to lead a prayer?” From among the ranks, Reb Abraham Moshe, the Shammes of the city stepped forward, and recited the prayer, ‘El Moleh Rakhamim’ in front of the huge mass grave! He exhorted the holy community to die in purity, and ended with a recitation of the Kaddish, and Zadok HaDin for himself and the entire congregation. After these moving prayers, the machine gun fire killed all of the gathered Jews.

Kotliarsky himself is not originally from Volkovysk. He came there, as previously described, in the middle of the Summer of 1942. Because of this, he was not familiar with the events in Volkovysk from the outset of the War. Also, as a stranger to the city, and under the prevailing circumstances, he didn't have the proper opportunity to make the acquaintance of the local Jewish people.

The second witness, who communicated terrifying details about the destruction of Volkovysk, was Zvi Roitman.

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Although Zvi Roitman was also not a native of Volkovysk, went through the destruction of Volkovysk from the beginning to the end. At the outbreak of the war in 1939, he fled Warsaw to Bialystok, and from there, at the end of 1939, he arrived in Volkovysk.

He is an electrician by trade. Thanks to his craft, the Germans considered him to be essential, and they always gave him jobs to do, which without a doubt saved him from otherwise certain death. On arriving in Volkovysk, he lived with Leibl Draznin the gardener, at Number 12 Tatarski Gasse. The parents of Draznin's wife, Reb Naphtali & Sarah-Baylah lived in the same house. They all came from the shtetl of Amstibova. Roitman, who was a quiet sort of man, and didn't involve himself in the affairs of the city, naturally was removed from the pulsating Jewish life in Volkovysk, because he was not native born to Volkovysk. But he nevertheless apprehended well the principal aspects of all events which he suffered through along with the natives of Volkovysk, from beginning to end. His eye witness account is therefore of great significance.

A third witness, whom I personally interviewed during my trip to the Land of Israel, is Shayna Lifschitz. She also went through all that happened from beginning to end, and because she was native to Volkovysk, she was well acquainted with the city and its residents. For this reason, her eye-witness account and written testimony are very important. Shayna Lifschitz is a grandchild of Shmuel Chaim Bayl'keh's, who dealt in yeast. They lived diagonally opposite the Einhorn pharmacy.

These three previously mentioned witnesses, Joseph Kotliarsky, Zvi Roitman and Shayna Lifschitz, personally conveyed their writings to me.

There are a large number of people from Volkovysk today in Lodz and other cities of Poland. But the majority of them did not go through the process of the destruction of the city. At the beginning of the war, they fled into Russia, from where, shortly after the end of the war, they returned. But because of this, they have nothing to contribute to the record.

Among the very, very few who lived through the entire tragedy of Volkovysk, as well as the Hell of Maidanek and live today in Poland, is Ida Mazover-Rak. I corresponded with her, and obtained very important details from her about the destruction. Today, she lives in Poland. Ida Mazover is the daughter of Herschel Mazover of the paper business on the Kosciuszko (Tzerkovna) Gasse^[3], near Abraham Galiatsky the Barber. She, and her friend, Olleh^[4] Glickfeld were the only Jewish souls that remained in Volkovysk after the last transport departed on January 26, 1943. After January 14, 1943, together with her friend, she fled from the bunkers and hid out with a Christian woman, Maria Rodnitsky. They later got sick with typhus, and their protectress, the Christian woman, drove them out while they were still sick. Her heroism and terrifying experiences are documented later on.

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In the course of time, I had the opportunity to get in contact with a cohort of Volkovysk survivors that are today found in Italy. Among them are: Yitzhak Tchopper, Dr. Yitzhak Resnick, Chaim Zapoliansky, Dr. Y. Epstein, and Chaim Volsky. I received many letters from them.

However, from Tchopper, I received a very detailed accounting, to which I am certain that the other Volkovysk survivors in Italy contributed.

Three Surviving Witnesses from Volkovysk (Right to left): Yitzhak Tchopper, Shmuel Zapoliansky and Yoss'l Kossowsky (Photographed in Italy in 1946)

Yitzhak Tchopper was one of the very few survivors from among the Volkovysk Jews who went through all that happened from beginning to end. Therefore, his record about everything that happened to the Volkovysk Jews – an accounting from street to street and house to house – is of great historical significance. His accounting is authentic and very detailed, because he recollects everyone from the city there.

At this opportunity, I wish to express my gratitude to Yitzhak Tchopper for his cooperation and for compiling his testimony, to which he dedicated many days and nights. At this opportunity, I also wish to thank his comrades: Chaim Zapoliansky and Moshe Volsky who cooperated with him.

Dr. Yitzhak Resnick

Dr. Yitzhak Resnick is the son of Pes'shka (a daughter of Velvel Lifschitz), who lived on the Mitzrayim Gessel, and a cousin of Yankel Lifschitz from the Wide Boulevard. He was born in Volkovysk and is descended from a number of Volkovysk families. He personally was one of the dreamers and builders of the city. He received his education in the Volkovysk schools, attended the Hebrew Gymnasium, and later studied medicine in Italy. Despite this, he would return and work summers in the Volkovysk hospital, and maintain friendly relations with his old school friends.

Dr. Resnick was in Volkovysk during the time of the Russian occupation, the bombings, and during the German occupation. At that time, he worked as a doctor in Krzemienica. He arrived in Volkovysk on November 2,

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1942, when the Jews from the surrounding villages were brought to Zelva, and from there, to Volkovysk. Also, at that time, he was very active in the hospital in the bunkers, and did a great deal during the typhus epidemic.

He escaped from the bunkers on January 26 [1943] together with Dr. Noah Kaplinsky, and hid out with his Christian friends in Krzemienica, who sheltered them for the entire time until the Bolsheviks arrived. He traveled back to Volkovysk after the Russian entered the city, and once again assumed his position at the government hospital. A short time afterwards, he left Volkovysk and went to Italy, where he is today.

Therefore, Dr. Resnick can only provide a partial account of what took place in Volkovysk. By contrast, however, he was one of the very few who returned to Volkovysk immediately after the Russians re-occupied it. His testimony is therefore of special interest as a portrait of the destroyed city immediately after its liberation by the Russian armies.

In between, a number of Volkovysk natives traveled to America, from whom I had the opportunity to receive specific eye-witness testimony personally. Among these was Dr. Yitzhak Goldberg.

Dr. Yitzhak Goldberg

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Our Witness Dr. Marek Kaplan and His Sister, Nunya^[6]

Dr. Marek Kaplan

However, Dr. Kaplan also is only a partial witness to what took place in Volkovysk. because he worked as a doctor in Porozovo. He arrived in Volkovysk on November 2, 1942, along with the Jews of Porozovo, went over to the Volkovysk camp and was active during the time of the typhus epidemic in the Volkovysk bunkers. He survived the hell of Auschwitz, and is one of the few Volkovysk natives to have remained alive.

Dr. Kaplan lives in New York today. I had the opportunity in my frequent meetings with him, to obtain many facts about the destruction of Volkovysk. He and his sister Nunya remained alive.

Dr. Kaplan came to America along with his sister Nunya Kaplan. She was a part of only part of the events in Volkovysk, because she lived with her family in Porozovo. She is one of the few women to have survived the Auschwitz camp. In my meeting with her, she communicated unique important facts.

Among the other witnesses, whom I do not know personally, but whose writings about the events in Volkovysk I read in The Destruction of Volkovysk which was published by the Volkovysk Olim in the Land of Israel^[7], are Dr. Noah Kaplinsky, Katriel Lashowitz and his wife, Kalman Kushnir, the cook's son, and Eliyahu Kovensky, a famous partisan, who lost a hand fighting in the vicinity of Lida, Zhetl and Vilna. Eliyahu Kovensky received the Order of Lenin for his great heroism, a medal which entitles him to be called, Hero of the Soviet Union.

Dr. Noah Kaplinsky, as is known, is not native to Volkovysk, and he did not experience the entire destruction. He came to Volkovysk in the summer of 1942, and remained there for merely six weeks, and was delegated by the Volkovysk Judenrat to serve as the doctor in Mosty'. He was later brought back to Volkovysk along with the Jews of Mosty' on November 2, 1942. He worked in the hospital of the Volkovysk bunkers up till January 26, 1943, when he escaped along with Dr. Resnick to Krzemienica. Even though Dr. Kaplinsky was in Volkovysk for only a short time, managed to integrate himself very well with the native Volkovysk residents, and apprehended the situation very well. His writings about the destruction of Volkovysk provide a fundamental and correct analysis of the conditions and the events that the Jews of Volkovysk endured in the most sorrowful months of their lives.

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Our Witness Moshe'l Shereshevsky

Moshe'l Shereshevsky

Moshe'l Shereshevsky from the bicycles on the Wide Boulevard, came to Volkovysk at the age of five years. He is a grandson of Israel Leib Biskupitsky. He received his education in the Volkovysk schools. He was very active in the “Maccabi” sports club from his early youth on, and also in HaShomer HaTza'ir.

Moshe'l Shereshevsky was in Volkovysk for the entire time during the last war, before the Russian occupation, and during the time of the Russian occupation. He lived through the extermination of the local Jewish community, endured the bunkers from where he escaped, with a few other Volkovysk residents, to Bialystok, in the beginning of December 1942 before the first Volkovysk transport [to the death camps].He was in the Bialystok ghetto, and was sent from there to Maidanek and to other camps, until he came to Auschwitz. From there, he also had the opportunity to escape into the forest, along with Dr. Yitzhak Goldberg, a short time prior to the forthcoming liquidation of the entire Auschwitz camp, when the Russians were already close, and he was saved in this way. He was also among the first to return to Volkovysk, immediately after the war, and saw the complete destruction of the city that the Germans left behind, with his own eyes.

Translator's footnotes:

1. Thoroughly documented and confirmed several times over in the Dereczin Memorial Book. Return
2. Referring to the Zelvianka River. Return
3. The Church Street Return
4. Nickname for Eydl (German-Christian), meaning fine, or delicate. Return
5. An infamous quota system to limit the number of Jewish students given permission to study medicine. Return
6. Nickname for either Hannah or Penina Return
7. The English Translation of this work forms part of this Trilogy. Return

The New Market on the swamp near the river

The Slaughterhouse and Meat-Packing Plant

The forests where the summer cottages were located

In that year, Poland stepped up its pace of re-armament, feeling that she would not be able to avert the approaching storm. A large government budget was needed for this, and for this reason, the regime proclaimed a loan. Quotas were set for every town and district. Volkovysk also received a quota for each resident separately – a merchant, the balebatim, a laborer, not taking the circumstances of the individual into account.

“Bonds” were distributed, and people were literally forced to buy them on a monthly instalment plan. Those

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who resisted buying them were severely punished, and in many instances sent to Kartuz Bereza^[1], a concentration camp. A short time after the first loan, a second loan was proclaimed for air defense. And once again, quotas were imposed on the populace, and the local government of each city forced the Jewish residents, through the Jewish community, to buy the bonds.

In that same year, anti-Semitism intensified considerably throughout all of Poland, both on the economic front and the political front. This was also felt strongly in Volkovysk. The Christians would come through the Jewish business quarters, and not permit non-Jews to buy goods from Jewish stores. The tobacco concessions were taken away from Jewish storekeepers. Also, many Christian stores were opened, of all types. It was also possible to begin feeling the influence of a German “fifth column.”

In addition to the bonds, high taxes were imposed on all residents and except for a small number of rich families, they could not be met without difficulty. Notwithstanding all of these difficulties, everyone carried on an independent existence, not requiring support from America or other foreign countries, and there was no want in the city. It was even possible, in the usual Volkovysk fashion, possible to generously support all the local institutions. And despite the fact that the air seemed to be laden with gunpowder, there was not a belief that the war would break out so swiftly.

It is worth mentioning here, that the city itself was significantly beautified in the few years before the war. The market, which always stood in the middle of the stores, and also on all the surrounding streets, such as the Wide Boulevard, Grodno and others, was totally moved over to the swamps, on the other side of the river near Chafetz's. The streets were completely re-bricked anew, the twists and turns were straightened out, and rows of trees were planted on both sides of the streets. The entirety of the New Street was re-built. Old houses were torn down, and many new houses were built. Karczyzna, which for years had been nothing more than an empty field, was built up with modern houses. All the empty lots on the Millner Gasse, on the Wide Boulevard and other streets were built up with two and three-story buildings. Opposite the Jewish hospital, a very practical building was erected for the municipal government and the police. A large meat processing plant was constructed, which employed between five and six hundred workers, and was considered one of the largest meat packing operations in all of Poland. Several lumber manufacturing plants were put up in the neighborhood of Bloch's tannery. The entire area from Zamoscheh to the new train station was built up. Many summer homes were put up in the outskirts. Many such dwellings, belonged to Christians up to several years before the war started. Jews bought them up, and transformed them into practical summer homes. Even the older houses on the Wide Boulevard, Mitzrayim and Lazaretner Gasse were equipped with all the newest appointments. The police oversight of the city regarding sanitation became extremely strict in the years before the war, and because of this all the streets and yards became spotless, and the entire appearance of the city became significantly better.

During these years, a Polish government public school was also established in Volkovysk in Karczyzna, and the old ladies Gymnasium on the hill, near the Lazaretner Gessel was transformed into a government Gymnasium for boys and girls.

In the meantime, life during the summer of 1939 in Volkovysk proceeded normally. The weekly newspaper, Volkovysker Leben, edited by Motya Leib Kaplan and Reuven Rutchik, would appear on schedule. The announcements and obituaries, as usual, would take up the front and back pages of this small newspaper, and

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were the principal source of income for the periodical. Rutchik's poems that mirrored the life in Volkovysk appeared in his column, “Local Issues.” “Folk Wisdom,” the section of humor and satire, would also appear each week.

The community activists carried on with their work for the public welfare, as usual. The community servants of that day were: Moshe Rubinovich, of the general store, who was the head of the community and very active in the Zionist movement and in Hebrew education; the young L. Schlossberg of the brick factory, together with Markus from the Millner Gasse, were the leaders of the Bund. Sioma Gallin was active in the hospital, and Melekh Khantov – in the fire-fighters organization.

The Jewish residents of Volkovysk were preparing to move out to their summer cottages in the forest at the end of the spring of 1939. The various pensions announced their opening for the new summer season. Slava^[2] Rozhansky's pension announced the opening of its well-appointed villa of Topelnitsky, indicating in that connection that near the pension, a special pavilion would be opened especially for children, under the oversight of the well-known governess, Hadassah Yunovich. Mrs. Graetz also announced the opening of her pension, ‘Zdarovyeh,’^[3] that also had a special division for children, under the supervision of Miss Krosnovsky.

The Tarbut Hebrew Gymnasium, and the Gymnasium Ivrit announced the schedule for their entrance examinations in the Volkovysker Leben, for the year 1939-1940. And, as is well known, each Gymnasium had its followers and supporters. At the head of the group was Dr. Yitzhak Weinberg, and of the other group, Dr. Yaakov Sedletsky. Both represented two different camps not only in education, but also in their general community endeavors, where their competitiveness was very evident.

The annual conference of the Organization for Charity was held as usual. The following people were selected as representatives: B. Shalakhovich, Y. Merkin and Kaplinsky. The lawyer, Turiansky gave a comprehensive report at this first meeting, of all of the activities of the prior year. According to his report, the organization had extended credit to about a thousand separate individuals during the year. The conference approved a budget for the year 1939-1940, and a program of continuing activity.

The Zionists also held a number of various meetings, and worked hard to get prepared for the coming Zionist World Congress, which had been set for August 1939 in Switzerland.

The TOZ-Organization had opened its summer colony for the underprivileged children of Volkovysk in the forests, and was occupied with putting together a work program for the coming year. It also announced a new registration for nurses in the [nursing] school under its supervision.

In the middle of July 1939, the TOZ children's colony was visited by Dr. Esther Rakhmilevich, who represented the central TOZ organization. Dr. Rakhmilevich was native born in Volkovysk. She practiced as a pediatrician in Danzig for many years, but because of the widespread Nazi influence in that city, she was compelled to return to her home location. She was appointed as an inspector of the children's colonies by the TOZ organization. During her visit, she was constantly accompanied by the president, Sioma Gallin. She reviewed the menu, the play program, measured the weight of each child, and gave the requisite direction

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regarding ongoing management. Her inspection of the colony was not straightforward, because being from Volkovysk herself, she related to the children with special love and commitment. In taking leave of the colony, Dr. Rakhmilevich expressed her satisfaction and thanked the leadership and the personnel for their commitment and substantive effort on behalf of the welfare of the needy child.

The Keren HaYesod held a community meeting. The room was packed with people. That entire summer, meetings were being held for the benefit of the Keren HaYesod program. The leader of the Keren HaYesod at that time was Zvi Inker. The following members participated in the initiative: Moshe Rubinovich, Anshel Bliakher, Dr. Shlomo Mandelbaum, Dov Salistovsky, Joseph Vinogradsky, and Dr. Yitzhak Weinberg.

The Gordonia sports organization of the young revisionists also carried out its activities. The following were in its executive committee: Mrs. Rachel Levin, Dr. M. Niemchik, Mezheritzky, Prof. Birnbaum, Avra'sheh Offenberg, K. Pines, Tzirulnitsky, Daniel and Sukenik. The club instructor was Shifran. The Brit-HaKhayil Society was led by Engineer Shipiatsky and Applicant Mezheritzky.

For the new town council, six Jews were selected, three from the general Jewish bloc, and three from the Bund: The general Jewish bloc – M. Khantov, Dr. David Tropp, and Sh. Gallin. From the Bund – Y. Merkin, Sh. Ravitzky, and L. Schlossberg.

In June 1939, Volkovysk celebrated Mother's Day in a very nice manner. The celebration was held in the large auditorium of the Tarbut Hebrew Gymnasium. The gathering was welcomed by Hadassah Yunovich, as the chairperson, and Bertha Rothwald. The children came up and gave Hebrew addresses. Among those who took part were: Shvetz, Rabinowitz, Meshengisser, Bitensky, and Adelsky.

The sports activity of Maccabi also was felt in the city. A trip was organized to Svislucz and other towns. The leader of the sports activity was Turiansky.

Volkovysk also carried out a huge protest demonstration against the British “White Paper,” in connection with the Land of Israel. The entire Jewish population of Volkovysk took part in this demonstration.

The following Jewish students were among the graduates of the government Gymnasium in June 1939: Rivka Kaplan, Naomi Kaplan, Leah Levin, Nechama Rubinstein, Leizer Bialostotsky, Johan Bebchuk, Boruch Schwartzbukh, Eliyahu Renzler; among the graduates of the trade school were: Renya^[4] Goldrei, Mira Scharf, Liba Falkovich, Sonya Epstein, Abraham Lapaz, Polya Kimmelman, Chana Berman, Rachel Movshovsky, and Chaya Nishvitsky.

On August 24, 1939, a week before the attack on Poland by the murderous Germans, mobilization began rapidly. Among the Jewish doctors, Dr. M. Niemchik was then mobilized, and was immediately appointed as the head doctor for the Polya Division in Lida.. The real pressure of war was being felt in the city at that point. A going-away party was arranged in honor of Dr. Niemchik at the house of Rosa Einhorn-Pshenitsky. Participants in that evening also included: Mulya Pshenitsky, Dr. Yitzhak Weinberg, Dr. Yaakov Sedletsky,

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Sioma Gallin, Meir Seletsky, Sh. Kaplan, Dr. David Tropp, and others.

The atmosphere was already depressed. Everyone's eyes were filled with anxiety and fear. The Jews were primarily concerned with taking a complete accounting of what likely awaited them in the event that war should break out. For whom and for what reason would they fight, and lay down their lives. What to expect from the Germans was already well understood from their behavior, since the accession of Hitler to power; also, the Jews anticipated nothing good from the Poles as well, because long before the outbreak of the war, the Poles were following the German line towards the Jews, sending innocent Jews to jail and concentration camps and robbing them of their valuables.

At the outbreak of the war, the anti-Semitic group in Volkovysk, at whose head stood the pharmacist Timinsky, became more active than before. The Polish population, believing that the Germans would be quickly defeated, became even more emboldened. A special committee of anti-Semites was established, that prepared a list of Jewish names that they wanted to butcher at the first opportunity possible. No one, therefore, felt that their life was safe, and the mood among the Jews was very depressed.

A week later, on September 1, 1939, the war broke out. The Poles still went around with their heads in the clouds and a foolish pride, making the case that it won't be long before the Nazis will be defeated. In this connection, they utilized the opportunity of the unstable situation to carry out patriotic demonstrations and anti-Semitic attacks.

A couple of days after the outbreak of the war, a few solitary German aircraft appeared over Volkovysk, dropping a couple of bombs aimed at hitting the train bridge near the Poritzisher Gasse, in order to cripple that line of communication. The elderly Mrs. Schlossberg, who had run to seek shelter under the bridge was killed on the spot. She was the first victim of war in Volkovysk.

Two days later, the Germans had penetrated deeply into Poland, and a great tumult arose in the city. Many refugees, Jews and Christians alike, streamed into Volkovysk from those areas where the Nazis had already placed under occupation, hoping thereby to find greater security. The Jews of Volkovysk took them in with generous hearts, gave them food, and arranged lodging for them all around – in private homes and in the houses of worship.

Dr. M. Niemchik, who was by that time already in the service of the Polya Division, provides a description of the appearance of Volkovysk after the first of the bombardments. On September 13, he received an order to stand ready to leave Poland and go out of the country. Before this, he was given permission to visit Volkovysk for a few hours. On his way to Volkovysk he saw a picture of disintegration: burned houses and wrecked streets, and refugees from many villages. The roads were overflowing with Polish military personnel, who were singly running away, under the ceaseless bombardment of German aircraft, and without any order. Dr. Niemchik came into Volkovysk on Friday night. Sabbath candles had already been lit in the Jewish homes. He did not find his wife at home, because she was already at that point in the municipal health division, together with Rosa Einhorn-Pshenitsky, where they were working as nurses. He found his young daughter together with her friend Dora Pshenitsky (Rosa's daughter), frightened and with pale faces. They bemoaned the ceaseless aerial bombardment and reverberations of the cannon fire, that continued day and night. The image of these innocent victims of “German Justice” made a terrifying impression on him.

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The news of his arrival spread immediately, and people began to arrive to get news. In the meantime, his wife also arrived. Dr. Niemchik arrived, in a large military auto, and wanted to convince his wife and children to leave the city with him, but they argued that the war would only continue for a few more months, and why then break up the family, house and possessions? Dr. Niemchik, not being particularly certain what would happen to him in the war, lacked the conviction and the will to persuade them otherwise. Nobody could foresee the outlines of the forthcoming disaster. Before his departure, a tense meeting of the city leadership and Zionists took place in his home, in which they dealt with the issues of providing food and heat, in the event that circumstances were to deteriorate. As an officer in the army, Dr. Niemchik was selected to work out with the military commander of the city, specific permissions and easements with regard to procuring foodstuffs, medical help, and other necessities for the Jewish population.

In the second week of the war, rumors spread through Volkovysk that the Germans were getting close to Warsaw, and also Bialystok, moving in the direction of Volkovysk and Berestovitz. The Jewish populace became extremely upset, and the agitation became intense because of the rapid advance of the Germans. Rail service had come to a complete halt with the outbreak of the war, and Volkovysk was as if it were cut off from the surrounding towns, such as Slonim and Bialystok, and other towns in the vicinity.

On September 16 it was heard that the Russians and begun to march from the direction of Baranovich and Slonim, approaching the east side of Volkovysk. Many Poles began to flee the city, taking along their valuables. On September 17, the Russians had already attacked the eastern border of Poland vigorously. The Polish army, together with the local police, were forced to pull back from Volkovysk, leaving the city defenseless. The anti-Semites took advantage of this opportunity and fell upon the Jews. In these attacks, under the tall postman Sotchevkoi, they murdered the elderly Alexander Makov in cold blood on the Grodno Gasse. His cries could be heard from a distance, but none of the neighbors could come to his rescue because they had no arms. Then, they also shot the young Joseph Galiatsky, and Itcheh the Dancer^[5], of the Ostroger Gasse, and a shoemaker from the Grodno Gasse and other victims. Two Jewish soldiers who were stationed in the city, were found murdered in the streets.

The few Jews who could put up any sort of resistance, were the fire fighters, with Khantov at their head. The last of the Polish army to pull back were the cavalry, and at the last moment, they raided the Jewish quarter. Being heavily armed, they, together with the Volkovysk anti-Semites under the leadership of Timinsky the pharmacist, and the postman, robbed Jewish houses the entire night. Who knows how far the aroused Poles would have gone with their wickedness, were it not for the fortunate circumstance that the Russians drew close to Volkovysk, and it was in this fashion that an auspicious end was brought to the anti-Semitic predations in the city. Early the next morning, there was not a trace of them in the city. The Red Army tanks began to stream into the city. The Jews, in general, breathed a little more freely. Many even received the Russians with great happiness, such as Menaker, the old shoemaker, who jumped up on a Red Army tank, and singing like a victor, rode through the streets of the city. That very day, the same seventy year-old man, with a rifle on his back, came to the well-known Jew-hater, the organizer of the pogroms against the Jews – Timinsky – detained him, and turned him over to the hands of the Russians, who later shot him. The Polish postman, the anti-Semite, who fled the city with the arrival of the Russians, also had a gruesome end. Chasia Kaplan, Shmuel Kaplan's wife, once on a visit, walking in the streets of Lida, immediately recognized the postman, who had murdered the elderly Makov. She called the police, and he was immediately arrested. He was later sentenced to ten years in prison.

[Page 330]

Volkovysk Under the Russians

At the beginning of the Russian regime in Volkovysk, the Russian-German borders resulting from the partition of Poland were only lightly patrolled, and movement from one occupied part of the territory to another was still unencumbered. And indeed, at that time, tens of thousands of Jews crossed the border from the German zone to the Russian side. Volkovysk became a transit point for passage from Poland to the Russian side. It was in this manner that over thirty thousand refugees came through Volkovysk on their way into Russian territory. The residents of the city, paying no heed to their own poor economic circumstances, rendered whatever assistance they possibly could to these refugees. They opened every Bet HaMedrash and synagogue, and every community building for this stream of refugees, and provided them with food and shelter. Every one of the residents of Volkovysk literally divided up their last bite of food for this purpose. These refugees did not remain in the city, but every day new refugees would come to the city. The city hospital took in those among them who were ill, and the overcrowding became very severe in the city. The temporary accommodation for the sick at the hospital overflowed with the sick. All of the city institutions were fully occupied with rendering assistance to these transient refugees. Volkovysk became divided by region. All residences were registered, and where possible, refugees were accommodated there, because there was no more place in the community institutions.

The Jewish population slowly acclimatized itself to the Soviet regime, and to its economic structure, and life normalized itself rather quickly in the city.

Several weeks after the Red Army entered Volkovysk, an order was issued requiring those who chose not to become Soviet citizens, to register for travel back to their former domicile. Many residents of Volkovysk registered themselves at that time. A short time afterwards, a second decree was issued, indicating that those who had registered to decline Soviet citizenship will be sent to Siberia, because the Soviet regime views them as “aliens,” and not loyal to the Soviet government. Among those registered at that time were Yoss'l Ein, Bogomilsky, Meir Slutsky, and others. As it happens, this decree proved to be a boon to thousands of Jews from Poland and Lithuania – it ultimately saved them from certain death.

At the outset, the Russians did not interfere with commerce. Business went on in its usual fashion. Stores remained open, it was only not possible to replenish merchandise with new purchases, but it was permissible do business based on prior existing inventories. In this fashion, the government took over the larger stores a little at a time, under the theme of nationalization. Merchandise was transferred to a central location. Private commerce, under this gradual pressure eventually disappeared almost entirely, and the cooperative form of enterprise took its place.

However, it was not only in the area of commerce that the Soviet influence was felt. Cooperatives were established for almost every walk of life. The doctors were organized into one cooperative. Pharmacies were closed, their medicaments were gathered together in a central government location, where the various pharmacists rotated the work between themselves. A cooperative was formed of all the dentists, a huge dental clinic was established, where the dentists worked for a salary from the government. Residents of the city received free treatment there. It was in this fashion that nearly all professions were nationalized, and Jews got jobs from the government in this way. No anti-Semitism was practiced.

Also, craftsmen were organized in the same way by their trades – such as a tailors' cooperative, one for shoemakers, carpenters, and all other crafts.

[Page 331]

Jewish community life also underwent Sovietization. The movie houses played only Russian movies, and courses were introduced [taught] in the Russian language. The Hebrew Gymnasium and the Tarbut school were turned over to the hands of the government. Instead of Polish, Russian became the language of instruction, and the entire system of education became Russified. The Talmud Torahs and Yeshivas were entirely closed down.

It was in this fashion that the lives of the Jewish populace in Volkovysk quieted down, and the people slowly accustomed themselves to the new set of relationships. Because there no longer was any anti-Semitism in the city, the Jews breathed more freely, and didn't pay attention to their standard of living, to which one slowly, if willingly or not, it was necessary to adapt. The Jews felt more secure about their lives. One did not fear to show oneself in the streets as a Jew, and the fear of Polish anti-Semitism no longer swept over the Jews.

Translator's footnotes:

1. Called Bjaroza-Kartuzskaja on modern maps of Belarus, about 20 km east of Pruzhany. Return
2. Russian name meaning ‘Glory.’ Return
3. Russian for ‘health.’ Return
4. From the Old French for ‘Queen.’ Return
5. It doesn't seem likely that this was an occupation. Rather, this man may have been noted for his dancing ability, and may have performed at various festivities. Return

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