Jews killed in Kholmech in August 1941

According to a document from the Extraordinary Soviet State Commission, received from Yad Vashem in March 2002, 20 males and 21 females were "massacred and killed" in Kholmech, and 52 men and 22 women were taken away for work in Germany. This is the first document seen so far that mentions or records people "taken away."

All names with "year-of-birth" next to them come from the "Commission" list; most of the bracketed information derives from the "Memory" list, as well as the names without dates. Where no bracketed information appears, the lists overlap perfectly.

This page has a black background, and red letters to honor the memories of the dead

[On the "Memory" list, this reference can be found: "(the Surname and names are unknown) the Jewish family (the husband and the wife)." This unnamed couple may be the following couple named only on the "Commission" list]

Surname	Given name	Patronymic	Year of birth
Bagdan	Ginda	Zalman	1877
Bagdan	Yurka	Abram	1877

[The "Memory" list and the "Commission" list both mention the names below]

Fishkin	Khasia	Itska	1890
Fishkin	Ruman	Yankel	1893
Fishkin	Berka	Ruman	1920
Fishkin	Abram	Ruman	1925
Fishkin	Meer	Ruman	1930
Fishkin	Khana	Ruman	1932

[The "Memory" list mentions "GORAVAYA Khana together with two children" If Khana is the same as Khaaia below, "Nota" is probably her husband. However, the "Commission" list below makes no reference to the two children]

Gorovoi [Goravi]	Nota	Khaim	1900
Gorovoi	Khaia		1889

[The reference below appears only in the "Memory" list. A recent document received from Yad Vashem contained testimony before the Extraordinary Soviet State Commission. The testimony is of a man from Kholmech who described how two German soldiers took away a Jewish family named "Gordin" who had been living in his house. He testifies that they were then shot. It is not absolutely clear whether this testimony refers to the massacre in Kholmech or in Rechitsa.]

Gordin

Itska, together with parents

[The names below represent two family groups mentioned on the "Memory" list as: "KAGANOVICH Zalkun together with the wife and four children" and "KAGANOVICH Khaim together with the wife, daughter Sonya and the sister," but it isn't clear how the groups divide in the "Commission" list below, and the name of one child is missing. "Abram Zalman, 1935" was counted twice on the "Commission" list, so one reference to him has been deleted below.]

Kaganovich	Zalman [Zalkun]	Naftali	1900
Kaganovich	Sara	Essel	1903
Kaganovich	Khaia	Zalman	1925
Kaganovich	Abram	Zalman	1935
Kaganovich	Alta	Itska	1894
Kaganovich	Khaim	Leiba	1895
Kaganovich	Sara [Sonya]	Khaim	1924
Kaganovich	Sara [Sonya]	Leiba	1901
Kaganovich	Khaia	Zalman	1925

[The following two names are mentioned only on the "Commission" list]

Krupetskii	Esel	Zalman	1835
Levitskii	Leia	Itska	1880

[The "Memory" list mentions "PUGACH Benya together with the wife and four children." Is "Benya" a diminutive form of a name below on the "Commission" list? If so, one child's name is missing].

Pugach	Ito	Khaim	1900
Pugach	Elia	Nokhem	1900
Pugach	Leia	Elia	1927
Pugach	Nokhem	Isar	1870
Pugach	Leia	Srol	1889

[On the "Memory" list there were three family groups of Spevak: "SPEVAK Esel together with parents," "SPEVAK Isak together with the wife," "SPEVAK Meyer together with the wife." In the names that follow on the "Commission" list, it is not clear how the groups divide, and one name is missing]

Spevak	Matvei	Abram	1883
Spevak	Isaak	Matvei	1921
Spevak	Abram	Iosel	1870
Spevak	Mera	Khaim	1880
Spevak	Khasia	Esel	1881
Spevak	Perla	Esel	1877

[On the "Memory" list, there is a reference to a "VILENSKI Avram Isakovich." Either this head-of-family" is one and the same as the "Abram Vilenskii" below or he is an additional victim. Also: On the "Memory list, the son's name is given as "Jakov." This individual is either the same as the "Isaak Abram" below or is an additional victim]

Vilenskii	Abram	Leiba [Isakovich?]	1890
Vilenskii	Mera	Yuda	1897
Vilenskii	Doba	Abram	1913
Vilenskii	Isaak	Abram [The other list gives the name as “Jakov”]	1930

[The following references are made only on the "Memory" list]

Frenkel	Raïka, and Kiva (surname unknown) and the five children
(the Surname is unknown)	Brokha
(the Surname is unknown)	Leyba
(the Surname is unknown)	Perla

Jews killed in Kholmech in August 1941

contributed by Bill Schechter and Albert Kagnovitch