[Page 81]

Surname	First names	Type/branch
AVRAHAM	Haim	Grains
EDELSTEIN	Wilhelm	Furniture
ARONOVICI	Moshe	Fabric
OBERWEGER	Shmuel	Household goods
OSTFELD		Iron
OSTERSETZER		Fruit
ORENSTEIN		Grocery
EIDINGER		Broker
EISENBERG	Isidor	Bank manager
ITSIK	Mendel	Bakery
ITZCOVICI		Household goods
ALTMAN		Transporter
ALTMAN		Plaster, whitewash
ALTMAN		Accountant
ELLENBOGEN	Zoniu	Haberdashery
ALTER	Baruch	Wholesale wines
ALTER	Josef	Wholesale wines
ANDERMAN		Grocery

[Page 82]

Surname	First names	Type/branch	Founded in
ANSCHEL	Leo	Haberdashery
ASPLER	Israel Leib	Tavern
ASCHKENASI		Watchmaker and Jeweler
BOGEN	Eliahu	Fabric
BOGEN	Moshe	Tavern
BOIMAN	Haim	Buttons and Haberdashery
BOLOKSCHENER		Tinsmith
BITTERFELD		Barber
BEINER	Jakov	Stationery and printing
BLAUSTEIN		Tailor
BLUMENFELD		Bread seller
BLUMENFELD	Jakov	Deli
BLEI	Wolf	Upholsterer
BLICKSTEIN		Tinsmith
BESSLER	Berta	Pharmacist
BESSLER	Josef	Butcher shop
BESSLER	Shalom	Accountant
BACAL	Nahum	Grocery
BECKER		Tobacco
BECKER	Hersch	Radio
BECKER	Shaya	Radio
BAER		Tobacco and postage stamps
BRAUNSTEIN		Gravedigger
BARBER	Libuka	Estate owner
BARDICH	Wolf	Tailor
BRUMBERG	Salomon	Shoes
BRUCKER	David	Grocery
BREIER		Beer factory
BREN		Tinsmith
BARAN	Idel	Fabric
BRENDER		Bakery
BERKOVICI		Confectioner/pastries
GOTT		Grains
GOTT	Avraham	Soap manufacturer

[Page 83]

Surname	First names	Type/branch	Founded in
GUTWALD		Tavern
GOTTLIEB		Grains
GOTLIEB	Leizer	Restaurant
GUTMAN	Hinda	Grocery
GOLDHAMMER		Money changer
GOLDENBERG	Yosef Shmil	Soda water manufacturer
GOLDENBERG	Muniu	Electrical goods
GOLDSCHMIDT	Giza	cab owner
GITER		Beer agency
GITER	Wilhelm	Truck transport
GLASER	Bruno	Musician
GLASER	Berke	Tombstones
GLIK	David Leib	Iron
GLUECKMAN	Yosef	Grains
GLUECKMAN	Leon	Fabric
GLUECKMAN	Max	Musician
GENZER		Butcher shop
GEFNER	Benzion	Grocery
GRONICH	Meir	Haberdashery
GROSS		Barber
GROSS	Meir	Kiosk
GROSSMAN		Glazier
GROSSMAN	Sami	Scales repair
GROSSMAN	Karl	Plumber
GROPPER		Fabric
GERTLER	Nahum	Fabric
GARTENLAUB	Anschel	Restaurant and Hotel
GRUENBERG		Tavern
GRUENBERG		Tinsmith
GRUENBERG	Eizik	Soda water manufacturer
GRELLER		Confectioner/pastries
DOHORINCIANU		Shoemaker
DEUTSCH	Baruch	Grocery
DEUTSCH	Norbert	Plumber

[Page 84]

Surname	First names	Type/branch	Founded in
DIAMANT		Soda water manufacturer
DICKMAN		Iron
DICKMAN		Iron
DICKMAN	Itshak	Housewares
DICKMAN	Motel	Clothing
DALFEN		Movie theater
DALFEN	Daniel	Stationery
DENKER	Berl	Bakery
DERMER		Cafe
DERMER		Kiosk
DRAPEL	Hilik	Kiosk
DRAPEL	Mali	Confectioner/pastries
HAUSER	Hersch	Flour
HAUSER	Welvel	Flour
HAUSER	Moshe	Iron
HAUSVATER		Grocery
HAAS	Haim	Wine
HAAS	Jankel	Lumber owner
HAAS	Leibu	Wine
HUBEN		Tavern
HOCH	Ita Leah
HOLDENGRAEBER	Fabel	Fabric
HOLLINGER		Dressmaker
HOPMEIER	Huge	Wool
HOPMEIER	Avraham	Iron
HOPMEIER	Noah	Iron
HURTIG	Leib	Tailor
HURTIG	Mendel	Tinsmith
HUEBNER	Alter	Wine
HUEBNER	Michael	Fabric
HUEBNER	Shimson	Flour
HECHT	Israel	Shoemaking and leather goods
HECHT		Citrus, fruits
HALTER	Shaya	Lumber

[Page 85]

Surname	First names	Type/branch	Founded in
HELTSER	Baruch	Cattle dealer
HELLER		Books and Stationery
HELLER		Socks manufacturer
HERLING	Mendel	Used goods
HERMANN		Wholesale wines
HERMANN		Watchmaker
HERMANN		Grocery and bakery
HERZBERG	Moshe	Tavern
HOERER	Martin	Cosmetics store
WAGNER	Hersch and Mendel	Restaurant and tavern
WAGNER	Feivel	Confectioner/pastries
WAGNER	Shmelke	Tavern
WEIDENFELD	Mendel	Cabinet maker
WEITMAN	Susia	Grains, Flour mill
WEITMAN	Leibush	Grains, Flour mill
WEISBROD	Hersh	Grocery
WINKLER		Scales repair
WALDMAN	Baruch	Shoemaker
WALZER	Litman	Restaurant
WASSERMAN		Flour
WASSERMAN	Michael	Grocery
WASSERMAN	Mordehai	Tavern
WACHS	Jerahmiel	Stationery
VIJNITSER	Natan Neta	Fabric
WEIDENFELD	Eliahu	Fish
WEIDENFELD	Susia	Paint
WEIDENFELD	Feivel	Eggs
WEIN		Blankets
WEINBERGER	Ani	Women's fashions
WEINGARTEN		Pharmacy
WEINTRAUB	Itzik	Soda water manufacturer
WEINER	Anna	Stationery, books
WEISSBERG	Bezalel	Religious items
WEISSLER		Shoes

[Page 86]

Surname	First names	Type/branch	Founded in
WEISSMAN	Jakob	Tavern
WINTER	Meir	Grains
WASSER		Nuts
WECHSLER	Moritz	Clothing
SOMMER		Soda water manufacturer
SIBNER	Aba	Grocery
SILBER	Gavriel	Glazier
SINGER	Baruch	watchmaker
SINGER	Jakov	Grocery
SINGER	Moshe	Shoes
SLOTCHOVER	Baruch	Tavern
SALZMAN		Fabric
SANDBERG	Mendel	Dairy products
HAIMOVICI		House painter
HASKALOVICI		House painter
HASKALOVICI		Watchmaker
TENNENBAUM	Avraham Aron	Tobacco
TENNENHAUS	Avraham	Household and used goods
TENNENHAUS	Israel	Fabric
TENNENHAUS	Itse	Wines
TENNENHAUS	Idel	Shoes
TENNENHAUS	Marcus	Grocery
TENNENHAUS	Moshe Idel	Used goods
TEPPER		Cattle dealer
TRAUNER		Tailor
TRUPP	Simon	Landlord
TARTER	Josef	Grocery
JAEGER		Tavern
JOCHEN		Cafe
JANKU		Fruit
ISRAEL		Tailor
KOHN		Sausage seller
KOHN	Simon	Fish preserves
KASVAN		Fabric

[Page 87]

Surname	First names	Type/branch	Founded in
LAUER	Pinhas	Tailor
LAUER	Babi	Flowers
LOEBEL		Grocery
LADEN		Confectioner/pastries
LEDERMAN	Shalom	Dairy products
LUPU	Fishel	Estate owner
LAZAROVICI		Tailor
LAZAROVICI		Tailor
LEIBOVICI		Pretzel seller
LEINBURD	Nahum	Fabric
LICHTENBAUM		Seamstress
LIKVORNIK	Shlomo	Grains
LECHNER		Tinsmith
LECHNER	Adolf	Grocery
LANGER	Shaya	Iron
LANDAU	David	Fabric
LANDAU		Saddler; cobbler
LESNER	Mendel	Grains
LACHS	David	Grocery
LERNER		Bakery
LERNER	Jacov	Sugar manufacturer
LERNER	Klara	Seamstress
MEIR	(brothers)	wagon owner
MECHLOVICI		Grocery
MICHALOVICI	Gershon	Fabric
MELZER	Itsik	Pretzel seller
MELLER	Haskel	Grains
MESSING		Tavern
MAKITRA		Traveling salesman
MARGEL		Pretzel seller
MERDINGER	Josef	Delivery; transport
MERDINGER	Sami	Delivery; transport
MERLAUB	Bibi	Tavern
MERLAUB	Leibutza	Cattle dealer
MERLING	Chaim	Grocery

[Page 88]

Surname	First names	Type/branch	Founded in
MERLING	Moshe	Delivery; transport
NOSSIG		Painter
SALDINGER		Pottery
SALTER		Grocery
SALPETER		Paint
SMOTRICI		Haberdashery
VOGEL		Cafe
POLAK	Max	Fashion, shoes
POPIK	Moshe	Shoemaker
FUCHS	Benzion and sons	Grocery
FUCHS	Daniel and Hersch	Grocery
FUCHS		Dairy products
FUCHS		Grains
FUHRER		Tavern
FUHRER		Seamstress
FUHRER		Grocery
FUHRER	Avraham	Grains
FUHRER	Mendel	Dairy products
FUHRER	Max	Hotel
PISEM	Meir	Flour mill
FEIGENBAUM	Itsik	Butcher shop
FISCHLER		Cattle dealer
FISCHLER	Neta	Cattle dealer
FISCHLER	Rosa	Women's clothing
FLIGMAN	Malzi	Vegetables
FELIG		cab owner
FELIG	Mendel	Drugstore
FALIK	Josef	Restaurant
FALLENBAUM		Watchmaker
FALLENBAUM	Salman	Fabric
FALLENBAUM	Meir	Fabric
PELZ	Ludwig	Tombstones
FELLER		Tinsmith
FELLER		Transport, hauling

[Page 89]

Surname	First names	Type/branch	Founded in
FREIBERG		Barber
FREIER	Shlomo	Used household goods
FRUELING	Henzel	Grocery
FRENKEL	Benzion	Liquor
FRENKEL	Baruch	Grocery
FRENKEL	Leo	Haberdashery
FRENKEL	Meir	Liquor
ZWIEBEL	Avraham	Candy manufacturer
ZWIEBEL	Kopel	Candy manufacturer
ZWECKER	Heinrich	Haberdashery
ZWERLING	Shimshon	Socks manufacturer
ZIMBLER	Muniu	Stationery and musical instruments
ZIERING		Lingerie and underwear
KAHAN		Cafe
KUBERT		Bakery
KOLBER		Soda water manufacturer
KOLBER	Arnold	Grocery
KOSTINER	Nehemia	Grains
KOSTINER	Shlomo	Grains
KOSTINER	Shlomo	Tavern
KIMMEL	Jehiel	Grains
KIRMEIER		Cafe
KLIGER	Benzion	Watchmaker
KLIGER	Selig	Flour mill
KLEIN		Milliner
KLIER		Kiosk
KLIFFER		Grains
KLAR		Blankets
KAMFER	Avraham Aryeh (Zoniu)	Leather shop
KNOBLER	Avraham	Grocery
KOENIG	Berl	Tavern
KREISEL		Butcher shop
KRELL	Machla	Grocery
KRAMS		Carpenter

[Page 90]

Surname	First names	Type/branch	Founded in
KRAEMER	Haim	Grocery
KRAEMER	Haim	Fabric
KERN	Bernhardt	Shoes
KERN	Sender	Shoes
KOERNER	Moshe Wolf	Leather
RAUCH	Berl	Iron
RAUCH	Shaike	Radio repairman
REDLICH		Haberdashery
RUDICH		Lime
RUDICH		Bath attendant
RUDICH		Spinning mill
RUDICH	Berl	Grains
RUDICH	Selig	Grains
RUDICH	Yente	Grocery
RUDICH	Moshe	wagon owner
ROSENBLATT	Hersch, Leib	Grains
ROSENBLATT	Reuven	Tailor
ROSENBERG		Tobacco and stamps
ROSENBERG		Furniture carpenter
ROSENBERG		Soap manufacturer
ROSENBERG	Isiu	Lottery and printing
ROSENHECK	Sali	Haberdashery
ROSENFELD		Eggs
ROSENZWEIG		Tailor
ROSNER		Egg preservation
ROSNER	Josef	Lumber
ROSNER	Simcha	Grains
ROSENSTEIN	Yosef, Haim	Grocery
ROSENSTEIN	Meir	Fabric
ROT	Sali	Milliner
ROTKOPF	Eisik	Lingerie
ROTSTEIN		Seamstress
RUM	Haskel	Tavern
RONES		Eggs and movie theater

[Page 91]

Surname	First names	Type/branch	Founded in
RUCKENSTEIN		Cattle dealer
RUCKENSTEIN	Baruch-Shalom	Grains
ROHRLICH	Hersch	Transport, delivery
ROHRLICH	Josef	Kiosk
RIBNER	Haim Ira	Bakery
REICHER	Usher	Tavern
REICHER	Yaakov	Leather
REIF	Haim	Tavern
REIF	Josef	Grocery
RACHMUT		Grocery
RACHMUT	Leizer	Flour mill
RACHMUT	Itzik	Grains
RAMER	Natan (and son Siegfried)	Deli and restaurant
SCHAUER		Laundry and dry cleaning
SCHAUER	Moshe	Electrical goods
SCHAUER	Natan	Laundry and dry cleaning
SCHWARZ		Tailor
SCHWARZ		Tinsmith
SCHWARZ	Welvel	Fabric
SCHWARZ	Yoel David	Fish
SCHWARZ	Meir	Fabric
SCHWARZ	Melech	Tinsmith
SCHWARZ	Zisa	Grocery
SCHULZ		Tailor
SCHUZMAN		Tailor
STURM		Tailor
STETTNER	Simcha	Shoemaking and leather
STEIN		Butcher shop
STEIN		Spinning mill
STEIN	Michael	Fabric printing
STROMINGER	David	Tailor
STROMINGER	Hersh Leib	Carpenter
STROMINGER	Haim Srul	Carpenter
STROMINGER	Loniu	Tailor
STERNBERG		Grains

[Page 92]

Surname	First names	Type/branch	Founded in
STERNLIEB	Tuvia	Leather
STERNLIEB	Moshe	Leather
STERNLIEB	Pini	Leather and tanning
STERNLIEB	Reuven	Leather
STERNLIEB	Shlomo	Leather
STERNLIEB	Shimon Leib	Leather
SCHIEBER	Mendel	Clothing
SCHEINDEL	Avraham	Fabric
SCHIFFER	Gusta	Household utensils
SCHAECHTER		Leather
SCHAECHTER	Aharon	Grocery
SCHLOIM	Julius	Truck owner
SCHLOIM		Bakery
SCHLOIM	Jehiel	Furrier
SCHALIT		Painter
SCHLAEFER	Isidor	Trees
SCHLAEFER	Moshke	Trees
SCHMELZER	Bonia	Tavern
SCHMELZER	Janku	Fabric
SCHMERZLER		Kiosk
SPIEGEL		Tailor
SPIEGEL		Candies
SPIELMAN	Haim	Carpenter
SCHAPIRA		Grocery
SCHAPIRA	Abisch	Traveling salesman
SCHAPIRA	Itsik Hersh	Shoemaking and leather
SCHAPIRA	Benjamin	Grocery
SCHAPIRA	Wolf	Tavern
SCHAPIRA	Tuzel	Fabric
SCHAPIRA	Nahman	Tavern
SCHAPIRA	Srul	Tavern
SCHAPIRA	Shlomo	Traveling salesman
SHAPSA		Laundry and dry cleaning

[Page 93]

Surname	First names	Type/branch	Founded in
SPERBER		Tavern
SPERBER	Aharon Leib	Clothing
SPERBER	Hersch	Estate owner
SCHAFRAN	Mordehai , Leib	Restaurant
SCHERZER		Tailor
SCHERZER		Bath attendant
SCHERZER	Fatske	Furniture carpenter

Surname	First names	Type/branch
BRILLANT		Pharmacy
BERNTHAL	David	Bakery
BERNTHAL	Feivel	Store
TILLINGER		Store
WALD		Tailor
LUPOVICI		Wagon driver
MERLAUB		Merchant
HERMANN	Peretz	Department store
ZOLLINGER		Store
KOLBER		Factory
ROSENFELD		Tavern
RUCKENSTEIN		Kiosk
ROESSLER	Jacob	Leather goods factory
RAKOVER		Store in the train station
SCHULZER		Shoemaker
SCHULZER		Tailor
STROMINGER	Berl	Factory
SCHAECHTER		Ritual slaughterer
SCHLAEFER		Store

[Page 94]

Surname	First names	Type/branch
AVERBUCH	Yehoshua	Journalist
AVERBUCH	Josef	Grocery
ABRAMOVICI	Nisan	Butcher shop
OSTRIOL		Bakery
EIDINGER		Grocery
ANSCHELSOHN	Yehuda	Leather factory
EFFERMANN		Grocery
ARONOVICI		Fabric
BLEIMANN	Moshe-Chaim	Haberdashery
BRUEGER	David	Bakery
BRILL	Josef	Candle manufacturer
BARASCH	Josef	Lumber
GRUENBERG	Zalik	Cantor
GRUENBERG	Schimon	Accountant
HOROWITZ		Wines
HALPERIN	Zwi	Fabric
HERSHCOVICI	Duge	Flour
HERSHCOVICI	Mendel	Tavern
WOLF	Josef	Flour
WECHSLER	Reuven	Tavern
SELIG		Store
SELZER		Store
TINARD		Grocery
TREISTER	Zwi	Fabric
IEPURE	Hermann	Movie theater owner
IEPURE	Marcel	Movie theater owner
IEPURE	Izu	Shoe supplies
LUPOVICI	Avram	Bakery
LUPOVICI	Idel	Tavern
LAZAROVICI	Meir	Dairy farm
LITMANN	Ahron	Meat
MEIROVICI		Jewelry and watches

[Page 95]

Surname	First names	Type/branch
MANASH	Avram	Shoe supplies
MANASH	Eli	Shoe supplies
MANASH	Jancu	Shoe supplies
MANASH	Moshe	Accountant
MARILUS	Shalom	Lumber
NACHMANOVICI	Zigu	Accountant
SEGAL	Hermann	Poultry exporter
SEGAL	Josef	Grocery
SEGAL	Leopold	Haberdashery
SEGAL	Moshe	Fabric
PIZEM	Moshe	Flour mill
FISCHEL	Shlomo	Meat
ZIGELNIK		Grocery
CERNAUTZEANU		Haberdashery
KAUFMANN	Shlomo	Tavern
CURELARU	Itzik	Grocery
KANDEL	David	Fabric
KANDEL	Moshe	Clothing supplies
KANDEL	Zwi	Fabric
RAUSER	Marcel	Insurance agent
RABINOVICI	Itzik	Accountant
ROSNER	Shlomo	Lumber
RIEGLER	Chaim	Bakery
RAPAPORT	Pincu	Fabric
SHIMINITZ	Simcha	Grocery

[Page 96]

In the summer of 1940, the Red Army entered Bucovina and Bessarabia. The Romanian army retreated from these areas without a fight. The antisemitic incitement before the withdrawal; the presence in the ranks of the Romanian army of Cuza and Codreanu people; the hatred and frustration, all led to the brutal murder of Jews. The atrocities did not pass over the Jews of Schotz and especially the Jews of the surrounding area.

In July 1940, in the village of Gurani, Moshe Rudich was shot in his farmyard by a retreating Romanian soldier. Local Fascists, lead by a priest named Hotinciano took over the house and the farm and did not even let the widow take some personal possessions.

In Comăneşti, Rabbi Leib Schaechter and his two sons were shot after they were severely tortured and their bodies thrown under a bridge on the outskirts of the village. The Rabbi's wife was shot dead on Friday evening in her home while lighting Shabbat candles. The Suessman brothers who were traveling to report to their military units were shot dead and their bodies were thrown off the speeding train. Shloime Merdler was killed by a soldier who bayoneted him in the back of his neck.

In the village of Costîna, a Jewish family welcomed the withdrawn soldiers, handed out bread, cakes and cigarettes, but in exchange for the good treatment, 18 soldiers, led by their commander, stabbed the landlord, Sucher Laks with their bayonets. His body was tied to a horse, dragged about 3 km through the village streets and used for target practice. The corpse was found in a forest near the village, riddled with 20 bullets.

A terrible atrocity took place in the village of Zahareşti, where only one Jew lived. A military unit, the 86^th Infantry Brigade, arrived in its retreat from northern Bucovina. Its commander, Major Valeriu Carp, a Jew-bloodthirsty sadist who began his exploits back in the Strozhinz area, where his soldiers killed Jews they met along the way. He was not satisfied with the one Jew in the place and ordered the gathering of a larger group of Jews from the surrounding area. Jews from Ilieşti, Vornychany, Voykova and Bănila

[Page 97]

were collected, including Leib Stekel, Ira Lupovici, Nutza Druckman, Heller, Bartfeld, Herrer and more, a total of 36 men and one woman. They were all brutally tortured. Some had fingers, ears, and tongues cut off while still alive. The victims were arranged on the edge of a pit and a firing squad opened fire on them, knocking them into the pit. Some were already dead and others still alive. The cruel commander also ordered two Jewish soldiers, Freddy Dermer of Suceava, and another from Burdujeni, to be included in the firing squad. Karp's daughter also took part in the massacre and shot at hapless victims. The sadist's exploits ended with his order to throw a horse's carcass on top of their bodies. The martyrs were brought to Jewish burial tomb in January 1941 in the Schotz cemetery (see photo). Avraham Lupovici of Burdujeni, whose brother Ira was among the victims, was very active in the operation to bring the dead/fallen to Jewish burial. Ira Lupovici was the father of Shiko Lupovici, an activist in the Zionist Youth after the war.

Tombstone of the martyrs murdered in Zahareşti

[Page 98]

accompanied by a peasant from the village, broke into Shmil Geller's house, killed him and his wife Sali, as well as Leib Ellenbogen, who was staying with them, and dumped the bodies into a creek near the village. These bodies were later buried in the cemetery in Schotz. In the village of Goeşti, M. Huebner, his wife, son Yosef and four grandchildren were murdered by soldiers and local residents. The Wasserman brothers from Granitzni were murdered along with their nephew, who by chance was visiting them. And Nathan Sommer was murdered in Luizi Humorului.

The Jewish reservists who were traveling to report to their units were beaten and thrown from the trains. On July 4, 1940, 19 Jews were thrown from a speeding train between Dărmăneşti and Iţcani stations. The corpses were scattered along the railway tracks. The Suceava Community, headed by Dr. Meir Teich, took on the burden of secretly collecting the bodies and bringing them to Jewish burial.

Jews from the Suceava and Burdujeni communities were called upon to support 110 destitute Jews who were housed in sub-conditions in two rooms at the train station in Burdujeni. These Jews were supposed to cross the border into the Soviet Union according to the agreement, allowing their return. Many of them were killed when they were secretly transported at night through minefields or shot by the Soviet or Romanian border guards. In February 1941, 58 of them who survived were transferred to the Targo Zhiv camp.

In March 1941, Gustav Richter arrived in Romania on behalf of Adolf Eichmann as an adviser to the Romanian government on Jewish affairs. On June 6, 1941, Hitler (may his name be blotted out) ordered Romanian dictator Ion Antonescu to resolve the Jewish problem. On October 8, 1941, a secret meeting was held in the Prefecture of Suceava in the presence of a German SS officer, presenting the order from Bucharest by Ion Antonescu for the expulsion of the Jews.

The chairman of the Suceava Community, Dr. Meir Teich, was called by the District Commissioner (Prefect) at 6 a.m. on October 9, 1941, to inform him of the deportation order. The order is also intended to intimidate the population by threatening to shoot anyone showing any signs of objection to the order, or anyone attempting to transfer ownership or property to Christians. After the Romanian and German army entered northern Bucovina and Bessarabia; according to Romanian Gendarmerie statistics, 118,847 Jews were deported. According to the Germans, the number of deportees, in the fall of 1942, reached 185,000, and according to the Romanians, 150,000.

The Jews of Southern Bucovina, including those from Suceava, Iţcani and Burdujeni, were ordered to prepare

[Page 99]

for deportation. Panic broke out among the Jews when they were notified about the deportation order by leaflets and drum thumping. Some family heads were absent from the city or were held hostage, and many had no money to buy food for even a day. All the funds held by the community were distributed among the poor. Before their departure, the deportees had to hand over all their valuables to the National Bank representative. In return, they received sums that had no relation to their true value. Contrary to the order and warning regarding the expected punishment, the Deputy District Commander, the military police chief, the police chief and the district officials received many objects for safekeeping.

Dr. Meir Teich asked to deposit the community archive and the residents' registry, but Port, the Armenian clerk replied: “You no longer need civilian certificates. You won't be returning here, and there you won't have much time for certificates.” Although the authorities granted his request to allow the sick, elderly and disabled to remain in the city, Colonel Zamfirescu also ordered them deported, saying: “I don't want any memory of the Jews left in the city.” He also tried to send the women who were married to Christians to the train, but the governor of Bucovina opposed their deportation. Thus, several Jewish women who intermarried remained, most of them childless, such as Hoffmann-Kinel, Bănăţeanu-Schläfer, Spurny-Kaufmann, Doroftei-Parola, Lechner-Litwinkevici. There was also one family in the province who intermarried, in Bosanci and Sf. Ilie.

The deportees' assets were sold at auction as abandoned properties by the Nationalization Center in the presence of officials from the district headquarters and the court. On October 9, 1941, the Jewish population was informed that they should report to the Burdujeni train station to prepare for the deportation. The Jews from Iţcani and Burdujeni were also ordered to report to the station.

The city was divided into three parts and announced that the deportation would take place over three days: on October 9, 10 and 11. Of the exiled souls, 3253 were from Suceava, to which were added those expelled in June 1940 from towns surrounding Suceava, and another 1634 expelled from Burdujeni. All that one was allowed, as hand luggage was warm clothing and food. At the time, the Jew Yitzchak (Itcha) Tennenhaus was admitted to the Hospital in Suceava in the Infectious Diseases ward with a diagnosis

[Page 100]

of typhus (Salmonella). Although his removal from the Infectious Diseases ward could also endanger the Christian population and the army, the hospital's director, Dr. Traian Bona, authorized him to be “released” to be deported along with the others. Also, the amputee, teamster Meyer, who suffered gangrene on the other leg, was not operated on and was also sent to share his fate with the others. Although the family took the trouble of having a Christian neighbor, also an amputee, look after him in the last days of his life, police officer Poruch brought him to the station. He died on the train en route to Czernowitz and his body was handed over to the Jewish community there for Jewish burial. The Jews were crammed into cattle cars, 40-50 people in each car. As the train moved out, German officers filmed the outgoing transport.

Shortly after the deportation, Mayor Ianu called a public meeting, in which he praised the expulsion, and praised the Germans and Antonescu. He expressed his gratitude for the city getting rid of the Jews. For his adherence to the mission, Hitler awarded him the Black Eagle Medal of Merit, and former Mayor Jauca said after the expulsion: “Finally, Suceava is free of Jews.” In the first two shipments, the deportees were robbed along the way by the soldiers and military policemen who escorted them, and some of them were even shot dead.

Those who were expelled on the first day particularly suffered, mostly from Iţcani and suburbs of Suceava, the poorest. They did not manage to plan ahead and paid for it with their lives. In one case, several Jews sank into the swamps. Adv. Speerer asked the gendarmes to let others help them and the elderly and the children, but he was shot dead in front of everyone. Most were sent across the Bug River and by spring 1942, many were shot by the Germans and Romanians, among them the H.L. Klueger family, Klueger, Leibovici, Tillinger and M. Hernis. Nearly 90% died because of typhus, starvation or froze to death. The third transport was better organized thanks to the commanders who accompanied it. The last chairman of the Jewish Community, Dr. Meir Teich was on this transport.

Some relate that it was suggested to him to go to Bucharest and be saved from deportation, but he refused. He himself claimed the authorities agreed he would stay for some time to deal with some complicated problems, but he preferred to share the fate of his family and community. Nevertheless, he was assured that he could leave his son Alexander Gideon, who was recovering in hospital from a serious illness, and then be sent to friends in Bucharest. This was eventually thwarted by Colonel Petre Zamfirescu. Dr. M. Teich's son died on August 15, 1943, in Shargorod at the age of 20, and his mother committed suicide. They were buried in the same coffin.

Zamfirescu decreed that everyone, including the sick and mentally ill, be deported. When Dr. M. Teich argued with him and claimed that infectious diseases would also endanger the population living along the route,

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Zamfirescu declared: “There will not be a trace of any Jew left.” After the war, in a trial held at the People's Court in 1945, the case was closed. Dr. M. Teich demanded a re-examination in the Court of Appeals. The last hearing took place only in 1949. He was sentenced to life in prison with hard labor.

The third transport arrived at the Volcineţ station on the evening of October 12, a half-hour from Ataky on the Dniester [River]. There they learned from a railway worker that the previous transports had been robbed on arrival in Ataky, and those who resisted were shot dead. Since the risk of robbery increased at night, Dr. Avraham Reicher, who along with Dr. M. Teich headed the transport, organized a bribe that helped keep them there overnight.

The deportees were removed from the cars that were moved onto a side-track; the soldiers beating them with batons and rifle butts. Heavy rains fell, the baggage was ruined and had to be thrown away. In the end, they got carts to transport the people and the rest of the baggage to Ataky. Some deportees became demented along the way, and some of the sick died. In Ataky they were housed in the ruined houses in the former Jewish quarter and on the walls found inscriptions such as “You who follow us, say Kaddish for the souls (Somebody and Somebody) who died in the sanctification of the Name”, or “This is where Somebody was murdered with all his family members.” Shlomo Brumberg and Yeshayahu Langer died in Ataky and were buried on the edge of the Dniester.

Community leaders got permission for Suceava Jews to remain in Ataky for a while. Many lay outdoors, while others huddled in the ruins. The peasants offered them bread and milk at exorbitant prices that most of them could not pay. In that time, they met with the leaders of communities expelled from other cities in Bucovina, and heard from them about the fate of the Jews who preceded them. One of the community leaders, Dr. A. Reicher, was granted permission to go to Mogilev and there prepare a place for the deportees. The next day, he returned with a promise, bought with money, that the deportees would be housed in places near Mogilev.

Before leaving for Mogilev, they had to convert their Romanian money into Rubles. One Ruble was exchanged for 40 Lei but after arriving in Mogilev, they exchange a Ruble for 6-8 Lei. Finally, they exchanged Rubles to Marks, 40 Rubles per Mark. Afterward, all their money was almost entirely lost. Some Romanian money was hidden by the deportees, thinking that in Transnistria they could convert it at a higher rate, and indeed, so it was. Before they left, they were carefully searched, and the officers took all the jewelry and money they found for themselves. Some was given to the policemen. When the inspection ended, the men were transferred to rafts on the Dniester River. The soldiers kept robbing the deportees by threatening them to push them into the water if they resisted.

When they arrived in Mogilev, they were placed in a separate building. The sick and dying were hospitalized in an old-age home.

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The Suceava Jews collected money from what they had managed to hide for this purpose. Five people took it upon themselves to manage the institution. Assisted by bribes, a license was obtained for transferring 500 of the deportees from Suceava and 400 from Kimpolung to Shargorod, about 40 km northeast of Mogilev. 40 carts were hired for this purpose. In exchange for a bribe, the Germans made a number of trucks available to the deportees for transporting the baggage to the designated destinations until the people arrived.

Several young men from Suceava (Wilhelm Giter, Bibi Weitman and Max Glueckman) traveled with the trucks to guard the baggage until the convoys arrived and unloaded them. Before the trip, Officer Iliuţă went wild and began firing his pistol. In the commotion that erupted following this act, 800 people infiltrated onto the wagons instead of the 500 agreed upon. In 1945, in a trial against Mogilev's war criminals, Iliuţă was sentenced to 15 years in prison with hard labor. It took three days to travel the distance to Shargorod, where they remained until liberation.

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