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Jews killed in Kholmech in August 1941

contributed by Bill Schechter and Albert Kagnovitch

The following names come from two lists: A memorial book published in Belarus in the 1990's called Memory and from the materials of the Soviet State Extraordinary Commission of 1944.  On the former list there are 53 individuals mentioned, some by name. On the latter, 37 individuals are mentioned, all by name. There is considerable, but not a perfect, overlap between the two lists. Each list contains references not found on the other.  If the two lists are cross-referenced and collated, the number of victims recorded might rise as high as 63.

One eyewitness interviewed in Kholmech during the summer of 2001 believed that this total represents, more or less, a complete accounting. Another eyewitness stated that at least two hundred Jews were shot. However, both eyewitnesses were only 10-to 12-years old at the time.

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    

Further details about the shtetl and what happened there in August 1941 can be found at KehilaLinks' Kholmech website. See also “A Happy Ending” and “Family Secret (A Happy Ending, Part 2)”, the poignant story of Bill Schechter's discovery, search and location of long-lost relatives.


© 2001 Belarus SIG