Yasen

In 1926 Yasen had 295 Jews, who comprised 42.1 percent of the total population. The Jews made their living from agriculture and crafts. A Yiddish school began operating in the town in the mid-1920s. By January 1939 the number of Jews had dropped to 119 or 12.4 percent of the population. After the outbreak of World War II several refugees from Poland sought refuge in Yasen. During the first days of the war some Jewish families succeeded in fleeing to the Soviet interior. Yasen was occupied by the Germans at the end of June 1941. Jews were forced to wear a yellow identification badge and were taken for forced labor. Apparently in January, Jews of Yasen were imprisoned in several houses and a ghetto was established. At the end of February or the beginning of March 1942 all the Jews of Yasen were murdered. Yasen was liberated by the Red Army on June 29, 1944.