Kamen

The origins of the Jewish community in the town of Kamen most likely date back to the eighteenth century. In 1926, 426 Jews resided in Kamen, accounting for 80 percent of the total population. Over the next fifteen years, many of Kamen’s Jews, especially the youth, left the town and moved to different cities. The Germans occupied Kamen in July 1941. Only some of Kamen’s Jews were evacuated; others were reluctant to leave the town. The remaining Jews were ordered to register their names and sew a yellow badge on the back of their clothes. They were subsequently sent to harsh manual labor, where they were severely abused and beaten by their guards. They were, nevertheless, allowed to remain in their own homes. On September 17, 1941, all of Kamen’s Jewish inhabitants were shot near the town. The Red Army liberated Kamen in June 1944.