Novo Kovno

Novo-Kovno was a Jewish agricultural colony founded in 1849 by Jews from Kovno (today Kaunas) in Lithuania. In 1897 796 Jews lived in the colony, comprising 85.8 percent of the total population. Most Novo-Kovno Jews worked in agriculture. In 1926 673 Jews lived in Novo-Kovno, comprising 84.5 percent of the total population. In the 1930s Novo-Kovno became the center of the rural council of the Stalindorf Ethnic Jewish County. In the early 1930s the kolkhoz “Royter Armeer” (Red Army soldier) was established in the village. In the 1930s also Novo-Kovno had a Yiddish-language five-year school. German troops occupied Novo-Kovno on August 18, 1941. Before the arrival of the Germans a local Jewish kolkhoz chairman organized the successful evacuation of villagers, along with their rolling stock; thus, the majority of the local Jews left in time. About 60 Jews who remained in Novo-Kovno were murdered, together with Jews from Novo-Vitebsk, near the village of Novo-Podolsk on May 2, 1942. Novo-Kovno was liberated by the Red Army on February 6, 1944.