Zenkov

The earliest reference to the presence of Jews in Zenkov dates to the early 17th century. By the end of the 19th century, the town was home to 1,263 Jews, who made up 12.1 percent of its total population. About a third of the local Jews worked in agriculture, while the rest were artisans, employees in small industrial enterprises, or service providers. In June 1919, a pogrom took place in the area, claiming the lives of more than 500 local Jews. In 1926, Zenkov had 603 Jewish residents, who comprised 5.6 percent of the total population. Zenkov was occupied by German troops on October 9, 1941. According to some sources, on January 18, 1942 four Jewish families were shot in Zenkov by the German 303rd Police Battalion. Later that same month, according to German reports, 280 Jews were murdered in Zenkov and Gadyach. The town was liberated by the Red Army on September 6, 1943.