Vasilyevka

The village of Vasilyevka was established in the 1780s. In 1831 Vasilyevka was accorded the status of a town. Jews began to settle in Vasilyevka at the beginning of the 19th century. In 1897 252 Jews lived in the town, comprising 30 percent of the total population. Most Jews made their living from small trade or crafts. By 1939, when the Jewish population had declined to 97, it amounted to only 1.7 percent of the total population. The town was occupied by German troops on October 5, 1941. During that month several dozen local Jews were murdered there. The town was liberated by the Red Army on October 25, 1943.