Krasnoarmeyskoye

Krasnoarmeyskoye was established in 1875 as the village of Grishino. In the early 20th Century, the Jewish community of Grishino numbered 227 members, who made up about 9 percent of the total population. Jews ran many of the local businesses; some of them made their living from small-scale trade and artisanship, while others were significantly involved in the mining industry in the region. The Jewish community built a synagogue, which would be closed down by the Soviet authorities in 1923. During the Russian Civil War, the Jewish population experienced several pogroms. In 1934, the town was renamed Postyshevo; in 1938, its name was changed to Krasnoarmeyskoye. In 1939, the town was home to 1,366 Jews, who made up 4.6 percent of the total population. Krasnoarmeyskoye was occupied by the Germans on October 19, 1941. A number of Jews had apparently managed to flee into the Soviet interior before the onset of the occupation. The remaining Jews were murdered in midwinter 1942. In February 1943, Krasnoarmeyskoye was liberated, and then reoccupied. On September 7, 1943, the town was liberated for good by Red Army troops. In the years 1964–2016, it was known as Krasnoarmeysk, and was then renamed Pokrovsk.