Murder Story of Roslavl Jews at the Roslavl Jewish Cemetery

...During the offensive [of the Red Army], I happened to visit my native town. That is the town of Roslavl in the Smolensk District. When we were about 100 kilometers from there, one of our commanders told me that our unit was headed in the direction of Roslavl. I was overjoyed to learn that I would have the chance to visit my native town, see my house, and visit my relatives. However, when I arrived there, my joy turned to ashes. I failed to recognize my town: The fascist monsters had burned it down. Our house was gone, and there was no other structure left standing nearby. After spending some time by the ashes of the place where my relatives used to live, I left. On the outskirts of the town, I met a neighbor. She told me how, in late September 1941, the Hitlerite bandits had driven some 600 people to a field that was fenced off with barbed wire, outside of town. My relatives were among those taken. The victims, who were all suffering from starvation, were forced to dig pits, and then shot. She told me how the 8-year-old son of our neighbor Dobin had begged the murderers to spare his life, saying: “Kind sirs, don’t shoot me. I want to live.” But the bloodthirsty Hitlerite beasts kicked him into the pit and buried him alive. Before shooting them, they ordered everyone to undress and took their clothes....