Murder story of Beshenkovichi Jews in the Strelka Forest

... I am a local resident. During the Great Patriotic War my family lived in the settlement of Strelka. Before the war many Jews lived there, like in Beshenkovichi…. On February 12, 1942 the commandant announced that the annihilation of the Jews was to take place. He ordered carts to be collected. The previous day prisoners (30 of them) were ordered to dig a pit. The Jews saw this…. But no one left. Everyone awaited their fate. On the morning of February 12 over 800 people were driven across the [Zapadnaya] Dvina River. The guard contingent was small (approximately 16 men). Anyone who tried to escape was shot. Before my eyes a grey-haired old man ran and succeeded in saving himself. Before the first shot the victims were forced to strip to their underwear. A person began speaking to the Jews. I believe his name was Rizkin; he was the head of the roads administration. He said that they should all accept their death since “it was their punishment for betraying Christ.”...