Murder Story of Klimovichi Jews at the Klimovichi Jewish Cemetery

…We were driven to the cemetery. We were asked to dig a grave next to an Ohel at the grave of a Tzadik [Hasidic leader] from Klimovichi. … Shoel, the son of the elderly Rabbi, said: “I don’t know how I have deserved [such an honor] to be buried next to the Tzadik.” Krasik, the harness-maker [whose sons served in the Red Army] said: “Our children will pay you back for our blood.” Avrom Dovid Katsev, a 103-year-old Jew barely stood on his feet. The shovel fell from his hands. The murderers lashed him with a stick. He wept as a baby in his cradle. His weeping tore at my heart. I dug the grave and stood deep inside it praying for a quick death in order not to hear Avrom Dovid’s crying. The murderers ordered us to get out of the grave and stand in lines, four people abreast. Three multiplied by four equals twelve. I was the thirteenth. I stood alone and felt terrible. I wanted someone by my side. I was afraid to die alone. Rabbi Bernshtein said: Chaim Ore, you should say Kaddish after me [this prayer is said after death of a Jew]! Rabbi Bernshtein was among the first four people. … The first four were standing at the end of the grave, at the edge, and were shot at their shoulder-height. My lips were stuck together, but I said Kaddish and glanced at the Ohel and said with my mouth shut: “Yisgadl veyiskadesh.” The next four, who the murderers lined up at the grave, were artisans, the neighbors on my street. I had known these neighbors all my life. I had shared with them their happiness and joined them in their grief. Robust Jews, generous with song and scarce with complaints. Yitsik, the tailor, was even my daughter-in-law’s father. Yitsik said to the murderers: “Don’t kill me, I am a tailor.” “I am a smith” – said Moyshe-Mordkhe. “I am a carpenter” - uttered Chaim Stukalov. These unfortunate people thought that a trade would sound to the hangmen as fine as it did for us. The murderers barked: “Jude,” “Jude,” “Jude.” A barking sound and a shot. A barking sound and a shot. Rabbi Bernshtein ordered me to say Kaddish, and I said Kaddish quietly for 12 of the Jews. Covered with blood, they fell into the pit, dead and wounded; they fell naked into the grave as the murderers had ordered them to undress before death…. I fell down unconscious next to the freshly dug grave. I was awakened by blows of a stick, I was pushed to a hoe and ordered to cover the grave. After unfortunate funerals they loaded a sack of things on my back and drove me out to the town and ordered to show up at the headquarters….