Murder story of Sholokhovo Jews in the Sholokhovo Valley

From the indictment against Heinrich Adolf Hesse and Johann Hermann, former members of the workshop train of the 1st SS infantry brigade, Stuttgart 1982: On its further progress through Zhitomir, Berdichev, Uman, Kirovograd, and Krivoy Rog the repair-train arrived on October 17, 1941 in Sholokhovo, a small locality not far from Nikopol… During the stay in Sholokhovo, in pursing his intentions, Taeubner carried out the further arbitrary shooting of Jews. He may have used as a pretext for the continuation of his murderous deeds the rumors circulating among the Ukrainian population, which was largely predisposed against the Jews, according to which the Jews were responsible for burning down agricultural buildings. One morning between October 17 and 21, 1941 he ordered Rottenfuehrer (Corporal) Goebel and the defendant Hermann to go to a Ukrainian village whose name is not known, about 10 to 40 kilometers [from Sholokhovo]. They were to inform the Ukrainian mayor there that he should summon all the Jewish inhabitants of his village, irrespective of age, including women and children, to a gathering place and, afterwards, to guard the assembled Jews until the arrival of a murder squad. The defendant Hermann, who was somewhat familiar with the local language, was supposed to provide translation services for the discussion with the mayor… After Goebel and Hermann arrived by motorcycle in the Ukrainian locality, they surveyed the area and discovered that a large grave had been dug in a small grove near a hilly field some distance from the village. During the ensuing conversation with the Ukrainian mayor, who was unable to speak German Goebel was our spokesman. The defendant Hermann served as translator. Upon receiving Taeubner’s message in the form of an order, the Ukrainian mayor expressed his readiness to assemble all the Jewish inhabitants of his community. During the conversation the defendant Hermann noted that the mayor already knew that the Jews of his locality were to be shot but that he had not been informed about the time of the shooting… On orders of the mayor - as was noted earlier by both SS-men - in the course of the morning at least 20 Jewish men, women, and children of all ages continued to be assembled at a building located on a village street on the outskirts of the locality. Goebel and Hermann, who both had personal firearms, were waiting for them there. Intimidated by the two uniformed armed soldiers, the Jews remained at the gathering place and did not attempt to escape. Some of them had bundles with them. The assembled [Jews] may have thought that they were going to be resettled…In the meantime, Taeubner had left Sholokhovo for the Ukrainian village with about 20-25 train crew members and Unterscharfuehrer [non-commissioned officer] Mueller, who had been assigned to the [repair- and] supply train… At the gathering place Taeubner and his squad encountered Jewish civilians who were waiting on the street, guarded by Goebel and Hermann. On Taeubner’s orders the assembled Jews were then taken on foot by SS-men who were armed with rifles to the small valley in the field near the pit that had been prepared. At that point they became aware of their imminent death and suffered terrible torments due to their mortal fear…Most of them accepted their fate and were composed. One teenage Jewish boy cried out in desperation: “You, German pigs” for which he was hit twice on the head by one of the guards, Sturmann [Private 1st Class] Wuestholz… The ensuing shooting that was directed by Taeubner proceeded, as was planned in advance by the defendant Hermann…First the victims had to leave their clothes in the valley. Immediately afterwards they were taken in groups of about five to a grave situated several meters away, beyond a grove. There Unterscharfuehrer Mueller grabbed children away from their mothers, shot them with a pistol before the eyes of the [adult] victims who were awaiting their own deaths, and then threw them into the pit. Marksmen who were standing behind them killed the rest of the Jews, who were facing the pit, with rifles from point-blank range at the edge of the pit. On orders from Taeubner, Rottenfuehrer Goebel gave the command to open fire. The following victims heard the volleys and, shortly before they themselves were shot, saw bloodied bodies fall into the pit before their eyes. Standing near the pit, on the orders of Taeubner, Sturmann Fritsch took photographs of the series of shootings…

From the accusations against Rudolf Nikolaus Wuestholz, former crew member of the repair-train of the 1st SS Infantry Brigade, Stuttgart 1972: According to the indictment of the SS supreme court, this execution proceeded as follows: “On October 17, 1941 the defendant [Taeubner] arrived with his train in Sholokhovo. There he heard that Jews had expressed the desire to set on fire the “collective [farm]” and also that two Ukrainian women had stepped on mines and had been severely wounded. Therefore, here too the defendant [Taeubner] carried out a shooting of Jews on his own initiative…The pit had been dug in a grove so that the execution could not be observed by others. In the process SS-Unterscharfuehrer Mueller, who did not belong to the defendant’s [Taeubner’s] unit, but was allowed by the latter to participate in the shooting, grabbed children from their mothers, held them in his left hand, shot them, and then threw them into the pit. Although he criticized Mueller for using this method, the defendant [Taeubner] still allowed him to proceed. The witness Fritsch still remembers this execution fairly well…The execution took place about two days after his arrival [in Sholokhovo]. He cannot cite the date exactly anymore…he does not exclude October 18, 1941 as the time of the offence. Probably more than one execution took place in Sholokhovo or the execution may have lasted several days. Shortly after his arrival, he learned from comrades that they “had already carried out some operations and raids [and that] another one was planned for the next day.” In this single operation, which he saw himself and took pictures of, according to information provided by him, only 30-50 persons were killed. Earlier he mentioned only 20-25 victims. Fritsch, however, drove only later to the shooting site, which was located about 40-50 kilometers from Sholokhovo. Taeubner and the other comrades apparently drove there on the previous day. He [Fritsch] found a pit that had been already prepared; it had been dug in a valley in the forest. According to the information provided by him earlier, about 10 comrades, and according to his current testimony, 5-8 crewmembers of the repair-train participated in the shooting. It may, therefore, be assumed that this execution lasted for at least two days. It is possible that one pit had already been filled with victims and that his comrades participated in the execution in shifts. The “execution squad proper” was armed with rifles. He also remembered the participation of SS-U[nter]Sch[ar]f[uehrer] Muller, who did not belong to the repair-train and, because of this, attracted special attention… The SS court noted that one pit was an execution site that was situated in a grove so that the execution could no be observed by outsiders. This more or less corresponds to the accounts of the witness… Fritsch also provided a remarkable detail that reflects the cruelty of the way the execution was carried out. The victims - men, women, and children- were forced to remain in close proximity to the execution site and had to see the preceding victims being shot in groups of 10. Two of the victims tried to flee but were caught and beaten before being shot…

From the indictment against Max Taeubner, former commander of a repair-train of the 1st SS Infantry Brigade: …[T]he indictment is based on the assumption that Taeubner intended to liquidate 2,000 Jews during the Russian campaign. Pursuing this intention, he ordered the killing of 191 Jews in Sholokhovo....

From the interrogation of Ernst Fritsch, former crew member of a repair-train of the 1st SS Infantry Brigade: Shortly after my arrival in Sholokhovo one crew member of our train told me in the evening that, together with the police, they had already carried out some operations. Another [operation] was planned for the following morning. To his question whether I was going to take part, I replied that I was not interested and wanted to stay out of it… Immediately afterwards I was summoned to the U[nter]. Stu[rmfuehrer] T[aeubner], who explained to me that I should go. I would not have to participate in the operation itself but would take photographs of it. I was then the only train crew member who had a camera and film. The next morning we drove by truck a distance of about 40 to 50 kilometers out of Sholokhovo. I do not remember the direction we took. There were also about 5-8 other comrades. Upon our arrival in a valley we met T[aeubner], as well as other train crew members, who had apparently arrived the previous day. Also present were policemen and, perhaps, some members of the gendarmerie. In addition there was a group of civilians, including women and children. I then learned that these were partisans and Jews who were now going to be “cut down.” A pit had been prepared for their bodies. The Jews present were then taken in groups of about 10 to the valley and shot next to the pit that had been prepared. Both policemen and crew members of the repair-train participated in the shooting….

From the interrogation of Johann Hermann, former crew member of the workshop train of the 1st SS Infantry Brigade, Kleinbremen, April 28, 1976: I received from one of my superiors, i.e., either T[aeubner] or his deputy H., an order to travel, together with my comrade G,. to a certain locality and to speak with the Russian mayor there. We were ordered to tell the Russian mayor that the Jewish residents of his community were to assemble at a specific location outside of his settlement. I was assigned to accompany G. because I spoke some Russian. G. and I traveled by motorcycle to the location, with G. driving the motorcycle, I know that for sure. I immediately realized that the Russian mayor was already prepared for our arrival. Some office must have already informed him that the Jews of his community were to be shot. I clearly realized this from our conversation with him. Furthermore, by the time we arrived a pit had already been dug near the collection point of the Jews. It was morning when we had our preliminary conversation with the mayor and surveyed the collection site. The Jews were continuing to arrive at the prescribed gathering place without being accompanied by any SS-men or guards. Also during the morning, crew members of our repair-train arrived by truck from Sholokhovo. The gathering place was located in a small valley in a field, while the pit was located somewhat higher up beyond a grove and could not be seen or looked into from the valley. The shooting proceeded in the following way: some of my comrades took up positions at the pit, while other train crew members took the Jews who were going to be shot, in groups of about five, from the gathering place in the valley to the pit. According to my estimation, which I am not certain about, in this operation also about 30 Jewish people were shot. There were children among the victims. I do not know how many children there were… The Jews were abused on the way from the gathering place to the shooting site….During this operation also terrible scenes took place. It seemed to me that, when they were gathering in the valley, the Jews initially had no idea what was in store for them but they reacted as could be expected when their fate became clear to them…