Murder Story of Letichev Jews in Zaletichevka

At the end of January 1943 (later, after the war, I was told that it was on January 30) early in the morning we were taken by force from the [Dominican] church [labor camp] toward Zaletichevka. The [remaining] people from the ghetto were driven by cart and truck in the same direction. This was the final day for all the Jews who were collected in Letichev by the Fascists. A convoy of carts, trucks, some covered with canvas and some uncovered, and emaciated skeletal people on foot passed through Letichev and the town of Zaletichevka toward Kozachki village. We were forced into a single column. All thought, as the Fascists had told us, that the people from the ghetto and from the labor camp were going to be taken to other [concentration] camps. Some were carrying their belongings (the Fascists and the Ukrainian policemen told the people to take their things with them). We walked for a long time, slowly, trudging along. Those who were slow were rushed along with rifle butts, while those who fell were finished off and thrown onto carts or trucks. Many understood that this was not a relocation, but it was hard to believe and think that a mass of such helpless and innocent people could just be taken and murdered. Therefore, people hoped and continued to walk. The road began to climb towards a mountain where huge ravines were located; I had been there before. When we approached the ravines, we saw lines of SS men and Ukrainian policemen, we heard the shooting of submachine guns, and soon we saw the submachine guns, which were positioned above the ravine. [The SS men] were shooting from them into the ravine, into which groups of naked and half-naked people had been driven. The trucks and the carts stopped near the ravine, the people were pulled or push out of them, forced to strip naked and to throw their clothes into a pile, and then forced into the ravine. Those who approached the ravine had to wait for their turn: the shooting and swearing of the Fascists and the crying and wailing of the people caused a terrible clamor. It became dark and a snow storm began. At that time someone cried out [in Russian]: "People, save yourselves! [and in Yiddish] "Yidn, loyft" [Jews, run]. A large group of people that included me ran away from the Ukrainian policemen and SS men and began to run across the field. I think that not far away a group of spectators, probably local residents, was standing. At the beginning the Fascist didn't shoot us…. But then they began to shoot at us and chase us. Those who were running away spread across the field in different directions. I ran until I couldn't any more, then I fell [to the ground] and dug myself into the snow.… I regained consciousness at night. I was lying among bodies. I understood that I was still alive and began… to move my arms and legs. Since my left leg hurt a lot I realized that I had been wounded there. When I began to crawl out from under the bodies, I saw that I was in the ravine. The idea of saving myself and the will to live enabled me to get out of the ravine and to reach some people.…

In Ghetto no. 1 [the ghetto was divided into two parts] the Germans and Ukrainian police took people from their houses. The group was led away to Zaletichevka to a narrow ravine, where they were forced to strip naked. Then they were shot. All day long we heard the shots. All were massacred – about 5,000 [sic] in two days [a footnote by the author says: "I believe this happened during Yom Kippur 1942, or around September 20, 1942]. It is terrible to think that we saw our families among these the groups, knew where they were going, and later heard the shots. At the same time we knew that we would soon suffer the same fate. Old people, children, and young people were killed on that day. For the next days and nights the Germans and Ukrainians searched in Ghetto no. 1 for any Jews who might have tried to hide in cellars and other places. The Ukrainians found them petrified with fear and took them to the [Dominican] church near Ghetto no. 2. The church had a stone wall around it and a gate adjacent to the gate of Ghetto no. 2. On the third day, in the morning, there was an order for all Jews from Ghetto no. 2 within 30 minutes to form a column in the area near the gate. We knew that hiding was useless and we all obeyed the command. We felt certain that we would next be ordered to march to Zaletichevka, to our deaths. Frieber [the Gebeitskommisar of Letichev] soon appeared with his retinue, including a German officer who served as a translator. He commanded: "All Jews who should be in Ghetto no. 1 step forward – if even one Jew from Ghetto no. 1 is found among you, all the Jews of Letichev will be killed." My grandmother Rachel stood beside my mother and some other Jews who were supposed to be in Ghetto no. 1. Nobody spoke up about them to the Germans. Everyone suspected that we would all be taken to Zaletichevka to be executed anyway. The translator said something but all of us turned to look towards the gate at the church where the Jews who had been hiding in Ghetto no. 1 were imprisoned. The guards marched these Jews out of church before our eyes.… My grandmother Rachel saw her husband Moyshe in the middle of the street. She left her place next to my mother and ran to her husband. They took each other's hands. About 40 Jews were taken away that day to Zaletichevka. We stood in silence and horror, and the translator kept silent. Frieber and his guards looked toward the road that led to Zaletichevka. Frieber then ordered the remaining Jews to "Go away – go home", but the Jews just stood there. Frieber and the officers then left Ghetto no. 2. The weather was warm and bright, but everything was dark in our souls. Afterwards, when we heard the shots, the Jews of Ghetto no. 2 dispersed.…