A German policeman aiming his rifle at a Jewish woman and her child. Ivangorod
USHMM - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Copy YVA 503/8602
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Murder story of Aleksandrovka Jews in the Ivangorod Ravine
Murder Site
Ivangorod
Ukraine (USSR)
At the end of March 1942 (according to some sources on March 29), 1942, 150 – 200 (according to other sources more than 300) Jews from Aleksandrovka and Ivangorod were forced into a stable one kilometer away from the town and held there for some time. Then policemen both from Kamenka and Aleksandrovka arrived at the stable. First they separated the Jewish men from the others and tied their hands. Then all the victims were loaded onto several trucks covered with canvas. About 35 – 40 people were loaded onto each truck. Then the trucks, guarded by policemen, proceeded toward the shooting site near Ivangorod village. Prior to the shooting the policemen were given alcohol to drink. The police cordoned off the shooting site. Before being shot, the Jewish victims were stripped naked. The shooting took place under torch light in a ravine with a sharp slope. The Jews were shot in groups of 15 - 20. The operation lasted for some hours. Those policemen who had shot badly were placed in pairs, one had to shoot at the head, the other - at the back. They finished off those Jews who were still alive. There were many women, children, and old people among those shot. They were shot without having their hands tied.
Related Resources
Soviet Reports
The accused F. Zhilenko testified:
…In March 1942 a group of policemen, altogether we numbered about 25, was driven to Aleksandrovka to participate in the mass shooting of civilians of Jewish origin. … The following morning we were driven to the shooting site near Ivangorod village in Aleksandrovka County…. There were about 200 policemen and about 100 Germans, SS soldiers. Military trucks began to bring the Jews, 30-40 people in each truck, and unloaded them near a ravine. The Jews were forced to undress near the ravine and then taken naked toward the edge [of the ravine]. There they were forced to face the ravine. … we were given the order to fire and we fired a volley. The victims fell from the height of 4-5 meters to the bottom of the ravine, where a pit had been dug. After the victims fell into the pit, a group of Germans – sub-machinegun shooters - ran toward the pit and finished off with short bursts those Jews who were still alive. Among the shooting victims there were infants who were held by their mothers when they were taken to the edge. I took part in the shooting of 12 – 15 groups and then we were rotated by our officers. Between the shootings we were brought baskets with vodka that we drank straight from the bottles…. That morning more than 300 Soviet civilians of Jewish origin were taken to the vicinity of Ivangorod and shot there. Among them were men, women, old people, and children....
DAKO, KROPYVNYTSKYI R-6656-2-1 copy YVA M.52 / 511
Ivangorod
ravine
Murder Site
Ukraine (USSR)
48.965;32.235
Photos
A German policeman aiming his rifle at a Jewish woman and her child. Ivangorod
USHMM - United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Copy YVA 503/8602