Murder Story of Minsk Jews in Zelyonyi Lug

From the Diary of the 3rd (9th) company of 322nd order police battalion: …August 31, 1941. At about 3 PM, a Jewish operation was carried out in the ghetto in the city of Minsk. The 9th Company cordoned off the perimeter, while the 7th Company, a company of the NSKK [the National Socialist Motor Corps], and the SD carried out the search. All the Jews [Jewish men] aged 15 to 60, as well as any Jewish women not wearing the required yellow badge on their clothes, were arrested. A total of 916 Jews of both sexes were arrested and taken to the police prison. September 1, 1941 5:30 AM: The execution of the Jews arrested on the previous day took place about 10 km outside Minsk, north of the Minsk-Smolensk-Moscow highway. Three execution squads were formed. A unit of the 9th Company shot a total of 330 Jews (including 40 Jewish women).

September 15-30, 1941 Activity and Situation Report No. 5 Einsatzgruppen of the Security Police and the SD in the USSR …2,278 Jews were liquidated as saboteurs and activists during the combing of the ghetto in Minsk….

September 4, 1941 Operational Situation Report USSR No.73 Einsatzgruppe B …Einsatzkommando 8 received information indicating that, in the ghetto of Minsk, the Jews were spreading anti-German rumors in a whispering campaign. This was particularly effective with the rural population, who tried to sell their produce in the ghetto. Since Jews had attacked a member of the local auxiliary police and had repeatedly destroyed German Army signposts, a new special action, in which 214 persons were shot, was carried out against the Jews of Minsk….

From the War Diary No. 1 of the 322nd Order Police Battalion: …August 31, 1941. The 7th and 9th companies are carrying out a Jewish operation in Minsk. Up until now, about 700 Jews, including 64 women, have been arrested and sent to the prison in Minsk… September 1, 1941. The 9th Company, together with the SD and NSKK [National Socialist Motor Corps], is carrying out the shooting of 914 Jews, including 64 women. They include 700 Jewish men and women, who were caught by the 7th and 9th Companies in yesterday's operation and taken to the prison. The shootings proceeded without incident. No escape attempts occurred, thanks to the favorable terrain, vigilance, and experience of the men. The 9th Company has carried out the whole operation efficiently and securely. The 64 Jewish women were shot because they had been caught in the raid and had failed to wear Jewish stars…