Former gmina building in Bielica. Photographer: Alexander Litin, 2018.
YVA, Photo Collection, 14615674
Former Polish Shooting Range in Bielica Related Communities
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Murder Story of Bielica Jews at the Bielica Former Polish Shooting Range
Murder Site
Former Polish Shooting Range in Bielica
Poland
In late July 1941, the Germans arrested 36 Jewish men – including Rabbi Shabtai Fein, the doctor Reuven Klaczko, and a pharmacist – and locked them up in the building of the former gmina (town administration). After abusing and beating them for several days (with the most brutal treatment being reserved for Rabbi Fein), the Nazis escorted their victims along Niomanskaia Street, to the site of the former Polish shooting range at the southeastern edge of Bielica, not far from the Eastern Orthodox church. There, pits had been dug by a group of Jews brought from the town. The victims were shot at this site. According to some eyewitness accounts, the Nazis picked 5-7 of the condemned men, forced them to run toward the pits, and then shot them with machine guns. Some of the victims were merely wounded, rather than dead – but they, too, were covered with earth by the local non-Jewish residents, along with the rest.
Related Resources
Written Accounts
Yan Kachan, who lived in Bielica during the war years, testified:
On that day, German soldiers stopped me in the street and ordered me to go along with them. They took me to the former Polish shooting range. This is what I saw: About 60 meters from the [Eastern] Orthodox church, our local Jews are digging a pit in a ditch of the shooting range. The rest are sitting at a distance, under a cross [of a Christian tomb]. They were all men.… By the side of the church, the Germans are setting up a machine gun. I understood what was going on.… The Germans picked out five or seven Jews and ordered them to run toward the pit. As they ran, a burst of machine-gun fire hit them. They [the Germans] selected a second group and shoved them in the direction of the pit. Then more. Screams, cries, groans…. Then the shooting was over. They pushed me toward the pit. A German handed me a spade and made a gesture meaning “cover them with earth.” The same order was given to the others.… And then, suddenly, some poor fellow [one of those who had been shot] raised his head and groaned. The murderers came back, took up their carbines, and sprayed the whole pit with bullets. Then they waved at us: “Cover it with earth quickly."
L.Petrulevich, "They Were Shot in Bielica", Lidskaia hazeta, May 29, 1997 (Russian)
Former Polish Shooting Range in Bielica
Murder Site
Poland
53.652;25.319
Photos
Former gmina building in Bielica. Photographer: Alexander Litin, 2018.
YVA, Photo Collection, 14615674
Former shooting site of the Bielica Jews. Photographer: Alexander Litin, 2018.
YVA, Photo Collection, 14615675