Murder story of Tuczyn Jews in the Kotovskiy Grove

…On Tuesday, the day after Yom Kippur, the Jews who had been caught in the [nearby] villages were brought to the ghetto. Peasants were bringing in children whom they had employed on their farms…. The children told us that Russian [Soviet] POWs were digging ditches outside the town. Everyone knew the purpose for which these ditches were being dug. On Wednesday, the ghetto gate was locked. The [Gebiets-]kommissar [i.e., the regional commissar of Równe, Werner Beer] demanded [that the Judenrat] draw up a list of workers. There were some [ghetto inmates] who hoped and believed that [the Germans] wouldn't kill them all, and that some Jews might be spared. [They] began to collect gold. The professionals claimed that they wouldn't want to live without their families. In the meantime, many Ukrainian policemen gathered around the ghetto. We heard German voices singing German songs. The word went out that an SS unit had arrived in the town, and it became clear that all hope was lost. In the afternoon, Meir Himelfarb, deputy head of the Judenrat, invited the [Jewish] public to the synagogue and gave a speech with the moving words: "Jews, the last minutes of our lives are at hand. We have nothing to lose. The enemies have ordered us to move all our property into the ghetto; they have surrounded us with a tall fence to gather our property in one place, where it cannot be looted by the local population. Their intentions are clear: They want to lay their hands on our property and execute us. We won't allow our enemies to inherit us. Each Jew will prepare flammable substances; those who have none should come to me, and they will receive a bottle of kerosene. When the times comes, everyone will set their house on fire." Several Jews chose to commit suicide. Aaron Kaplan, Shaike Zaichik, and Shmuel Markus jumped down into the well; Motel Kashtan poisoned himself, while Motel Vizlah opened his veins. Toward evening, the Germans and the Ukrainian policemen entered the ghetto. They ordered the Jews to go back to their houses. Meir Himelfarb entered his house and set it on fire. A few minutes later, the entire ghetto was ablaze. The policemen standing guard around [the ghetto] began to shoot. The bullets came from everywhere at once, and it seemed as though they were being fired inside the ghetto. The policemen dispersed. At that time, the Jews broke through the gate in many places, and scattered in all directions. In the morning, the local residents caught the Jews who had fled into the gardens, fields, and haylofts, and handed them over to the Gestapo. The peasants did likewise. [They] looted the [Jewish] property and either murdered the Jews or handed them over to the Gestapo. During the night of the burning [of the ghetto], hundreds of Jews were killed. The rest escaped from the town…. By Friday noon, the murderers had recaptured 1,000-1,500 Jewish fugitives. They [the Germans] took them [the Jews] out of town, to the ditches that had been dug in advance for this purpose [i.e., to the Kotovskiy Grove]. They [the Germans] shot them….

[Several days after Yom Kippur], toward evening, rumors began to spread [in the ghetto] that something was going to happen tonight. Together with Zisia from the town of Kripa [i.e., Horyńgród] and Ozer Markus, I went to Shmuel Gilberg's house, which was located outside the ghetto.… There, we found several Jews looking for shelter.… We sat together for many hours and tried to encourage each other. In the end, we fell asleep fully dressed. For a long time, we all slept in this manner, even the little children. Early in the morning, wild shouts were heard outside, and Ukrainian policemen burst into the house. They drove us into the street, cursing and insulting us all the while and beating us with rifle butts. We were taken [back] to the ghetto. When we were outside, we saw that hundreds of Ukrainian policemen had surrounded the ghetto, and that many [of them] were [positioned] near the [ghetto] gate. We were pushed inside, and the gate was shut. The ghetto inmates were still asleep, having no idea that the ghetto had been surrounded. [But] the rumor spread quickly, and the people got out of the houses. There was a turmoil; people were rushing about without any purpose. It was clear that this was the end, and that there was no hope of survival. Time was running out. In the morning, the Judenrat had received an order to supply [the Germans] with 50 workers: carpenters, stonemasons, as well as some Jews without any profession. Pressure was felt near the gate. There were some who hoped to sneak outside together with the workers…, although they saw that the gate was guarded by many policemen. The [Ukrainian] policemen and SS men severely punished those trying to flee the ghetto. The pressure near the gate became greater and greater, despite the increasing efforts to contain it.… [While staying in a hiding place outside the ghetto] sometime later, I learned that the head of the Judenrat [Gitsel Swartsman] had gone to the Gebietskommissar [of Równe, i.e., Werner Beer] to take care of everyday business. The German supervisor ignored him, and eventually threw him [Swartsman] out. The head [of the Judenrat] came back to the ghetto depressed. He made no effort to calm the Jews, as he had always done. Rather, he spoke openly and told them that it was all over, and that [the Germans] were going to annihilate us. From the shelter, I heard the shouts and cries emanating from the ghetto. Many inmates committed suicide. When it became clear to everyone that all [the ghetto inmates] would be murdered in short order, it was decided that they should make the murderers' job as difficult as possible. A clear instruction was given: When the first shot was heard, everyone would set their house on fire, rush to the gate, and run toward the [nearby Jewish] cemetery. From the cemetery, everyone should make an effort to reach the nearby forest. It was clear that many would die in this attempt – but, if they were to obey the Germans, they would die [anyway]. "We won't go like sheep to the slaughter!" Young people hurried to distribute kerosene among the houses. There were rumors of a small quantity of firearms [that had been smuggled] into the ghetto. Would it help? Who knew? One thing was clear: They were going to have a hard time annihilating us. The day passed amid tensions and rumors. When it grew dark, shots were heard, followed by cries of horror such as I had never heard before. The sounds of gunfire became louder and louder…. In a minute, the ghetto was ablaze. All the structures around us were burning. I was sitting in the shelter, filled with anxiety. I couldn't get out and take part in what was going on outside…. [After this murder operation, Itshak Chomut got out of his hiding place and went to the area of the former ghetto, where he met with several survivors]…. From them, I learned that over 100 [sic] people had been killed or suffocated to death in the conflagration in the ghetto. More than 2,000 Jews had managed to flee during the turmoil. On Thursday and Friday, after the ghetto had burned down, the Ukrainian [policemen] rounded up 1,000 Jews in Tuczyn, including the injured and weak ones, and took them to pits that had been dug in advance. They [the Jews] were shot there. After the burning of the ghetto, the Ukrainian [policemen] grabbed the Jews who had failed to find a hiding place. They [the Jews] were assembled in one of the houses in Tuczyn, and, once their number had reached several dozen, they were [also] taken to the pits and shot there. [Some] Ukrainian civilians were searching for Jews and handing them over to the police in exchange for looted Jewish property. On Friday afternoon, the peasants were ordered to cover the pits containing the victims' bodies….

…On the eve of Yom Kippur, [the Germans] ordered the Jews to move into the ghetto. 8-10 families were forced to huddle together in the small houses. [But] they didn't have to suffer from the overcrowding for long, since it was clear to all that the confinement of the Jews into the ghetto was the beginning of the end. Rumors (which would be confirmed very quickly) spoke of four large pits being dug in the Kotovskiy Grove; these were designated for the murder of the Jews and their burial. The Jews of Tuczyn wanted to carry out an action that would enable [the inmates] to escape from the ghetto en masse. Before we were closed inside the ghetto, several young men – and I was among them – had been tasked with procuring kerosene. Some began to organize. It was decided that, when the [German] order to get out of the ghetto was given, no one would comply. Everyone was informed that, the minute they saw a burning house, every Jew should pour the kerosene in his/her possession onto his/her house and remaining property, and set everything on fire. Some of the youngsters would ignite the fences [of the ghetto] and the synagogues, which were then used by the Germans as grain warehouses. One day, we saw that Ukrainian [auxiliary] policemen and German soldiers were concentrating around the ghetto. Some Ukrainians also showed up [near the ghetto] with sacks, hoping to loot [Jewish property]. Toward evening, [the Germans] ordered the youngsters to be sent to work. The Judenrat announced that there was no way to gather the workers at such short notice. Shots were heard. A moment later, the houses, the fence, and the synagogues were set on fire. There were shouts [intended] for the Jews, telling them to break through the fence and flee. The fence was broken in many places. The Jews were fleeing in the direction of the [nearby Jewish] cemetery, and from there into the Pustomyty Forest. There was a terrible commotion. Families got separated. Children lost their parents. Parents got killed, and their babies were crying bitterly. [Yet] many others reached the Pustomyty Forest. The surviving family members, tired and desperate, were wandering about, not knowing what was going to happen next. My mother had been burned in the ghetto….

…Before Yom Kippur, an order was issued [by the German authorities], requiring the Jews to move into the ghetto…. When we reached the ghetto gate, Aharon Kaplan stood there. He told us that we had made a mistake by failing to run away, that [the Germans] were about to kill everyone. It was already known that pits were being dug in the Kotovskiy Grove, and that these were to be the mass graves of the Jews. Rumor had it that all the Jews would be executed at the Kotovskiy Grove during the night. It was clear that this was the end. I should specify that, when [the Jews] had learned that a fence was being erected around the ghetto area, there were several youngsters who told the Jews to secure a supply of kerosene. The public didn't know the purpose of the kerosene. There was a certain amount of kerosene in the Jewish houses, and, when the Jews moved into the ghetto, they brought along some additional kerosene. After Yom Kippur, the Jews were no longer taken away to work. Ukrainian [auxiliary] policemen and German soldiers approached the ghetto. The ghetto wasn't far from the [Jewish] cemetery. They [the killers] took up position on a hill [overlooking the ghetto], near the cemetery. From there, they could observe what was going on in [the ghetto] and fire upon it. At noon, a Gestapo man showed up and demanded that the young ones report for work immediately. The head of the Judenrat [Getsel Schwartzman] replied that it was impossible to gather all the workers at such short notice. Outside the ghetto, there was a lot of commotion. Ukrainian residents [also] came to loot. In the ghetto, a rumor was spreading that the head of the Judenrat had been shot dead. Since morning, the Jews had been told [by the Judenrat members] that, the minute they saw a burning house, each [ghetto inmate] should pour the kerosene in his/her possession on his/her house or on the fence, and set them on fire. Suddenly, flames were seen rising from one of the houses; several minutes later, fire erupted from all directions. Shots were heard. The Jewish boys fired [back] with the few weapons at their disposal. The fellows encouraged the Jews to break through the fence and flee from the ghetto. There were cases of suicide. Hundreds of Jews rushed to the fence, which had been broken in several places. Hundreds of Jews were killed near the fence, while many others broke through and ran away. The Ukrainian [auxiliary policemen] and Germans gave chase, shooting all the while. Most of the escapees ran toward the [Jewish] cemetery. From there, they hoped to move into the fields and woods, but fire was opened on them from the cemetery, as well. Nevertheless, some 2,000 Jews managed to reach the forest….