Murder story of Vcherayshe Jews in the Vcherayshe Forest

This [life in the Vcherayshe Ghetto] continued until May 1, 1942. On April 29-30, [1942,] we saw that it had begun to rain heavily.… And suddenly, we saw people – Ukrainians with shovels – but, somehow, we paid this no mind. My father, as I have already said, was a carpenter, and he managed to take some tools with him…. A Ukrainian from Vcherayshe learned that my father had these tools, and that he was also a carpenter…. Then, on that day [the day before the shooting], he also went into the forest, taking the shovel with him. He came to us with this shovel and told my father: "You know, Itzhak, give me all your tools. I have to tell you a secret, but do not tell it to anyone else: Tomorrow, you will be shot. They sent us into the forest to dig a pit. Take your family and get away from here, but do not tell anyone else about it."… As soon as the Jews had learned that they would be shot on the following day (the shooting was to take place on May 1), the head of the ghetto, Davidov, rushed into the commandant's office and told the commandant that rumors of the impending shooting were spreading. The commandant told him that it was not true, and that they would not let the Jews be shot.… On that day, we [the eyewitness' family, who were hiding in nearby villages] learned that the Jews in the ghetto had been shot. It happened on May 1, 1942.…