Borkovichy (Borkavicy) | Vitebsk

Borkovichy is located on the banks of the Drissa River, about 40km northwest of Polotsk. Historically, Borkovichy was known as a trading center because of its famous trading fairs that took place regularly. The proximity of the town to the railway played a significant role in the establishment of trade, and Jews were predominant in the trade industry. Most of the shops in Borkovichy were located on the central street, Sovetskaya Street today. The cemetery of the local Jewish community has since been destroyed. According to the testimonies of Tevel, a local Jewish man who immigrated before the Second World War, there was a yeshiva, but not all Jewish children attended it as they were not very religious. In the 1920s, as a result of persecutions against the wealthy inhabitants of Borkovichy, many Jews fled, moving to larger cities, like Polotsk or Riga.

The Germans occupied Borkovichy in July 1941. The majority of the Jews managed to flee or were evacuated before the Germans’ arrival. Approximately 100 Jews remained in the village and continued to live in their homes until they were rounded up. In the fall of 1941, the remainder of Borkovichy Jews were rounded up, taken outside the village, and shot. More than likely, the executions took place in the ditches alongside the road. According to the ‘myshtetl’ website, based on the testimony of survivors, the head of the Borkovichy military police carried out the execution.