Horodnytsya (Gorodnytsya, Gorodnitsa, Horodnitza, Horodnica) | Zhytomyr

/ The view at the village of Horodnytsya today. ©Victoria Bahr/Yahad-In Unum The former synagogue. Today, it is an administrative building. ©Victoria Bahr/Yahad-In Unum Maria B., born in 1931, points out to the house where the German Commandant’s office was located. ©Victoria Bahr/Yahad-In Unum Yelizaveta B., born in 1934: “I saw a woman take the little girl out of the column. She saved her life.” ©Victoria Bahr/Yahad-In Unum Yahad team during the interview at the execution site. At the time it was a ravine located 3km away from Horodnytsya ©Victoria Bahr/Yahad-In Unum Yelizaveta B., born in 1934, shows the place where she saw about 20 Jews being killed. Back then it was a ravine, but everything has changed since. ©Victoria Bahr/Yahad-In Unum Maria B., born in 1931, points out the place where five Jewish men were shot publically in front of all the villagers, whom forced to watch the execution. ©Victoria Bahr/Yahad-In Unum An old Jewish cemetery. The execution site is located about 500m away from it. ©Victoria Bahr/Yahad-In Unum

Execution of Jews in Horodnytsya

2 Killing site(s)

Kind of place before:
Ravine (1); Front yard of the house(2)
Memorials:
No
Period of occupation:
1941-1943
Number of victims:
About 30

Witness interview

Yelizaveta B., born in 1934, says: “I saw the column going in the direction of the river. There were about 20 Jews. I recognized some of the Jews who were in the column, so we followed them but we didn’t come close because they were escorted by Germans and local policemen. There were men, women and children of all different ages. We followed the column up to the ravine. Once there, all the Jews were lined up at the edge and shot. They fell directly into the pit. We got scared and ran away.” (Testimony n°1658, interviewed in Mala Anastasivka, on May 2nd, 2013)

Historical note

Horodnytsya is located 127 km of Zhytomyr. The earliest known Jewish community dates back to the mid-19th century. In 1897, 1310 Jews lived in Horodnytsya, making up 60% of total population. Some Jews worked in the factories, like porcelain or stoneware factories. After the burning of the Korets factory, the local products were exported not only to local markets but also to  France and the Czech Republic. Other Jews were involved in trade or handcraft. There was a synagogue and a Jewish cemetery. According to the census, in 1939 the Jewish population amounted to 1,212 people. The village was occupied by Germans in early July, 1941. By that time, the majority of Jews managed to evacuate leaving behind about 20% of the prewar Jews.

Holocaust by bullets in figures

Immediately after the occupation the remaining Jews were killed outside the village in a ravine called the Zynok located 3km away. During the execution conducted on July 19, 1941 by Germans, 21 Jews were killed. According to the witness interviewed by Yahad-In Unum, there was another execution of 5 Jewish men that took place in the front yard of the house. The entire village was forced to witness this execution.

Jewishgen

Go to the Townpage on JewishGen Ukraine SIG website

Other links

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