Komarow | Lublin

/ Landscape of Komarow ©Rita Villanueva - Yahad-In Unum View from the street on a place of former ghetto © Rita Villanueva - Yahad-In Unum The mass grave of Jewish victims © Rita Villanueva - Yahad-In Unum Bronislawa J., born in 1927 © Rita Villanueva - Yahad-In Unum Leszek K., born in 1925 © Rita Villanueva - Yahad-In Unum © Rita Villanueva - Yahad-In Unum Yahad’s research team during the interview © Rita Villanueva - Yahad-In Unum

Execution of Jews in Komarow

3 Execution site(s)

Investigated by Yahad:
2012
Memorials:
Yes
Period of occupation:
1939-1944

Witness interview

Emilian B. recalls: "The ghetto was built immediatly after the arrival of the Germans. It was an open ghetto that was watched by the Jewish police. Most of the population of the ghetto were men who worked on the Labunie’s airport construction. They had a blue symbol on the arm." (Witness N°120, interviewed in Komarów-Osada, on August 09, 2012)

German archives

"At the end of October 1942, German gendarms received an order of Schulz. They had to take Jews out the ghetto of Komarow. They forced their houses and killed perhaps 25 people." [Deposition of Sidney F., made on March 09, 1962; B162-1631]

Historical note

Komarow is located 100 km (62 miles) southeast of Lublin. Before the war there were about 1.752 Jewish inhabitants out of 2.895. The German troops occupied Komarow on September 13, 1939. On September 28, 1939 once the Soviet forces stepped by, the Germans set up their power definitely by appointing a head of local administration and creating Polish auxiliary police.

Holocaust by bullets in figures

At the end of 1939, the Jewish Council was established. A Jewish police force was recruited. In September 1941, there were 3.000 Jews in Komarow, among them those who were expelled from other towns. The Jews were subjected to force labor: road construction, sawmill, Luftwaffe military base. The first Jew was killed in the spring of 1941 by post commander Shulz. In June 1942, the ghetto was established. On October 5, 1942, 50 young men and women were executed by Gestapo unit. Between October 15 and 31, 1942, during the ghetto liquidation carried out by Gestapo, gendarmes and SS 2,500 Jews were executed. According to the survivors and local eyewitnesses about 5,000 Jews mainly from Zamosc region were deported to Bełżec and Sobibor.

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