Chernolesskoye | Stavropol

/ Yelena K., born in 1922: “About 30 Jews who didn’t have time to evacuate were shot near today’s cemetery, here in Chernolesskoye.” © Cristian Monterosso - Yahad-In Unum Yelena K., born in 1922: “In January 1942, I was taken to dig the anti-tank along with other villagers. There were two Jewish women who worked with me. We slept on the site in huts dug in the gound.” © Cristian Monterosso - Yahad-In Unum Before the interview with Nikolay K. near the execution site of Jewish refugees © Cristian Monterosso - Yahad-In Unum Nikolay K., born in 1935: « I was playing with my friends when we saw a column of Jews, about 20 people, being brought by the Germans. We hid and watched what would happen after.” © Cristian Monterosso - Yahad-In Unum Nikolay K. near the monument to the Jewish victims. The monument is located at the cemetery far from the field where the Jews were executed. © Cristian Monterosso - Yahad-In Unum

Execution of Jewish refugees in Chernolesskoye

1 Killing site(s)

Kind of place before:
Field near the cemetery
Memorials:
Yes
Period of occupation:
1942-1943
Number of victims:
35

Witness interview

Yelena Z., born in 1922, remembered: « In the early morning, before going to work, the Jews went to the local administration to get news about the war. There was a radio station so they knew what was happening. When they heard that the Germans had occupied Rostov, they became anxious and frightened, as Rostov was not so far from Chernolesskoye. It meant that they would soon arrive in our village. Once they got the news, those who had money rushed to evacuate. They traveled on carts pulled by oxen in the direction of Zelenokumsk. Of course, they didn’t move very fast and they were all exterminated by the Germans near Zelenokumsk.” (Witness n°549, interviewed in Chernolesskoye, on August 22, 2015)

Soviet archives

“During the occupation of the village of Chernolesskoye (the district of Novosselitskoye, region of Stavropol), the German invaders committed the following crimes against the Jewish population: they shot 35 people of Jewish nationality. […]” [Certificate of Soviet Extraordinary Commission, RG-22.002M, 7021-17/11]

Historical note

Chernolesskoye is located about 160 km north-east of Stavropol. Historically home to Russians, there were no Jewish families living in the village before the war. Once the war broke out, many Jewish refugees passed through the village and some of them settled there. According to the witnesses, the Jews lived among the villagers and worked in the kolkhoz. The Germans occupied the territory in August 1942.

Holocaust by bullets in figures

Before the Germans’ arrival, some Jews managed to flee, but according to Yelena K. (Witness n°549), they were shot near Zelenokumsk. Yahad’s field research confirmed the information about the 35 Jewish refugees executed by Germans in Chernolesskoye. According to Witness n°550, the Jews were shot by four Germans in a long ditch, which existed before the shooting. It is said that the shooting took place in September 1942.

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