Pawłów | Lublin Voivodeship

In the summer of 1942, a shooting of 12 Jews (men, women, and children) took place in a ravine near the cemetery (more precisely, near the wall surrounding the cemetery). They were transported there by carts. When the carts stopped, the Jews had to get out and lie down in the ravine, which was 2-3 meters deep. They were shot one by one and buried there. The site is not commemorated.

On another day during the occupation, a public shooting of a Jewish couple took place in the garden of their house. [IPN- OKL S 89/01/Zn, vol.1]

Pawłów is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Rejowiec Fabryczny, within Chełm County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It lies approximately 4 km (2 mi) northwest of Rejowiec Fabryczny, 19 km (12 mi) west of Chełm, and 47 km (29 mi) east of the regional capital, Lublin.

Not much is known about the prewar Jewish community of Pawłów; most of what we do know comes from the postwar recollections of non-Jewish neighbors. These personal testimonies, though fragmented, offer valuable insights into the everyday life, structure, and perception of the Jewish population in this small village of eastern Poland.

The Jewish community in Pawłów was relatively small but socially and economically active. Its most prominent family was the Nysenkorns, remembered as influential traders. Commerce and trade formed the backbone of Jewish livelihoods in the village, while farming and manual labor were rare among them. A few individuals worked as tailors or shoemakers, while others — particularly the poorer members — engaged in rag collection, scrap trading, and bartering goods such as pots and pans in exchange for materials.

The community observed its religious rituals and holidays, especially the Sabbath, which they took very seriously. In the absence of a local synagogue — forbidden under Russian rule — they traveled to nearby towns such as Siedliszcze or Rejowiec for worship. Occasionally, a traveling rabbi would visit Pawłów to lead prayers. Rejowiec, located nearby, was home to a significant Jewish population — around 2,500 out of 3,200 residents in 1920, making up approximately 77% of the town’s inhabitants. During the interwar period, Rejowiec had a synagogue, a prayer house, a mikveh, and a religious school, serving as an important religious and communal center for Jews from surrounding villages, including Pawłów.

Historical research into the fate of the Jewish community in Pawłów during the Holocaust is limited, but a partial reconstruction of events is possible by cross-referencing available archival sources with witness testimonies.

Accounts from multiple witnesses describe an order issued by the Germans — likely in 1942 — for all Jewish residents to assemble at the town square near the community center. Those who complied with this order faced one of two fates: immediate execution within the village or deportation to the Sobibór killing center. This Aktion effectively marked the final liquidation of the Jewish community in Pawłów.

Archival records corroborate this period of mass killings. One document describes an event in the summer of 1942 in which a group of twelve Jewish individuals, including men, women, and children, were transported by cart to a ravine near the Catholic cemetery. There, they were forced to lie down and were shot one by one. Their bodies were subsequently buried in the ravine, which remains an un-commemorated burial site. It is highly probable that this specific mass killing was a direct result of the roundup at the community center.

Another archival record, together with a separate eyewitness testimony, describes the murder of a Jewish couple on their own property. Stanisław K., born in 1932 and interviewed by Yahad in 2013, recalled witnessing the killing of a Jewish couple and their infant by German soldiers in the family’s garden. It is plausible that the archival entry and the witness account refer to the same incident, although the possibility of multiple, similar isolated killings in the area cannot be excluded.

Despite the widespread persecution, a few Jewish families managed to survive by refusing to comply with the order to gather at the square. These individuals often relied on the assistance of their Polish neighbors. The Nysenkorn family serves as a notable example. While the family’s mother was killed early in the occupation, other members — including Jankiel Nysenkorn, often referred to by witnesses simply as Jankiel — found refuge in various hiding places, such as dugouts and barns, provided by local Poles. Although their youngest child died due to the harsh conditions, a significant portion of the family survived the war. Afterward, some members emigrated, maintaining contact with the non-Jewish neighbors who had given them crucial help.