Pukhovichi (Pukhavichy, Puchavičy, Puchowicze) | Minsk

The market in Pukhovichi, 1910. ©Taken from Wikipedia, Public domain Pukhovichi in 1918. ©Taken from Wikipedia, Public domain / Nikoay B., born in 1927: “Only the men tried to escape, the women couldn’t leave their children.” ©Jethro Massey/Yahad - In Unum The ghetto was located at this site. About 850 Pukhovichi Jews were confined there. ©Jethro Massey/Yahad - In Unum The local orthodox church. ©Jethro Massey/Yahad - In Unum A witness accompanied the Yahad team to the ancient Jewish cemetery in Pukhovichi to show us the mass grave of 85 Jewish men. ©Jethro Massey/Yahad - In Unum The mass grave containing the remains of 1,260 Jews native to Pukhovichi and Mariina Gorka. ©Jethro Massey/Yahad - In Unum Sketch of the Popova Gorka execution site GARF 7021-87-12; copy YVA JM/20009. ©Taken from the Yad Vashem website At this Jewish cemetery 97 Jews were shot by the Germans, assisted by the local police. They were buried by requisitioned villagers. ©Jethro Massey/Yahad - In Unum Sketch of the Jewish cemetery execution site in Pukhovichi GARF 7021-87-12; copy YVA JM/20009. ©Taken from the Yad Vashem website

Execution of Jews from Pukhovichi and Maryina Gorka in Pukhovichi

2 Sitio(s) de ejecución

Tipo de lugar antes:
Jewish cemetery (1); Unknown(2)
Memoriales:
Yes
Período de ocupación:
1941-1944
Número de víctimas:
97/1,260

Entrevista del testigo

Nikoay B., born in 1927: “All the Pukhovichi Jews were rounded up and taken to a place called Dubrava, it’s located near the sovkhoz. But back then there was a writers’ house there. They set up a ghetto and all the local Jews were moved into it. It was composed of several buildings fenced in with barbed wire. The Jews stayed there for about a month before the shooting. They were told what to take with them to the ghetto, but they didn’t take much: only valuables, blankets and some clothing. All their property was later confiscated.” (Witness n°955, interviewed in Pukhovichi, on August 12, 2017)

Archivos soviéticos

“[...] On 17 [the month is unknown] 1941, the German punitive detachment arrived in Pukhovichi and savagely massacred 97 civilian Soviet citizens, inhabitants of Pukhovichi. The victims were buried at the execution site located near the old Jewish cemetery. The pit measuring 2 meters wide and 25 meters long is located in the field, south-east of the ravine, 20 meters to the east. [...]” [Act of the State Extraordinary Commission (GhGK), drawn up on September 27, 1944; RG 22.002M: 7021-89-12]

Nota histórica

Pukhovichi is located 61 km southeast of Minsk. The first known record of the Jewish community goes back to the second half of the 16th century. According to historical sources, 1,671 Jews lived in the village in 1900, comprising 91% of the total population. In 1912, a Jewish loan-saving partnership began operating, and in 1913 a Jewish library was opened. In 1913, the Jews owned the only warehouse of pharmacy goods and 25 stores, including eight grocery stores, a liquor store, book stores, and a tobacconist. Other Jews were artisans, such as tailors or shoemakers. In the autumn of 1915, when the frontline approached the town, the Jews were resettled away from Pukhovichi. In 1919, Pukhovichi was taken over by the Soviet Union. During this period a Yiddish school was established in the village. In 1920 the Jewish population suffered a pogrom. As a result, many Jews left the town. In 1926 the Jewish population numbered 929 people, comprising only 43% of the total population.

Holocausto por balas en cifras

The Germans occupied the town at the end of June 1941. Soon after the occupation the Germans appointed a starosta. Later, all the Jews were told to take their valuables with them and were confined into a ghetto surrounded by barbed wire where they stayed for about a month. On August 17, 1941, the first Jews were executed. According to the Soviet commission, 97 Jews were taken to the Jewish cemetery, located about 1 km from the ghetto, and shot by the Germans, who had been posted from Minsk, assisted by the police. Local villagers were requisitioned to bury their corpses. The remaining 850 people were taken to the village of Blon on September 22, 1941 (according to another source, September 28), where they were killed along with the Jews from Mariina Gorka at Popova Gorka. The shooting was carried out by the German gendarmerie and members of Security Police who were posted from Minsk to carry out the Aktion. In all, 1,260 Jews were murdered in Popova Gorka. 

Pueblos cercanos

  • Krynka
  • Dukora
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