Vidrodzhennya | Zhytomyr

/ Landscape of Vidrodzhennya © Victoria Bahr - Yahad - In Unum Yahad team during the interview © Victoria Bahr – Yahad – In Unum Galina Z., born in 1926: “They approached the edge of the pit and lined up, one by one. Someone fired and the body fell down. Then, another approached.” © Victoria Bahr – Yahad – In Unum The memorial to the Jewish victims murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. © Victoria Bahr - Yahad - In Unum

Execution of Khodorkiv’s Jews in Vidrodzhennya

1 Execution site(s)

Kind of place before:
Pit near the canteen that belonged to the kolkhoz
Memorials:
Yes
Period of occupation:
1941-1944
Number of victims:
150

Witness interview

Galina M recounts: “YIU: You told us that aside from the five Germans, there were others who came on purpose and remained near the pit watching, right?
W: They were nearby. Some conducted the shooting and others stayed nearby. It was a group.
YIU: Were they also dressed in black?
W: Yes, all of them! They had skulls and bones symbols on their hats.
YIU: Were they calm or did they laugh? Those who were nearby?
W: They came. After having finished their “job” they went to the canteen to eat. After, they said thank you and they left! They did nothing more.
YIU: Was the shooter who fired at close range covered in blood?
W: He fired from a short distance, he was not that close.
YIU: Did he wash himself afterwards?
W: Once they had finished the work, they washed themselves. But only the shooters, as they were close to the pit.
YIU: Where did they wash themselves?
W: In the pond, located not far from here.” (Witness n°1727, interviewed in Vidrodzhennya, on June 06, 2013).

Historical note

Vidrodzhennya is located 48 km southeast of Zhytomyr.  According to Yahad’s investigation, there were no Jews in the village before the war. The Jewish community lived in the nearest town of Khodorkiv, 7 km away.  Before the war, 453 Jews lived there. Writer Oyslender Nohum (1893) lived here. The majority of the Jews lived off of small trade but there were also artisans among them. The territory was occupied by Germans on July 14, 1941.

Holocaust by bullets in figures

According to Yahad’s witness, Galina Z. (Witness N°1727), around 150 Jews from Khodorkiv were shot near the kolkhoz’s canteen. Before being shot, the Jews were gathered in a barn. From the barn, they were escorted one by one towards the pit and shot with a sub machine gun. The Aktion was conducted by Germans who came for that purpose.

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