Mostovskoy | Krasnodar

Mostovskoy is located on the left bank of the Laba River, 30 km south of Labinsk. It was founded in 1894-1895.  According to the census in 1926 4,512 inhabitants lived in the village. In December 1936 ithe lumber factory was establsihed and the Labinsk-Mostovskoy-Shedok railway was constructed. Its construction prompted the development of local and district forestry enterprises that were engaged in the logging and processing of wood, playing important role in regional and village development. There were four kolkhozes in Mostovskoy. Nothing is known about the local Jewish community but according to the witnesses, interviewed by Yahad’s team, a lot of Jewish refugees came to Mostovskoy after the outbreak of WWII. They stayed in the houses within the locals.  They tried to retreat with the Soviet army, but were turned back by the Germans. Mostovskoy was occupied by German forces in early August, 1942.

Soon after the occupation the Germans appointedstarosta, created local police and established kommandantur. According to the local witness the Jewish refugees were ordered to mark themselves with white arm bands bearing yellow stars. Even children had to wear them, excluding babies. Then a picture of a Jew was posted with an inscription “Jews are enemies of the nation forever”. About a month later, a new order was posted thought-out the town saying that all the Jews had to gather at the commandant’s office with their belongings for the registration. There was also a note threatening to shoot anyone who attempted to hide a Jew. The registration was conducted in two days. On the second day of the registration, all the Jews, including children, were put in long dark grey covered trucks, brought outside Mostovskoy and shot on a slope leading to bulrushes by the river. According to one of the witnesses the Germans didn’t shoot children, but smeared their lips with poison. The trucks were guarded by the Germans in grey uniforms; they were not regular soldiers, but belonged to a special unit, most probably from Einsatzgruppe C. According to the historical sources 37 Jews were killed that day, but the local witnesses stated that the number maybe higher, up to 70.  Several days later the bodies were buried by the requisitioned villagers.