ZHILICHI, KIROVSKY REGION

Zhilichi was not a Jewish settlement, however, a lot of Jews were killed here.

Anna Afanasievna Shnurova.

Anna Afanasievna Shnurova (Mospanova), born in 1935.

I used to live in Zhilichi during the war. We did not have any Jews before the war.

When the Germans invaded, they brought Jews to the town. There were only Jewish men, mainly young ones. During the day they were forced to work. Then they were forced to wash themselves in the river and taken to a house, neighboring to mine. This house has been destroyed. There were 150-200 Jewish workers. They used to speak their own language. They were not fed properly, so they often asked local people to give them food. The residents of our town would give them eggs, potatoes. If Nazis noticed that, the “volunteers” were beaten.

From this place Anna Shnurova saw
the execution of the Jewish men.

This was the location of the building where
the Jewish workers were made to live.

I saw the execution of the Jewish men. I was sitting in the attic and saw that they were forced to dig out ditches. Then they had to stand on the edge of the ditches and shot. I was small but remember this clearly.

Now a building stands on the site of the graves.

Vasily Platonovich Lukianov.

Vasily Platonovich Lukianov, born in 1928

The Jews were brought here by Germans. There were only men, of different ages. There were 50 or maybe even 100 people. I do not know where they were brought from. They spoke both Russian and Yiddish. They were guarded by Ukrainian men, who were dressed in uniforms.

They were brought to the river and told to wash themselves there. At that time we were boys. The Ukrainians gave me a gun and told me to shoot the Jews. They told us we could drown the Jews.

When the Jews were working, the Ukrainians would hit them on their backs with wooden sticks.

Then the Ukrainians shot them.

(from the archives of Mogilev project “Lessons of the Holocaust”)

Prepared by A. Litin, I. Shenderovich
Photos taken by A. Litin

Jewish settlements in Mogilev region

Mogilev• Antonovka• Batsevichi• Belynichi• Belynkovichi• Bobruisk• Byhov• Chausy• Cherikov• Dashkovka• Dribin• Esmony• Glusk• Golovchin• Gorki• Gory• Grozdianka• Hotimsk• Kirovsk• Klichev• Konohovka• Kostukovichi• Krichev• Krucha• Krugloye• Lenino• Lubonichi• Martinovka• Moliatichi• Mstislavl• Naprasnovka• Osipovichi• Rodnia• Rudkovschina• Samotevichi• Sapezhinka• Selets• Shamovo• Shepelevichi• Shklov• Slavgorod• Staroselie• Sukhari• Svisloch• Vereschaki• Zaverezhie• Zhilichi•