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THE VILLAGE OF SUKHARI

The settlement of Sukhari is located 20 km away from Mogilev. In the 16-17th centuries it used to be called Sukharevichi.

Brothers Katsman.
Leva (left), born in 1926,
Mikhail (right), born in 1924,
David (standing), born in 1924
(killed in Sukhari at the beginning
of the war).
Photo taken in the 1930s.
From Lev Katsman's family archive.

Sofia Vulfovna Katsman
with son Leva. Sukhari.
Photo taken in the 1930s.
From Lev Katsman's
family archive.

In 1878 the population of the village constituted 730 people, 393 of them – Orthodox and 337 – Jewish. At that time there were 133 wooden houses, an Orthodox church and a synagogue.

At the beginning of the 20th century Sukhari was split into 2 parts – a Jewish and a Belarusian one.

From the story of Lev Abramovich Katsman, born in 1926

"I was born in Sukhari. My father, Abram Gilkovich Katsman, was born in 1904. Mother – Sofia Vladimirovna (Vulfovna). I have two sisters: Galia (born in 1930) and Raya (born in 1932).

We had our own household: a cow, hens, a pig, some land. We made our own butter. We had a sewing machine and parents made out clothes. On holidays everyone put on nice clothes. There were no cars in Sukhari – people rode horses.

In 1930 we built a wooden house – 40 square meters. The house we lived in before was really bad. So, after the 30s we had beds and a wardrobe, which we'd never had before. There was a separate room for grandparents Perla and Velvl. We, the children, lived in the living room and the parents lived in the bedroom.

I remember that the relations between the Jews and the Belarusians were very good. Our father had a lot of Belarusian friends.

Our neighbors, the Berkenblits, did not manage to leave the village during the war. All of them were killed."

Sukhari. Jewish cemetery.

From the story of Isaak Moiseyevich Dudkin, 1919 - 2001

Mikhail Katsman, Isaak Dudkin, Lev Leivikov
with Sukhari residents
near the place of the execution, 1965.
From A. Litin's family album.

Friends from Sukhari: Isaak Dudkin, Abram Estulin, Lazar Litin.

Lazar Yefimovich Litin.

Meyer Vulfovich Katsman.

"I spent my childhood in the Sukhari. The local Jews were mostly craftsmen: tailors, shoemakers and carpenters. I can still remember a lot of names: the blacksmiths were Yankel Danilovich, Velka Dvorkin and my father, Moisey Dudkin. Havkin was a junkman, Sara-Leya Katsman – a tailor."

(From the book "History of Mogilev Jewry. Documents and people." Book 2, part 1. A. Litin, Minsk, 2006)

Among the residents of Sukhari:
Isaak Dudkin, Lev Leivikov, Mikhail Katsman,
Riva Vaiman, Lazar Litin, Lena Levinina, Sima Levinina.
1965. From A. Litin's family album.

Lev Katsman.

THE HOLOCAUST

The first execution took place in autumn, 1941. Young men and teenagers were murdered. The second execution was carried out on February 23, 1942 by Nazi policemen and Germans.

From the story of Isaak Moiseyevich Dudkin, 1919 – 2001:

"A lot of Jews, that had not managed to evacuate, were shot in Sukhari. Here are some of the names: Shaya Soloviev, his wife Leya, daughter Dora and granddaughter Luda; Zelik Estulin, wife Maya, son Samuil; Haim-Haikl Litin and his children Zalman-Ore, Haya, Hana, Zelda and Gita. Unfortunately, there was no memorial at the place of the execution."

(From the archive of Mogilev project "The lessons of the Holocaust.")

Nikolay Dmitrievich Valuzhevich.

Memorial on the site of the execution.

Nikolay Dmitrievich Valuzhevich, head of village community.

"Most of the population of the village was Jewish: the Katsmans, the Litins, the Shalytos, the Estulins, the Dudkins, the Solovievs, the Mereminskys and others.

After the liberation of the village an investigation was carried out. It showed that on the territory of Sukhary 84 people had been shot, from them 34 women and 14 children. They had been executed 2 km away from Sukhari.

Prepared by A. Litin
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•

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