Chernigov's Jews

– Roshevshchina

In October 1941 a large groupe of Jews form Chernigov was arrested and taken to a quarry of Brick Factory No. 2 on Shevchenko Street. From there they were taken under guard to the murder site in Roshevshchina. The murder was carried out by Germans in charge of the field gendarmerie with the help of local Ukrainian policemen. That site also known as Yaroshevshchina or Royevshchina and was located in a garden near 130 Shevchenko Street. Jews were systematically arrested and shot in this location during different periods of the occupation. However the number of 4,000 Jews, given in one testimony as being shot is inflated.

At the mass murder site of the Jews of Roshevshchina there is a memorial to the Soviet civilians who were murdered by Germans during the occupation of Chernigov. It is located on a street named 50 Years of the Young Communist League. The memorial has an inscription in Ukrainian that says: “Stop, passerby! Honor the dear memory of your countrymen! At this site 7,500 Soviet civilians were tortured to death by the German fascist invaders in 1941-1943.” In 1966 the bodies of the victims were transferred from Roshevshchina to a mass grave at the cemetery in Yalovshchina.

– Berezovyy Rov

On November 18, 1941 all the remaining Jews of Chernigov were ordered to appear at the central square for resettlement. Those who did come to the square were taken under guard to the building of former Brick Factory No. 2. From the Factory Jews were taken in small groups to pits in Berezovyy Rovin (the direction of the village of Koty) that had been prepared in advance. There Jews were ordered to take off their clothes, and then were shot dead by Germans with assistance of Ukrainian police. According to testimonies, the mass shooting lasted three days.

After that Jews of all ages and both genders were also taken by the Germans with the help of Ukrainian policemen to Berezovyy Rov from Chernigov city prison. The Jews were forced to take off their clothes and were then shot in prepared pits.

There is a monument at present on Mira Street at the bottom of the Berezovyy ravine. At this place about 800 Jews were shot by Germans and their accomplices in November 1941. The area of the monument is marked with plaques. The pyramid-shaped monument is about 4.3 meters high. Designed by Sergiyevskiy and Kopeykina, it was erected in 1963. On the front of the monument there is an inscription in Ukrainian that says: “Here lie buried about 1,500 Soviet civilians who were tortured [to death] by the German fascist invaders in 1941. The memory of these people who were killed in the struggle for the freedom and independence of our Motherland will remain in our hearts forever.” The inscription continues: “In fond memory of you who live forever in our hearts.” On the lower part of the monument there is also an inscription in Ukrainian on a plaque which was placed on the monument in 1991 by the Jewish community of Chernigov. The text says: “At this site on November 18, 1941 the German invaders shot 800 Jews from Chernigov.”

In November 2001, on the 60th anniversary of the mass murder of Chernigov’s Jews, the Jewish community of Chernigov affixed to the monument a plaque with a Star of David and the inscription: “We remember – Jews from Chernigov, 2001.”

– Chernigov city prison

During the period of the German occupation of the city Jews from Chernigov and other locations in the Chernigov District were arrested and imprisoned in the Chernigov city prison. Many of them were shot in the area of the prison at different times; some of inprisoned Jews were taken to other mass murder sites and murdered there.

– Podusovka

Jews who were not murdered in the 3-day operation in the Berezovyy Rov were taken to this mass murder site in November 1941 and systematically murdered.

Some Jews were shot there later, in the spring of 1942, when Jews of all ages and both sexes were taken from the Chernigov city prison to the mass murder site. The Jews had to take off their clothes and they were shot in prepared pits. The mass shooting was carried out by the Security Service and Ukrainian policemen. A total of 15,000 civilians and prisoners of war were shot at this location.

– Second Kholodniy Yar

Some Jews were taken from the Chernigov city prison and shot at different times by Germans, with the help of local Ukrainian policemen, in a ravine of the Second Kholodnyy Yar.

http://jewua.org/chernigov/