Download - Jews in Białystok Under Soviet Occupation
Jews in Białystok under
Soviet occupation
Daniel Boćkowski
In the memories of contemporary inhabitants
of Bialystok memory of the Jews neighbors during the Soviet occupation
does not exist.
Everyday life Jews in Bialystok in this period is
associated exclusively with the relationship of collaboration with the
Soviet authorities.
People don’t understand why the Jews in Bialystok
rejoiced at the departure of Germans and Russians
invasion.They don’t know anything about the casualties of the Bialystok Jewsh during his stay in the German army.
Bialystok (and Lviv) was a town that has adopted
most of the Jewish refugees from the
central Polish.
Soviet documents inform about thousands of
refugees from Warsaw, Lodz and other Polish cities going to stay in Bialystok.Local Jews tried to help them in spite of poverty and financial difficulties.
Economic problems and anti-Polish policy of the
Soviet goverment quickly led to an
increase in hostility between Poles and Jews.
Everyday life of Jews in Bialystok under Soviet
occupation was as heavy as the Poles.
Jews lost their factories, industrial plants and
workshops.
Young people are fascinated communist ideology, abandoning
their traditions and faith.
The Soviet goverment closed many
synagogues and religious schools.
In this period were not closed any church.
Most of the city’s batei midrsah and synagogues
were taken over by homeless refugees.
Ceased to exist as a Bialystok’s Jewish
community institutions.
Soviet authorities repress many Jews.In the first wave of
arrests in October 1939 the Bund’s main
activists were arested.
Next wave was in April 1940 (merchants,
industrialists, archenemy of socjalism)
and June 1940 (Jewish refugees).
Thousands of Jews were arrested for trafficking, smuggling, and when you try to cross the
German-Soviet border.