October 13-14, 1941 the first stage of the total murder of the Jewish population of Dnepropetrovsk took place [1] – shootings on the territory of the Botanical Garden.
Two years later, immediately after the liberation of the city from the Nazis, an investigation OF the tragedy began. We offer several sources that illustrate the evolution in the interpretation of the events of October 1941 by the Soviet authorities (including state security): from the objective fixation of the anti-Jewish nature of the mass shootings (documents 1, 2) to one of the first attempts to use official forms of depersonalization of Holocaust victims - "peaceful Soviet citizens" (document 3). Interestingly, in the future the latest document will be repeatedly published in documentaries dedicated to the period of Nazi occupation.
The language, stylistic and spelling features of the documents are preserved.
№ 1
From the certificate of the Dnepropetrovsk regional department of the NKVD on the extermination of the civilian population of Dnipropetrovsk during the Nazi occupation
No date.
…October 13, 1941 by order of the Gestapo in Dnepropetrovsk, on Karla-Marksa Avenue[2] 10-12 thousand people were gathered under the threat of execution - people of Jewish nationality, from whom the Nazis, taking away all valuables, lined up 8 people in columns under the heightened protection of thugs "SD" went in the direction of the Transport Institute [3], near which in the ravine[4] everyone was shot.
Old men, women and children were shot.
Hitler's bastards snatched from the hands of fathers and mothers infants and young children, who in the presence of their parents were thrown into a ravine and thrown alive into the ground.
The executions of Jews continued from 5 am on October 14 until 5 pm on October 15, 1941.
In order to cover up their atrocities, the fascist monsters filled the ravine with corpses, covered it with earth from above, and then planted trees in the same place.
Throughout the period of German occupation behind the Verkhnee Village[5] of Dnepropetrovsk in the anti-tank trench, fascist executioners carried out mass executions of Soviet citizens.
Systematically, the doomed to death, fascist bastards led to the building of the transport institute in groups of 400 people, which were divided into subgroups of 100 people, after which the groups were brought to the break of the anti-tank trench and shot by specially trained German machine gunners.
According to incomplete data, during the German occupation of the city of Dnepropetrovsk, about 20,000 civilians were brutally tortured and shot.
In the same ravine in the middle of 1942, the Gestapo, pouring flammable liquid, shot Soviet citizens, and then set them on fire, thus burned about 1 [another number is unclear: "5", "6", "8" - V. R.] 00 people.
In the winter of 1942 in the Verkhnee Village of Dnepropetrovsk 12-14 German covered special vehicles with Soviet citizens periodically arrived in Dnepropetrovsk. The Nazi bastards shot them, and the wounded were thrown into pits and buried alive.
In addition to these places, Soviet citizens were shot in the center of Dnepropetrovsk, in the yard of the school № 9 [6], Mostovaya Street, where for the period from 7 / XI-1941 to March 1942 about 800 Soviet citizens were shot…
…In 1941, when the Red Army temporarily left Dnepropetrovsk in the psychiatric hospital of the village Igren [7] did not evacuate up to 1,200 sick people, some of them recovering.
The German occupiers organized the mass extermination of patients by injecting morphine under the skin, and later, for lack of morphine, injected ammonia.
As a result of the use of this infamous method, about 1,000 sick people were killed. The others ran away. …
HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NKVD IN THE DNEPROPETROVSK REGION.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL OF STATE SECURITY. -
(SEDOV) [signature]
PASSAGE
DARF [8]. F. 7021, op. 57, file no. 13, p. 7–11, 14. Typescript. Photocopy
№ 2
From the reference of the Department of the KGB in the Dnepropetrovsk region
of November 22, 1943
REFERENCE
About the atrocities and atrocities of the Nazi invaders and their accomplices committed during the occupation of the city of Dnepropetrovsk from August 25, 1941 to October 25, 1943
Since the occupation of the mountains. In Dnepropetrovsk, the Nazi invaders and their accomplices established a system of mass extermination of peaceful Soviet citizens in the city. Together with units of the German army, a German punitive body, the Field Gendarmerie, arrived in the city, which immediately established a system of mass bloody terror and extermination of innocent citizens in the city.
In the first days of the occupation, the Gestapo and the SD police launched their brutal repressive activities in the city. Thousands of Soviet citizens were arrested and imprisoned in concentration camps and concentration camps, where German executioners established an unbearable detention regime, accompanied by torture, torture, and beatings of Soviet citizens.
Mass, the systematic extermination of the citizens of Dnepropetrovsk was carried out by German invaders through mass shootings, poisonings, hangings, which were carried out without any accusation.
The methods of torture and torture of Soviet citizens surpassed all hitherto known cases of barbarism: the detainees were squeezed blood from the extremities of the human body by squeezing them with specially adapted presses, beaten with whips, sticks, weapon handles, clamped fingers in doors, dug out tufts of hair from the beard, poisoned by dogs, pulled out tongues, squeezed the eyes, etc.
… The materials available to the UNKGB in the Dnipropetrovsk region establish the following:
… 2. Atrocities
The mass extermination of Soviet civilians began with the mass extermination of the city's Jewish population.
On the night of October 12-13, 1941, on the instructions of the Chief of the SD Police, Major Wilhelm MULDE, the Field Commander, Colonel von ALBERTI, and the City Commander, a Major of the Cavalry, Major von GEDEMAN,[9], the Jewish population of the city. order was collected with valuables at the Central Department Store on the Karla-Marksa Avenue [10].
All valuables were confiscated from the exiled Jews by the Germans, then all 11,000 Jews were built in columns of 800-1,000 and escorted to the ravine in the forest-nursery of the Transport Institute, where all of them during the 13th and On October 14, 1941, they were shot and thrown into a ravine 20-25 meters deep.
Continuing to exterminate the Jewish population, the German occupiers shot the rest of the remaining Jewish population in an anti-tank trench near the Jewish cemetery in late 1941 [11].
Thus during the occupation of Dnepropetrovsk by Nazi troops, more than 17,000 Jews were shot dead.
At the same time, during the German occupation of Dnepropetrovsk, with the knowledge of the General Commissioner of the Dnepropetrovsk General District, General Klaus ZELZNER and the State Commissioner of Dnepropetrovsk KLOSTERMAN, fascist punitive bodies: the SD police, the military gendarmerie. systematically executed and hanged civilians in Dnepropetrovsk.
The shootings from the beginning of November 1941 until the moment of leaving the city were carried out in an anti-tank trench near the Jewish cemetery and hanging on the streets of the city.
In all, according to available data, more than 12,000 people were shot and killed in the anti-tank trench, and together with the Jewish population, the number of civilians shot in this place is 18,000.
From November 1941 to March 1942, about 3,000 civilians were shot dead by the courier gendarmerie and the SD in the yard of school No. 9, on Mostovaya Street, house No. 3.
HEAD OF UNKGB ON DNEPROPETROVSK REGION.
COLONEL OF STATE SECURITY
(SURKOV) [signature]
UNKGB EMPLOYEE FOR THE DNEPROPETROVSK REGION.
(CHELNOKOV) [signature]
EMPLOYEE 2 OF THE UNKGB DEPARTMENT OF DNIPROPETR. REG.
LIEUTENANT OF STATE SECURITY
(VASYLENKO) [signature]
November 22, 1943
Dnepropetrovsk.
DARF. F. 7021, op. 57, file no. 13, p. 17, 18 (vol.), 19 (vol.) - 21. Typescript. Photocopy
№ 3
Act of the Dnepropetrovsk city commission to investigate the crimes of the Nazi occupiers
of November 24, 1943
The city commission as a part: the deputy chairman of executive committee of the Dnepropetrovsk city Council of deputies of workers Malygin AF, the prosecutor of mountains. Dnepropetrovsk Sheiko I., representatives of the public Zakharova I., Kolomoytseva Z., Major Maximov T., the priest of the Orthodox Church of the Trinity Cathedral Archpriest Shevchenko Ionin, with the participation of forensic experts Professor Kuraev, doctors Mikhailovsky I. and Lyashenko, in the presence of representatives of the State Emergency Commission: Rudkevsky and Shatokhin, found that the Nazi invaders and their accomplices since the occupation of the mountains. Dnepropetrovsk introduced a system of mass extermination of Soviet civilians in the city.
In the first days of the occupation of the city, the Feldjandarmerie (field gendarmerie), the Gestapo and the SD police, which arrived with units of the German army, launched their brutal repressive activities. Thousands of Soviet citizens were arrested and imprisoned in concentration camps and concentration camps, where Nazi executioners established an unbearable detention regime, accompanied by torture, torture, and beatings of Soviet citizens.
The methods of torture and torture of Soviet citizens surpassed all hitherto known cases of barbarism: the detainees were squeezed blood from the extremities of the body - by squeezing them with specially adapted presses, beaten with whips, sticks, weapon handles, pinched fingers in the door, pulled out tufts of hair from the beard, poisoned by dogs, pulled out tongues, pierced the eyes, etc.
Mass systematic extermination of Dnepropetrovsk citizens was carried out by fascist invaders through mass shootings, poisonings, and hangings, which were carried out without any accusation.
In addition to the peaceful Soviet citizens, the Nazi occupiers killed tens of thousands of prisoners of war and Red Army commanders in the city, who died by the hundreds every day in the camps, not enduring the inhumane conditions created there.
Mass extermination of peaceful Soviet citizens of Dnepropetrovsk Hitler's occupiers began on the night of 12 to 13 October 1941
Under the direction of the head of the SD, Major Wilhelm von Mulde, the field commander, Colonel von Alberti, and the city commandant, Major Cavalier von Handelmann, 11,000 civilians, including the elderly, women and children, were gathered at the Karla-Marksa Avenue Main Department Store. things.[12]
The fascist occupiers took away all the belongings from the gathered population, and then the citizens were built in columns of 800-1000 people. And under the escort of reinforced guards, they were sent to the ravine on the territory of the nursery against the Transport Institute, where they were all shot or thrown alive into a ravine 13-20 m deep on October 13 and 14, 1941. Excavations in the ravine filled with a solid mass of decaying corpses of the elderly, children, women and men of different ages.
According to forensic experts, the period of stay of corpses in the ground is determined by a period of about two years. Residents of the settlement of the Transport Institute [13] A. Sapegin, V. Zybalo, V. Nachinsky - eyewitnesses of the bloody tragedy near the ravine - said that on October 13 and 14, 1941, in cold snowy and rainy weather, to the ravine brought groups of women, men, old men and children, who were shot by machine gunners stuck in the bushes and chaotically dumped the dead and wounded into the ravine; there, from a height of 20 meters, ferocious executioners dumped small children alive.
The heartbreaking cries and moans of the Soviet people being exterminated by the fascist barbarians could be heard at a distance of several kilometers. They were unable to drown out the noise of specially designed tractors and planes circling over the scene of the shooting.
On the basis of testimony, forensic examination and excavations, the commission found that in the ravine near the Transport Institute, fascists shot and buried 11,000 Soviet civilians of Dnepropetrovsk alive on October 13 and 14, 1941.
The second place of systematic mass extermination of the Soviet population during the entire period of temporary occupation не Dnepropetrovsk was an anti-tank trench, located 4 kilometers from the city and 300 meters from the Verkhnee Village. According to the stories of the inhabitants of the Verkhnee Village - eyewitnesses to the extermination of the Soviet population Soroka A., Bugaeva F. Hitler's occupiers in the period from October 1941 daily to the last days of their occupation of Dnepropetrovsk, brought Soviet citizens by car to the anti-tank trench and shot them. The shooting took place in the following situation: a group of naked women and men were taken out of the cars, shot, and then the next group of people were taken out, who were forced to throw the corpses of the first group on the ground and then taken to the car again. The corpses of those shot in the last group were often not covered with earth and remained until the next group of the doomed was brought. There have been cases of bodies being dragged away by dogs.
In the late period, when wanting to hide the traces of their atrocities, the Nazi occupiers burned the corpses of those shot.
Upon departure, the commission found: on the road in the direction of Sursko-Litovskoe [14], in 4 kilometers from the city and 300 meters from the Verkhnee Village, there is an anti-tank trench 6 m wide and 2.5 m deep. roads at a distance of 400 m for 300 m ditches are covered with earth to the surface. Excavations carried out in the backfilled part of the moat, during the removal of the 1st m of earth cover, the commission found decomposed human corpses along the entire length of the backfilled part of the moat. The thickness of the layer of corpses is 1.5 m. Thus, the commission found a layer of decomposed corpses lying in a solid mass. The length of this layer is 300 m, width 6 m, thickness 1.5 m.
According to experts, the corpses extracted from this part of the moat underwent forensic medical examination belonged to persons of both sexes and had gunshot wounds to the skull. In addition, in continuation of the moat, the commission found a 180-square-meter plot at the bottom. m, the surface layer of which contains a large amount of ash with charred and not completely burnt bones, here are found not completely burnt parts of corpses - brushes with fingers and parts of the wrist. This layer of earth 15 cm thick is separated by a layer of clay 30-40 cm thick from the second layer, located at a depth of 60 cm and containing charred bones and parts of the limbs of human bodies.
According to the forensic medical examination, the charred and burnt bones found at the bottom of the ditch are human bones. In the continuation of the same moat, under its walls, the commission found some hills of loose earth. Parts of human corpses were visible at the base of one of these hills.
The excavations revealed the decaying corpses of men and women, mostly young, most of them in clothes. A pair of wooden crutches were also found among the corpses. Six corpses had their arms and legs tied with wire, and some corpses had traces of lifelong beatings.
According to the forensic medical examination, the period of stay of corpses in the ground is determined from 1.5 to 4 months. Most of the corpses were examined by gunshot wounds to the head (nape, forehead, temple), and some were found to have chest injuries.
Based on the conclusion of the forensic medical examination, eyewitness interviews and excavations, the commission found that in the area of the anti-tank moat during the period of temporary occupation of the mountains. Dnepropetrovsk Nazis exterminated from 18 to 20 thousand people. peaceful Soviet citizens who were found by the commission in an anti-tank trench.
According to citizens, the commission excavated the yard of school No. 9, located in the center of the city on Mostovaya Street, house No. 3, as a result of which about 500 decomposed human corpses were found. According to the forensic medical examination, the corpses under investigation belong to persons of both sexes, mostly young, and have gunshot wounds to the head. The duration of these corpses in the ground is 1.5–2 years.
According to eyewitnesses - Zarubina, Rodenko and others - in the period from November 1941 to March 1942, Hitler's gendarmerie executed civilians in this place.
Based on the collected data, the commission considers that in the school yard № 9 on Mostovaya Street, house № 3, the Nazi occupiers shot about 500 people - peaceful Soviet citizens.
Terrific is the extermination by the Nazi occupiers of prisoners of war, fighters and commanders of the Red Army, carried out by them in Dnepropetrovsk.
According to the testimony of witnesses N. Polimonov, L. Radchuk, S. Grishko and L. Volodina, it was established that there was an unbearable regime in the camp. The diet was very low, there was no medical care for the sick, they slept on cement floors and in unheated rooms, performed unbearable physical work. Tens of thousands of prisoners of war died between September 1941 and September 1943 as a result of the brutal treatment, systematic torture, as well as unbearable work and mass illness due to the unsanitary conditions in this camp.
According to citizens and an inspection of the area near the nunnery by the commission [15], it was established that the area was a place where the Nazi occupiers had buried the corpses of tortured Red Army soldiers and commanders in camps for 2 years, and was a fenced area. an area measuring 110 x 33 m with graves running the entire length of the square in 7 rows. On some graves there are wooden crosses with various inscriptions, such as: "An unknown Russian man died, 13 years old, September 9, 1941", "An unknown Russian soldier died" and others.
The excavations carried out during the removal of one meter of earth cover by the commission established that male corpses were buried in an area of 100 m. X 25 m. The thickness of the layer of corpses is 2 m. The found corpses are dressed in tunics and trousers of the Red Army pattern. Under the cross with the inscription "Unknown Russian man 13 years old" were found 14 corpses of adult men dressed in Red Army uniforms.
Based on the testimony of witnesses, data produced by the excavation commission and the conclusion of a forensic medical examination, the commission estimates that Nazi monsters buried about 30,000 captured and captured Red Army soldiers and commanders in this place.
Thus, the Dnepropetrovsk city commission established that the Nazi occupiers during the temporary occupation of the mountains. Dnepropetrovsk exterminated 29,500 people. peaceful Soviet citizens and tortured 30,000 prisoners of war and Red Army commanders.
Deputy prev. City Executive Committee Malygin.
City Prosecutor Sheiko.
Major Maximov.
From public organizations Zakharov, Kolomoitsev.
Archpriest of the Trinity Cathedral Shevchenko.
Forensic experts Professor Kuraev.
Doctors Lyashenko, Mikhailovsky.
Apply for: Dnepropetrovsk region during the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union (1941-1945). Collection of documents and materials. Dnepropetrovsk: Dnepropetrovsk book publishing house, 1962. P. 183–188.
[1] Now Dnipro.
[2] Now Dmytra Yavornytskoho Avenue.
[3] Now Dnipro National University of Railway Transport of Academician V. Lazaryan.
[4] Now there is a part of the Botanical Garden and the stadium of Dnipro National University of Oles Honchar.
[5] Now part of Dnipro.
[6] Now School #9.
[7] Now part of Dnipro.
[8] State Archive of the Russian Federation.
[9] In some cases there are some variants of writing of the name, for example, "Handelman".
[10] Now Central department store on Dmytro Yavornytsky avenue. It is possible to see the name "Glavunivermag".
[11] Now Park of L. Pisarzhevsky territory
[12] Now TSUM Department Store, ave. Dmytra Yavornytskoho, 52.
[13] Now part of Dnipro.
[14] Now village in Dnipropetrovsk region.
[15] Now St. Tikhvin Convent, st. Nadiya Alekseenko, 171.