on the church square.²¹⁰ About 900 adult men and youngsters appeared.
The rest hid.
[2] All those who did appear were driven on foot in the direction of
Hrubieszów.
The German SA people rode on horseback. The people being driven to
military forced labour were unable to run after them and keep pace with
the gallop. Chased and tormented, they fell under a hail of blows and bullets
from the wild and bloodthirsty men hurrying them along. This occurred
6 km from Chełm.²¹¹
The first draft²¹² cost the Jewish community between 800 and 900 murdered
victims, in addition to 500 widows and orphans left behind.
The community of Jewish people from Chełm in Warsaw was shaken by
this unprecedented event.
With the help of the “Joint”, a local aid committee was established which
set itself the task of helping the victims.
Local activists regard Mr Frenkiel as the morally guilty party in this
tragic event, considering him fully responsible due to his incautious action.
In his further activity with respect to the kehillah there, the community
regards him as adequately hard-working and energetic community chairman
who, in his own particular way, does everything that can be done – within
the framework of the possibilities – for the benefit of the Jewish population
in such a difficult time.
In the kehillah council, there is also a certain Kirszenblat, a glazier,
whose name must be mentioned. His role is more than questionable.
First of all, he heads the “labour department” that has been established
in the Judenrat. He inspires the Germans, clearly intentionally, to create a constant
source of revenue for himself and for the German bribe-takers from
the continuous supply of forced labourers. [3] During the brief period of his
time in office, he has been able to extract various permits for himself from
210 This was the market square.
211 The Germans then drove those people onto the other bank of the River Bug. Some of them later returned to Chełm (see Doc. 30). At least 440 people died during the death march. See also footnote 61.
212 In the original, branka, a Polish word designating the Russian military draft in the nineteenth century.
