[17] [. . .] already to everyone an uncertain foreboding about their own
[. . .] fate [?]. [. . .] one did not have to wait for long. On Monday evening of the
following week, a Pole suddenly came to the middle ghetto and insistently
enquired about a Jew he knew. People understood from his agitated behaviour
that he had something painful and bitter to share. They tried to ask him for
what he needed his acquaintance, what he wanted to say to him. He replied
agitatedly that he had something important [to say], but was afraid of “getting
a bullet in the head”. Finally, he found his acquaintance and told him that
there was a suspicion [. . .] to expel the Jews and indeed without delay. He did
not know any details. On the same evening, the chairman of the Judenrat went
across with several [. . .] to the village head in order to [. . .] about the rumours.
[. . .] he told them that he [. . .] ordered[?] and urgently [. . .]. [18] It goes without
saying that everything was done with no order or aim, [. . .], things also
got confused [. . .].
The following day, Tuesday, 24 March 1942, early in the morning
around 6 [o’clock], peasant wagons appeared, and a big group of gendarmes
led by a tall lean officer (lieutenant), surrounded all three Jewish ghettos.
The first order ensued immediately: All out of the houses. The people obediently
got out and took bundles with them. The appearance of the bundles
incensed the Germans. Who ordered you to pack, who prepared you?” they
shouted. “Unpack!” The people [. . .] started[ ?] to unpack. Soon, however, came
another order, “Men – into the houses [. . .] and carry out everything there is.”
The packing was thrown aside, [. . .] ran into the houses, from wh[ere] [. . .]
dragged out furniture, bedding, [. . .], suitcases and the like. From [. . .] thrown
through [. . .] the aforementioned things [. . .]. [19] [. . .] officer with a revolver
and cold-bloodedly, with silent[?] [. . .] cruelties: beating, shooting, swearing.
When a large pile of things accumulated, the officer ordered for it to be
set on fire. The fire flared up, bright and high. It was ordered to also throw
the larger bundles which the people had near them onto the pile. The former
bookkeeper of Kult-Bukh,¹²⁸⁰ L., was ordered to throw his big bundle
of things onto the fire. He could not accomplish this because the pile was
very high and the fire blazed powerfully. He was threatened with shooting.
Under the [. . .], he pounced at the burning pile and threw in his bundle.
He [. . .] the danger for himself of being burnt. He remained in a torn [. . .]
1280 An interwar Yiddish publishing house.
