Raipole file / תיק קהילה

📜 The History of the Raipol Community: From Ruin to Resurrection and Destruction

These sources document the history and destruction of The Jewish community in Raipola, a settlement in the Lodz region of Latvia. Before World War I, the Jewish population was Hundreds of people, but their number was significantly reduced during the period of Latvian independence and on the eve of World War II. Following Ribbentrop-Molotov PactThe region was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1940, but shortly afterwards was occupied by German ArmyThe documents sadly note that the few Jews who remained in the area Murdered in the fall of 1941 by the Nazis and local collaborators. The information is based on statistical data and testimonies that commemorate the fate of the community during the The Holocaust.

Geographical location and the beginning of the settlement

The settlement Raifulla (Raipole), also known in Russian as Raypole, located in the sub-district Lodz (Ludza, formerly called Lyutzin), located in the region Latgale (Latgale) in Latvia (C105-1f, C105-4f). The information in the archives indicates that we do not have precise information regarding the beginnings of the Jewish community in the place (C105-1f, C105-4f).

Demographics and community development

According to data appearing in the printed text, in 1897 the settlement had 1,528 residents (C105-3f). By 1914 the number of residents had increased to approximately 2,000, with the Jewish community in the settlement numbering 220 people, which constituted about 14 percent of the total population (C105-1f, C105-3f, C105-4f). During the Latvian Independence (1920–1940), only a few Jews remained in Raipola (C105-1f, C105-4f). According to the notes in the sources, in the evening World War II The number of Jews in the settlement decreased to only eight people (C105-1f, C105-3f, C105-4f).

The Holocaust and Occupation Period

Following the signing Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact In August 1939, Latvia was annexed toSoviet Union in the summer of 1940 (C105-1f, C105-4f). The sources indicate that this annexation affected the lives of the handful of Jews remaining in the settlement (C105-3f). After the German invasion of the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, the settlement was occupied by German forces in early July 1941 (C105-1f, C105-4f). The Jews found in the settlement at that time were murdered in the fall of 1941 by the Germans andTheir Latvian assistants, as part of the process of exterminating the Jews of Latvia (C105-1f, C105-3f, C105-4f).

Archival sources and notes

The information presented in this review is based, among others, on the following sources as indicated in the documents: "Maza enciklopedija, III", testimony of Shlomo Kameisky, and the book of M. Skujenieks On Latvia (C105-3f). The handwritten note next to Skujenieks' original states the year (1927) (C105-3f).

Explanation of terms and placemarks

Below is an explanation of the terms that appear in the sources:

• Latgale – A historical region in eastern Latvia.
• Ludza – A city and county in Latvia, known by its historical name Lyutzin.
• Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact – A non-aggression pact signed between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which included secret protocols for dividing spheres of influence in Eastern Europe.
• Helping Latvians – Locals who collaborated with German forces in carrying out murderous acts during the Holocaust.

List of sources

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• C105-1f – A document in Hebrew that reviews the history of the Raipola settlement, demographic data of the Jewish community, and an overview of the Holocaust period
• C105-3f – A document in Hebrew and foreign languages ​​that includes statistical data on the Raipola population, a list of bibliographical sources, and a handwritten note
• C105-4f – A document in English detailing the history of Raipola, data on the Jewish settlement, and a description of the Holocaust events in the settlement.

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