List of Jewish Fighter against Nazies's file / תיק – רשימת לוחמים יהודים נגד הנאצים

These sources document the The military contribution and heroism of Jewish warriors In the ranks of the Red Army during World War II. The documents include Official certificates, photographs and name lists of soldiers who fell in battle, alongside personal stories of heroism from pilots, commanders and infantrymen. Special emphasis is placed on 201st Latvian Division, in which many Jews served and participated in the defense of Moscow and the liberation of territories from the Nazis. The texts describe the The fierce fighting on the various fronts, from the defense of islands in the Baltic Sea to air operations over the skies of Germany and Eastern Europe. Beyond the operational detail, the sources preserve the The memory of the warriors and emphasize their significant role in the victory over Nazi Germany. In this way, the collection constitutes Historical evidence of Jewish pioneering in the armed struggle against fascism.

The participation of Jews in World War II, especially in the Latvian units of the Red Army, is characterized byExtraordinary heroism and profound personal sacrificeThe sources present a picture of fighters who had to deal not only with the horrors of war on the front, but also with the terrible pain of losing their families in the Holocaust, which for many of them turned the war into a journey of revenge and justice (H-58-5f, H58-4f).

Expansion of important sources

• The source H58-4f: This source is unique in that it provides A personal voice for the warriors Through their direct testimonies. He details the story of Ilya Galvan, an officer who excelled not only in courage but also in military acumen; Galvan refused a suicidal order to attack in broad daylight without cover, and instead led a successful night attack with improvised camouflage that saved many lives (H58-4f). The testimony of Elsa Imuskevich The same source reveals the motivation of Jewish women serving as snipers, driven by the desire to avenge the murder of their loved ones in the ghettos (H58-4f).
• The source H-58-5f: This source is used asComprehensive documentary database Including lists of key figures, medical personnel, partisans, and families who perished. It provides shocking statistics on the extermination of Latvian Jews, stating that some 70,000 local Jews were murdered by the Nazis (H-58-5-12f, H-58-5f). The source emphasizes the contribution of Jews as doctors and surgeons at the front, sometimes under heavy fire (H-58-5-9f, H-58-5f).
• The source H58-1f: This source focuses onMilitary and tactical aspects of the Latvian divisions. He notes that in the 201st Latvian Division, about 50% of the volunteers were Jewish, a figure that indicates the massive mobilization of the community in the fight against Nazism (H58-1f). The source describes difficult battles such as the defense of Moscow and the liberation of Latvian cities, detailing the heavy losses of the Jewish units (H58-1f).

Key figures

Victims and fighters:

• Ilya Gelvan: A Jewish captain in the 201st Latvian Division, decorated with 7 medals of valor, who demonstrated exceptional leadership in the Battle of Elgin (H58-4f).
• Elsa Imuskevich: An outstanding sniper who lost her family in Riga and enlisted in the Red Army to take revenge on the Nazis (H58-4f).
• Sara Aronshtein: A Jewish sniper who managed to eliminate 56 German soldiers and officers during her service (H58-7-5f, H58-7f).
• Michael Dubinsky: Chief surgeon of the 201st/43rd Latvian Division, who administered medical care under difficult combat conditions (H-58-5-9f, H-58-5f).
• Gregory Plakin: A policeman who sacrificed his life in battle near Moscow when he blocked with his body the scorching fire of a Nazi bunker (H58-7f).
• Riva Donde: The pharmacy manager of Regiment 308, who fell in battle in the summer of 1944 (H-58-5-9f, H-58-5f).
• Isaac Rabinovich: A fighter who survived serious injuries and participated in the liberation of his hometown, Algaba, while his father fought in the same battalion (H58-4f).
• Solomons Baumans: A Latvian commissar and revolutionary who fell in the battle for the defense of Tallinn in August 1941 (H58-2f).
• Joseph (Yazap) Pasternak (Joseph/Jazep Pasternak) was an outstanding Jewish fighter and commander in the ranks of the Latvian units of the Red Army, whose story combines supreme heroism at the front and a tragic end in the post-war years (H-58-5f, H58-7-6f).
  The life and work of Joseph Pasternak
  • The beginning of the journey and military advancement: Pasternak was born in 1919 and began his combat service as early as 1941 on the Leningrad Front (H-58-5f, H58-7-6f). He joined the Latvian Division in January 1942 as a private, but thanks to his skills and leadership, he completed an officer course and quickly advanced through the ranks (H-58-3f, H58-7-6f). During the war, he served as a company commander in the 123rd Regiment of the 201st Division, later reaching the rank of Major and Battalion Commander In the 43rd Latvian Guard Division (H-58-3f, H58-7-6f).
  • Operational achievements: Pasternak is remembered as a warrior who broke through for his forces; he was The first to cross the border From Belarus into Latvian territory in the Shkyayne area on July 18, 1944 (H-58-5f). In addition, he commanded his forces during the liberation of the Latvian town of Skliaune in August 1944 (H58-7-6f).
  • Decorations and recognition: For his bravery and skilled command under fire, during which he was wounded several times, he was awarded prestigious decorations, including: Alexander Nevsky Medal, the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class, and the Medal "For Courage" (H-58-5f, H58-7-6f). Due to his merits, he headed a delegation of the "best fighters" of the division sent to the Supreme Council of Latvia (H-58-3f).
  • After the war: After the fighting ended, Pasternak became involved in Latvian cultural life and became a public activist (H-58-5f). His life was brutally cut short when Murdered in Riga On November 10, 1976 (H-58-5f).

List of sources

• H-58-3f : Documents and certificates relating to the defense of Odessa and the fighting in Latvia.
• H-58-5-12f : Lists of Jewish fighters and partisans and data on the extermination of Latvian Jews.
• H-58-5-2f : Documentation of Jewish participation in the Spanish Civil War and World War II.
• H-58-5-3f : A review of Latvian military units and anti-fascist organization.
• H-58-5-5f : Lists of outstanding Jewish officers and fighters who fell in battles in Latvia.
• H-58-5-9f : List of Jewish medical personnel who served at the front and information on families who perished.
• H-58-5f : A comprehensive file that includes lists of fallen soldiers, partisans, and Jewish medical personnel in Latvia.
• H-58-6f : A detailed list of Jewish medical personnel in the Latvian divisions.
• H58-1f : A historical overview of the 201st and 43rd Latvian divisions and Jewish participation in them.
• H58-2f : Information about Jewish fighters in the Battle of Tallinn and the Monizund Islands.
• H58-4f : Personal testimonies of Jewish fighters (Galvan, Imuskevich, Rabinovich) from the Latvian front.
• H58-7-1f : Data on the composition of the Latvian divisions and the percentage of Jewish fighters in them.
• H58-7-3f : Lists of Jewish officers and medical personnel who served in the Latvian Corps.
• H58-7-5f : Documenting the heroism of the Jewish whipper Sarah Aronstein.
• H58-7-6f : Information about Major Joseph Pasternak and his military work for the liberation of Latvia.
• H58-7-7f : Details about Captain Yona Levin, a Jewish artillery battery commander.
• H58-7f : Handwritten documents detailing the heroic stories of the Latvian Corps fighters.

– H58-1f

– H58-2f

– H58-4f

– H58-7f

– H58-7-1f

– H58-7-3f

– H58-7-5f

– H58-7-6f

– H58-7-7f

– H-58-5-2f

– H-58-3f

– H-58-5-3f

– H-58-5-5f

– H-58-5f

– H-58-6f

– H-58-5-9f

– H-58-5-12f

 

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