Documents of the Special Committee (2)'s file / תיק – מסמכים של הוועדה המיוחדת (2)

These sources include Detailed name lists of Soviet citizens murdered during The Nazi occupation in various regions of Latvia, such as Riga and Kuldiga. The documents, preserved in the archives United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, documenting personal details including full names, years of birth, residential addresses, and exact dates of murder. Some of the pages feature handwritten notes in Russian and Latvian, detailing the The fate of victims and of their family members who perished during this period. In addition, the sources contain indexes linking the names of the murdered to testimonies or statements submitted by their relatives after the war. These documents constitute Vital historical documentation To commemorate the victims and to study the extermination operations carried out by the German occupiers and their collaborators.

The documents before us constitute a chilling historical record of the extermination of Jewish communities and the murder of peaceful civilians in Latvia during the German occupation between 1941 and 1944. The testimonies were collected by the Extraordinary State Commission of the Soviet Union, and include detailed Semitic lists of victims, dates of murder, burial places, and details of local collaborators (H77-10f, H77-19f, H77-4f).

Key events and murder locations

During the Nazi occupation, mass massacres were committed in many cities and towns in Latvia:

• Riebeņi: In August 1941, the Arajs Kommando, backed by local auxiliaries, murdered over 100 Jews (H77-10f). The victims were arrested in their homes, taken to a nearby forest, and shot to death (H77-10f).
• Preiļi: The town experienced the almost complete annihilation of its Jewish population, with victim lists listing hundreds of names of men, women, and children murdered in cold blood (H77-4f).
• Viļāni: The documentation shows a long list of approximately 368 civilians who were shot or tortured to death, including entire families such as the Loban family (H77-19f).
• Riga: Detailed lists document the murder of city residents in various residential neighborhoods, such as the Proletarian Quarter and the Lenin Quarter, throughout the entire period of occupation (H77-11f, H77-13f).
• Višķi: The victim lists include over 200 people who were murdered in this area and in nearby villages (H77-20f).
• Other places: Mass murders were also documented in cities and towns such as Valmiera, Varakļāni, Skrunda, Pļaviņas, and Jēkabpils (H77-15f, H77-16f, H77-17f, H77-3f, H77-22f).

Key figures

Victims (partial list):

• Rubin Fine: 52 years old, murdered in Brevini (H77-10f).
• Pesel Kanka: 42 years old, murdered along with her children (H77-10f).
• Feiga Luban: Murdered in Villiani along with her five children: Ruben, Rachel, Asheva, Boris and Benjamin (H77-19f).
• Abram Gurevich: 40 years old, murdered in Brevini (H77-10f).
• Meir Luban: 81 years old, murdered in Bulmira (H77-16f).
• Khaina Zlotokrylov: 40 years old, murdered with her children (H77-10f).
• Mendel Feld: 65 years old, murdered with his family (H77-10f).

Nazis and collaborators:

• Viktor Parvid: A local resident who participated in the murders in Ravini (H77-10f).
• Vladimir Shpel: Local collaborator in Ravini (H77-10f).
• Anton Laizan: A collaborator who participated in the massacre in Ravini (H77-10f).
• Sergei Zinovyev: Described as a "fascist executioner" in the Indra region (H77-5f).
• Albin Lyuls: Nazi collaborator in the Indra region (H77-5f).
• Nikodim Boltruk: A collaborator who participated in torture and murder (H77-5f).

Expansion of important sources

1. H77-10f (Raibini): This source is one of the most important for understanding the local mechanism of the "Final Solution." It does not limit itself to a list of names, but rather details the dynamics of the murder: the arrest, the transport to the forest, and the shooting (H77-10f). The document names 11 local collaborators, which indicates the deep involvement of the local population in the commission of the crimes (H77-10f).
2. H77-19f (Willian): This document is notable for its scope, listing over 350 victims. It includes statements from eyewitnesses and survivors describing the looting that preceded the murders and the confiscation of Jewish property by the occupying forces and collaborators (H77-19f).
3. H77-4f (Fraley): A long and incredibly detailed list that illustrates the demographic devastation of the community. The document includes details on the victims' ages and occupations, which makes it possible to reconstruct the composition of the wiped out community (H77-4f).

The full list of sources appears below.

List of sources

• H77-1f : Report on Nazi crimes in the Panamuna area, Oshakati province.
• H77-2f : List of civilians murdered in Pampali, Kuldiga District.
• H77-3f : List of victims shot to death in the city of Flavnias.
• H77-4f : A detailed list of hundreds of civilians murdered in the town of Fraili.
• H77-5f : Documentation of the murder of the Jews of Indra and a list of the names of the collaborators.
• H77-6f : List of victims murdered in Rozhaniki between the years 1941-1944.
• H77-7f : List of victims from the Ranca area.
• H77-8f : List of civilians murdered in the Razqana area.
• H77-9f : List of residents of Atashina who were murdered in 1941.
• H77-10f : Detailed documentation of the massacre of the Jews of Reiviny and the names of the collaborators.
• H77-11f : List of citizens murdered in the districts of Riga.
• H77-13f : Additional lists of victims from the city of Riga with their addresses.
• H77-14f : List of victims from the village of Silena.
• H77-15f : List of residents of Skrunda who were murdered by the Nazis.
• H77-16f : List of citizens shot to death in the city of Valmiera.
• H77-17f : List of 162 residents of Varkalani who were murdered during the occupation.
• H77-18f : Official confirmation of additional victims murdered in the Raybini area.
• H77-19f : A comprehensive list of hundreds of people murdered in the city of Viljani and testimonies of the robbery of their property.
• H77-20f : List of victims murdered in Vishki and the surrounding area.
• H77-21f : List of citizens murdered in Daugavpils County, Varkava region.
• H77-22f : List of victims from the Zelva area, Jacobpils district.
• H77-23f : List of murdered people from the town of Zasa, Jacobspils district.

H77-1f

H77-2f

H77-3f

H77-4f

H77-5f

H77-6f

H77-7f

H77-8f

H77-9f

H77-10f

H77-11f

H77-12f

H77-13f

H77-13f

H77-14f

H77-15f

H77-16f

H77-17f

H77-18f

H77-19f

H77-20f

H77-21f

H77-22f

H77-23f

H76-25f

H76-26f

H76-27f

H76-28f

H76-29f

H76-30f

H76-31f

H76-32f

 

** end of Documents of Extraordinary State Commission (1) files **

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