» מאמרים » Lists of Jews, victims of mass execution in Zasulskiy Yar, Lubny, Ukraine

Lists of Jews, victims of mass execution in Zasulskiy Yar, Lubny, Ukraine

Thanks to the help of our friend Elena Zhylinskaya and the chairman of the community of Lubny city Gennadiy Henkin, we have preserved another 582 Hebrew names on the pages of our Catalog.

The city of Lubny in the Poltava region has a long history, which dates back to the times of Kievan Rus. It was founded in the distant 988, although in the chronicles it is mentioned for the first time only in 1107. Of course, for such a long time of existence it also managed to acquire a special Jewish history.

Despite the fact that the Jews settled here only in the 17th century, they immediately occupied a significant place in the development of industry and crafts. Over the next two centuries, they stably maintained their position in society and by that time had already become a full third of the entire population. Suffice it to mention that by the 20th century 90 city shops belonged to Jews.

Light strip in the history of the town ended with the Second World War. During the offensive of the German army in September 1941, the city was in occupation. Very soon, announcements were posted around the streets, which obliged all Jews residing in Lubny to immediately register. They also said that the Jewish part of the townspeople is subject to forced relocation to the area of former city dachas. Each person registered should take with him food for three days and warm clothes. For disobedience they were threatened to be shot, as well as for returning to their former homes or looting of Jewish homes. It was also stated that the so-called representatives of the Aryan race are obliged to report about Jews who do not obey this law. That's how the life of most of the townspeople changed dramatically.

Thus, in October this decree was carried out and the Jews gathered in the central square. Directly from there all of them were taken to Zasulskiy Yar, which became the site of their last tragic migration. One third of the city was shot literally in one day.

This spot can hardly be blotted out from the history of Lubny city, as many other similar ones in many more cities. In memory of this dark event in 2001, a memorial was erected there to perpetuate the priceless memory of all these people who died in Zasulsky Yar.