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- Odessa oblast of Ukraine. see Serpneve and close by villages at the expended map
- Serpneve at the Google Map
Jewish Communities nearby:
Basarabesca (Romanovka), Moldova (4.3 miles NW)Tarutino (13 miles SE)
Cimislia (Chimishliya), Moldova (21.4 miles NW)
Comrat, Moldova (22.8 miles W)
Ceadir-Lunga, Moldova) (27.1 miles SW)
Lisne (Manzyr) (32.2 miles NE)
Artsyz (37.1 miles SE)
Causeni (Kaushany), Moldova (48.2 miles NE)
Bendery, Moldova (61.9 miles NE)
Akkerman (Belgorod-Dnestrovskiy) (84.1 miles E)
Historical Maps
- Pale of Settlement (1835-1917).
- Military Topographical Russian map (F.F. Shubert), 1846-1863.
- German map of the south of Bessarabia, 1930(espand the map at 1/3 from the left and 1/4 from the top).
- Federation of East European Family History Societies (FEEFHS) historical map of southeast provinces of Russian Empire (Ukraine), 1882.
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Town Map
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Map of Lepzig, 1940, written in German, includes the houses with the surnames of owners of the houses. Most of the owners were Germans, but there are a number of Jews who owned houses too: Kischlanski, Chaim Raischewitsch, Aron Turkenitsch, Boias Turkenitsch. See these names on the map. |
Geography and History
General
The German colony Leipzig was founded in 1814 by 128 families from Prussia, Saxony, Bavaria, and other regions. A few other German settlements were founded at the same time (Tarutino, Borodino, Berezino, etc.). The Germans formed a majority of the population.
History of Jews in Leipzig (Serpneve)
The Jews were not permitted to settle in Leipzig. The 1839 law prohibited Jews from settling in border regions and by "May Law" of 1882 forbade Jews to reside in rural areas. But despite that Jews settled in Lepzig most likely in the second half of the 19 century. As we see on the map of 1940, Jews owned houses in Leipzig.
On a map from 1930s it shows that the number of Jews that lived in Leipzig was between 25-50. There are also German statistics
which proof that the number of Jews in 1930 in Leipzig was exactly 50 from a total of 2522 people. Thanks for the information to Ingo Rüdiger Isert, Bessarabiendeutscher Verein e.V., Stuttgartt, Germany, http://www.bessarabien.de/
The Jewish cemetery does not exist in Leipzig (Serpneve), and most likely never existed in the village. There was a close by shteitl of Bessarabesca (Romanovka) in only 4.3 miles with a large Jewish Cemetery.
7 Jewish business exested in Leipzig in 1924-25:
| Occupation/Business (Romanian) | Occupation/Business (English) | Last Name | First Name | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cojocari | furrier | Kisleanski | Mikhail | |
| bacani | grocer | Novogrudski | Brukha | |
| bacani | grocer | Novogrudski | Duvid | |
| macelari | butcher | Raisevich | Hersh | In business with Moisey Raisevich |
| macelari | butcher | Raisevich | Moisey | In business with Hersh Raisevich |
| mori (cu aburi) | steam mill | Soifer | Khaim | In business with B. Turkenich |
| mori (cu aburi) | steam mill | Turkenich | B. | In business with Khaim Soifer |
Leipzig (Serpneve) during the Holocaust
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From 1939, the situation of the Jews deteriorated under the antisemitic rule of Goga-Cuza' Fascist Party.
In 1940 after the Soviets entered Bessarabia many Jews and non-Jews who were rich or owned property were taken by NKVD and sent to GULAG. Only a few returned back in the 1950's.
In 1941, after Soviets left, the returning Romanian forces attacked the Jews and plundered their property. That happened in many places in Bessarabia and other regions as well.
Many Jews who lived in Leipzig (Serpneve) perished in the war. Yad Vashem has 54 names who were born or lived in Leipzig before the war and perished in Holocaust.
Memoirs and Family Stories
- Anna (Hona) Kogan, sister of my grandfather Meir Kogan written by Yefim Kogan
- Letters from Canada.
- Interview with Hulda Remple born in Leipzig, Bessarabia written by Louise Wiens
- From German Memoirs, Leipzig, Bessarabia. Germans and Jews written by Alfred Lächelt of Aalen, Germany
- The Cattle Car written by Louise Wiens
Please send me any comments about or corrections to these memoirs, and also please send me new stories.
Records for Leipzig (Serpneve) Jews
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There are no birth, death or marriage records for Leipzig found yet.
- Vsya Russia Business Directory, 1895. 1 business
- Bessarabia Business Directory, 1924. 7 businesses
A number of Jews from Leipzig can be found in 2 Business directories we have so far:
Jewish Soldier from Leipzig who was missing in WWI
I would strongly recommend searching periodically the Romania/Bessarabia/Moldova Database and in column "Date Type" choose "Any field" and search for "Leipzig". You may also try a different spelling of the town name.
Photo Gallery. All photos provided by Louise Wiens, 2015
| Serpneve (Leypzig) in 2015 | |
|---|---|
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| On the streets | |
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Residence of a village Serpneve (former German Colony of Leiptzig congratulate with 200 anniversary, and wish prosperity to the region.
Professor Nataniel Riss and Head of German Cltural Society "Bessarabian House" Svetlana Kruk |
| Welcomed by village residence. | |
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Bibliography
- Germans from Russia. Connection German-Russia Researchers Around the World. Bessarabia, Leipzig. http://www.grhs.org/villages/bessarabia/leipzig_bess.html
- Weiner, Miriam. Jewish Roots in Ukraine and Moldova. Past from the past and archival inventories. Yivo Institute of Jewish research, www.yivo.org and The Miriam Weiner Routes to Roots Foundation, Inc. www.rtrfoundation.org
- C.M.Dubnov. Newest History of Jews, In 3 volumes, Moscow, reprint, 2002
- I. Rubin (ed.), Dubossary (Heb., and Yid., 1965); Dubnow, Hist Russ, 3 (1920), 70–1. Add. Bibliography: PK. [Yehuda Slutsky / Shmuel Spector (2nd ed.)]
- Magocsi, P. R. and Matthews, G. J. Historical atlas of East Central Europe, 1993,University of Washington Press, Seattle.