MIZOCH, A SHTETL LOST ...
The Jewish community of Mizoch perished in the
Holocaust. It is remembered by the few remaining
Jews who were born there, the descendants of
those who emigrated before WWII and the
descendants of a handful of survivors.
Jews settled in Mizoch in the 18th century. By
1897, the population of the town reached 2,662,
including 1,175 Jews. The Jewish population
spanned all economic classes. Jews owned factories
for felt, oil and sugar production, as well as the
flour mill and sawmills. Others became adherents
of the Bund and other Jewish-socialist groups.
Belief in Zionism was widespread in both socialist
and religious circles. Hasidism,
however, exerted the most decisive influence
over the Jewish community.
World War I and the Russian revolution brought
turbulent times to the Jewish community. In 1918,
hostilities between Bolsheviks and Ukrainian
nationalists resulted in pogroms and in the
Polish-Soviet war of 1920, Jews suffering at the
hands of both forces. At the end of WWI, Mizoch
and the surrounding region was ceded to Poland. By
1921, the Jewish population of Mizoch had dropped
to 845, but again began to increase as the economy
grew.
In the 1920's and 1930's, under right-wing
pressures, Poland imposed a variety of commercial
restrictions on Jews. Trade within and between the
Jewish communities of the region sustained their
economy. Zionist movements continued to grow.
Although animosity continued with adherents of
Ukrainian nationalists who had earlier perpetrated
crimes against the Jewish community, on a
day-to-day relationships between the Jewish,
Ukrainian and Polish communities were ongoing and
basically neutral.
During the short-lived Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact
between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, Mizoch
and areas of eastern Poland were invaded and
annexed by the USSR. In June, 1941 Nazi Germany
invaded the area. Some 300 Jews escaped with the
retreating Soviets.
In March, 1942 Jews of Mizoch and Jews from
surrounding communities were forced in a ghetto in
the old portion of Mizoch. On October 12, 1942 the
ghetto of about 1,700 Jews was surrounded by
Ukrainian Auxiliary Police and German policemen in
preparation for the ghetto liquidation action.
Some Jews fought back in an uprising which may
have lasted as long as two days. About many
residents went into hiding before the uprising was
put down, but by October 14 all remaining Jews
were captured and forced to a secluded ravine and
shot. A handful of Jews escaped into nearby
forests, some becoming partisans, others seeking
to simply survive.
(Sources for this summary can be found in the
"Links" section.)
THIS WEBSITE
The purpose of this website is remember the
victims of the Holocaust, to memorialize the
vibrant Jewish community that existed in Mizoch
before the war, and to bring together any
descendants of those who dwelt there. It is also
the purpose of this website to caution all who
visit these pages of the horror that grows like
cancer from hatred, racism and xenophobia, and to
promote a bond of friendship and solidarity with
who work to free Ukraine, Poland and the world of
such ancient animosities.
THE YIZKOR BOOK OF MIZOCZ
Our first major project is translation into
English of the Yizkor Book of Mizocz. This is the
only Yizkor Book that is being translated by
university students. We are pleased to share their
work on JewishGen and so very proud this
generation of students has accepted the
responsibility to preserve the memory of those who
perished in the Holocaust.
YOU
CAN SUPPORT THE STUDENT TRANSLATION PROJECT'S
SUMMER INTERN PROGRAM WITH A DONATION TO THE
MIZOCZ
YIZKOR BOOK TRANSLATION FUND!
JOIN US
Please join our community. If you are are
descendant of the Jewish community of Mizoch, we
would like to share your story and connect your
family to this effort. We will also develop in
this website the stories of other communities in
this region who suffered from starvation and
discrimination during this bleak time in history.
Whatever your interest in Mizoch, please join us.
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