In the framework of the “final solution to the Jewish question” (that is, the physical annihilation of all Jews living under German dominion at the time) in the time of 8 to 12 May 1942 in Lida and in the cities in the rayon of Lida – Zoludek, Shchuchin, Vasiliski, Radun, Voronovo and Ivje, about 16,000 people of Jewish descent were shot. These shootings were the result of racial hatred. They were formally executed under the K d S external post Baranovichi [K d S = Kommandeur der Sicherheitspolizei & the SD = Commander of the Security Police & the Security Service] and at least in Lida, Zoludek, Vasiliski, Voronovo and Ivje with the responsible cooperation of the district commissariat Lida. Vol 1 p 17, doc vol I p 52, vol 4 p 659 a & b, p 696, vol 7 p 1037, vol 9 p 1310, vol 11 p 1577, vol 16 p 2314 ff, vol 19 p 2674
The actions were executed in similar manner in all localities. On the morning of the day of execution, the Jewish sections were cleared by the German gendarmes directly under the command of the district of Lida commissariat and the local auxiliary police as well as the SD-Commandos. In the rayon cities, the Jewish quarters were completely sealed off a few days in advance. Who did not exit voluntarily or on account of age, sickness or fragility could not keep the pace to the collection points was shot of hand there and then. Then predominantly skilled workers were separated out, but the largest part was nonetheless sent to the place of execution. There the victims had to undress partially and were thereafter shot into trenches by a special execution squad.
The accused Windish was in his position as case worker for Jewish affairs, a prominent participant in the organizational preparation and execution of these mass executions, at least in Lida, Zoludek, Vasiliski, Voronovo and Ivje, in that he had the trenches excavated, and made selections, whereby he used previously prepared lists of Jews to be spared. Furthermore, he participated personally in the supervision of the executions and the covering of the graves.
At the execution in Lida he participated in the shooting at the trench.
Individually, the following mass executions (1 – 5) are of interest:
1. on May 8, 1942, in Lida, behind the site of the barracks, and in 3 large trenches, at least 5670 Jews of both sexes, among them numerous children, who’d been previously separated brutally from their pleading and wailing parents, and in part thrown high through the air into a smaller children’s trench, in part shot in the back in groups after disrobing, and in particular by Lithuanian of Latvian execution commandos whose members were in part visibly under the influence of alcohol. Vol 1, p 91 ff, 167 ff, 183 vol 2 p 244,248, 292, 326 ff, vol 3 p 469, 616, 653, vol 5, p 785, 810 ff, 864, vol 8 1138, vol 9 p 1304, vol 10 p 1346 f, 1372, 1384, 1392 f 1395, 1397, 1434, 1436, vol vol 11 p 1471, 1483, 1493, 1503, 1513, 1548, 1579 vol 12 p 1637, 1648, 1651, vol 13 p 1815, 1818 f, vol 16 p 2216, 2220 ff vol 17 p 2352 f, 2357 f, 2363, 2381 f, 2399 vol 18 p 2549, 2551, 2618, vol 19, p 2674f, 2687 f, vol. 20, p 2768 ff, 2833 ff, vol 21, p 2853 ff, 2865 ff, 2888ff, 2947 ff
The accused had these three execution trenches excavated – presumeably local villagers – the night before May 8, 1942. Vol 7 p 1026, 1126 [sic] vol 11 p 1491, vo 12 p 1651, 1812, vol 13 p 1815
For this he took advantage of a few larger craters that were made either by exploding captured Russian munitions or had formed from bombing and were enlarged or prepared to be execution trenches in part by further blasts. Vol 16 p 2285, vol 19 p 2618, 2675
On 7 May 1942 he ordered a list of the most recent status of the able-bodied Jews, with occupation, from the Judenrat member Altmann. Vol 13 p 1818, vol 21 2865, 2889
In the early morning hours of 8 May 1942 the Jews from the Koscharowa section as well as those of the Krupowska-Postowska-Choldna sections were driven into the westbound Koscharowa St. and the Jews from the Pisaki section, which was further south, were driven into the street leading westward to Grodno.
The accused supervised the collection of the Jews along with other members of the regional Commissariat & ordered the Jews to keep together by families. Vol 1 p 167 ff, 181 – 183, vol 2 p 244, 247 f, 292, 299 vol 3 p 449, 452, 458, 468, 469,475,512,615 f. 652 f , vol 7 p 1070, vol 10 p 1346, vol 11 p 1482, 1491, 1512, 1578, 1606 f, vol 13 p 1814, 1825, vol 16 p 2215, vol 17 p 2347, 2380 f, 2399, 2403
Thereafter selections were made in 3 different places. The Jews from the Koscharowa section were selected at Koscharowa Square near the barracks lying northwest of Lida, the Jes from the Krupowska-Postowdka-Chlodna Section were selected further east at a railway underpass on Koscharowa St. & the Jews from the Piaski section at the last houses on the [west] road to Grodno. Vol 19, p 2625, 2677, 2687, vol 20 p 2779, 2782. 2825, 2832 f, vol 21 p 2845, 2848, 2853 f, 2860, 2865 f, 2868, 2889 f, 2901 f, (2906), 2913, 2921, 2947, map of Lida
The accused Windisch led and supervised the selections along with his Polish helper and interpreter Wasiukiewiez, partly assisted by further members of the regional Commissariat Lida and the SD. He drove from one selection point to the other and sent from there Jews led past him under guard by families & in columns, mostly purely by whim, predominantly indespensible workers, particularly younger people, skilled artisans and other “useful Jews”, for the most parts with families, to the left, the largest part to the right, to the place of execution and thereby to death. Vol 1 p 167 ff, 182, vol 2 p 247 f, (294), 299, vol 3 p 469, 615 f, 652 f, vol 5, p 785, 792, 861, 864 f, vol 7 p 1090 f, 1126 ff, vol 10 p 1346, 1384, 1392, 1393, 1395, 1434, 1436, vol 11 p 1471, 1482 f, 1491, (1503), 1512f, 1578f, 1602 f, vol 12 p 1639, 1651, vol 13 p 1814, 1818 ff, vol 14, 1972 f, vol 15, p 2170, vol 16 p 2215, 2323, vol 17 p 2357, 2371, 2399, 2403 f, 2409, (vol 18, p 251), vol 19 p 2677, 2687 ff, 2690, vol 20, p 2779 f, 2782, 2833 f, vol 21, p 2845 f, 2848 f, (2860, 2866), 2868 f, 2901, 2903, 2913, 2947, vol 22 p
So, during the selection of Jews from the Postowska section, for example, he sent the witness Pupko, who was employed as a decorator in a Jewish studio in Lida, and possessed a certificate attesting to this, to the right. Only the intervention of the – missed – Regional Commissar Hanweg, who sent the witness with the certificate to the left, as he was needed as decorator, saved the life of this witness. Vol 16 p 2215 f
As the RC Hanweg sent a carpenter to the left at the selection point at Koscharowa Square and later tried to send family members and relatives of this carpenter to the left as well, the accused intervened with a comment that that was too many. During the ensuing dispute between the accused and RC Hanweg, an in-law of this carpenter, the witness Kosher, succeeded in smuggling herself to the left. Her remaining family members and relatives, with the exception of her sister, were sent right to the execution place and shot there. Vol 11, p 1607
At the selection at Koscharowa Square the (murdered at a later point in time) Jewess Anna Ehrlich with her brother, the witness Kranin (formerly Jankielwicz) were sent left, while her husband, children, both parents and 2 sisters were sent right to the execution place. On the plea of Anna Ehrlich the accused went with her to her – in the meantime driven to the execution place, already waiting undressed – relatived. He made it possible that the husband & children of Anna Ehrlich could return to Lida.
Leading the Jews from the Krupowska – Postowska-Chloda section to the selection point was supervised by the accused Windisch, during which he periodically called to the column passing by for families to keep together. Later she showed up at the selection point for these Jews, where he reproached RC Hanweg for sending too many Jews left and “demanded that they all to to the right”. Vol 3 p 652, vold 20 p 2779 (Jo.s Kaplan)
The selection of able-bodied and “useful” Jews from the Piaski section was done by presentation of work certificiates. Windisch participated in this selection for a time and used a list that he had ordered from the President of the Judenrat Altmann the day before. After he’d left this selection for a time, he returned and yelled to the effect, “Let’s finish up, we’ve got enough”. Thereupon the remaining Jews from the Piaski section, about 1000, among them the parents of the witness Gorfung, were sent right to execution, although, for example, the father of the witness Gorfung had a work permit. Vol 3 p 625 f, vol 7 p 1090 f, vol 111, p 1471 f, vol 13, p 1818, 1830, vol 17 p 2407, vol 21 p 2854, 2865
During the selections, in which he decided on life and death, the accused acted directly against various victims.
During the attempt of the witness Glaubermann to pull an elderly lady to the left with him during the selection at Koscharowa Square, the accused came between them, kicked this woman with his foot and sent her to the execution place. Vol 13, p 1819
The surviving Jews later had to kneel before the RC Hanweg and the accused Windisch and thank them for their lives. The accused commanded a group of Jews to dispose of the bodies lying about on the streets. Vol 3 p 653, vol 21 2779 f
Windisch later went to the execution place, intermittently, with other Germans, supervised the shootings there and once shot himself with a ‘double action gun’ at a child that one of the execution Commandos had thrown in the air. Vol 5, p 810, 812, 950, vol 7 p 1041, 1046, vol 11 p 1493, vol 20 p 2825
2) on 9 May 1942 I Zoludek, at least 1100 Jews of both sexes and all ages were executed into two trenches in the course of the morning, in a fir forest near the the Jewish Cemetery, presumeably by the same execution Commando as in Lida. Vol 1 p 24 – 29, vol 7 p 1054 ff, 1094 f, vol 13 p 1911 ff, vol 10 p 2573 f, vol 20 p 2802 f
The trenches had been ordered excavated two days before by the Polish mayor of Zoludek, Kulinski, on the orders of the RC Lida, which also place chlorine at his disposal, by a native work force. The selection spot was at the end of the Jewish section, near the Market Place.
Here the accused Windisch (wearing white gloves) supervised the selection ,with the accused Werner, of the Jews led past, in which he, standing on the left side of the street, asked the head of each Jewish family for his occupation, and after looking at the work permit shown him, with a move of the hand waved 82 skilled workers to the left, all other Jews toward the Market Place, thereby labelling them for execution. Vol 13 p 1912 f, vol 20 p 2804 ff
3) On 10 May 1042, in Vasiliski, presumeably in the course of the morning, at least 1800 Jews of both sexes and all ages, were shot by groups into one trench, some after disrobing, near the Jewish cemetery. Vol 1 p 62, vol 2 p 405 f, vol 3 p 556, vol 7 p 1057 f, vol 9 p 1287, 1291, vol 12 p 1645, vol 21 p 2858, 2873, 2927 f
The accused Windisch with his Polish helper Wasiukiewicz and other members of the RC Lida, the leader of the local German Gendarmerie and a few Poles resident in Vasiliski supervised the selection at the corner of Skolna and Vilner Streets at a table set up for the purpose. Vol 2 p 405, vol 3 p 556, vol 7 p 1057 ff, vol 12 1645, 1755, vol 14 p 2040f, 2043 ff, vol 20 p 2810 ff, vol 21 p (2873), 2877 ff
Next to the accused Windisch stood the Polish “tax collector” Watkiewicz with a list.
About 200 indispensible skilled & otherwise “useful” Jews were sent to the right, all others to the left to execution.
In this selection also the accused acted against various families, to be separated by selection, but who didn’t want to be parted. As, for example, the wife of the witness Woloczynski wanted to bid farewell to her parents, sent to the left and thereby marked for execution, the accused Windish struck her with a stick. Vol 2 p 406, vol 14 p 2040 f, 2045 ff, vol 20 p 2813, vol 21 p 2878
To the approximately 200 survivors, led to the vicinity of the Synagogue, the accused stated that they were allowed to live due to their usefulness. Vol 21 p 2879
4) On 11 May 1942, at least 2000 Jews of both sexes and all ages were shot into one trench, about 3 meters long, 4 meters wide, and 3 meters deep, which was about 800 meters outside the village to the left of the street leading to Lida, after disrobing, presumeably by a Lithuanian execution Commando. Vol 1 p 62 Rs. 65, vol 3 p 465, 626 ff, vol 5 p 796 ff, vol 7 p 1063 ff, 1081 ff, vol 11 p 1529 f, 1590 f, 1594 f, 1601 ff, 1606 ff, vol 19 p 2628 ff
Under the pretext of a check of identity papers, Windisch had ordered the presence of all the Jews in the Market Place in Voronovo one day before the mass executions on 11 May 1942, with the comment that during the Aktion in Radun – executed 10 May 1942 – there had been “misunderstandings”. Vol 2 p 62 Rs, 116 ff, vol 7 p 1063 f
On the orders of the Police Regional Director, directly & personally under the command of the RC Lida, the Gendarmerie Post Commander of Voronovo, Langen, had a trench dug on the grounds of the former Russian target range by non-Jews from neighboring villages the night before 11 May 1942. Vol 5 p 796 f, 865, vol 7 p 1081 ff, vol 9 p 1294, vol 14, p 1952
The Jews collected on 11 May 1942 in the Market Place of Voronovo had at first to await their fates kneeling with hands behind their backs and face to the ground. During this period, the accused Windisch mistreated a Jewish student who had hidden and was brought to the Market Place. Vol 5 p 797, vol 11 p 1590, 11594, 1601, vol 19 p 2629, vol 21 p 2915, vol 11 p 1601
At the Market Place the accused ordered later ordered the Jews to be orderly and to proceed by families along the Lida St. The Jews were taken by families & in columns about 400 meters further to an intersection, where a table had been set up. At this table the accused, supported by other members of the RC Lida and the intermittent presence of the Gendarmerie Commander of Voronovo, Langen, directed the selection, in which, after asking for name and occupation, predominantly guided by external impression, he directed skilled workers and other “useful” Jews to the right and (probably as “hostages” ) to the left, but the majority [he directed] straight ahead to execution. Vol 3 p 626 f, vol 5 p 798, 800, vol 7 p 1063 ff, 1081 R Transparency folder, slide no. 86, vol 21 p 2916
So he sent, among others, the wife of the Judenrat President Lichtmann, who’d been shot in Lida March 1942, the mother of the witness Druck, as well as her uncle and aunt with children straight ahead to execution. Vol 11 p 1597 f, 1602
In this selection as well, the accused repeatedly involved himself directly against victims. Among others, he mistreated the mother of the witness Druck, whom he’d sent straight ahead. Vol 11 p 1602
The Jews allowed to live were later led back to the Market Place, after delivering their possessions of value, where the accused announced to these Jews that they would be allowed to live for the nonce and would have to work for Germany. Vol 19 p 2630, vol 21 2916
5) On 12 May 1942, 2,304 Jews from Ivje of both sexes and all ages were shot, after removing their outer clothing, into two trenches, about 25 and 10 meters long, and 5 and 4 meters wide, as well as 4 and 3 meters deep in the vicinity of the village Stoniewicze, a few kilometers away. Vol 1 p 62, 196 ff, vol 2 p 238, 304 ff, vol 6 925, 927, vol 7 p 1068 ff, vol 9 p 1316, vol 10 p 1386, vol 11 p 1506 f, 1517 ff, 1534 ff, 1556 f, 1564 ff, 1568 1581 f, 1586 f, vol 12 p 1671 ff, 1763, 1767, 1773, 1777 f, 1780f, 1784 f, 1787 ff
The Jews had first to sit down in the Market Place and were led to a nearby intersection in groups of about 10 families, where the selection took place. Here the accused Werner and Windisch stood across from each other on opposite sides of the street, as well as the accused Windish’s assitant, Wasiukiewicz, and Mayor Belkowski. These sent, independently of each other and at random, primarily skilled workers and otherwise “useful” Jews to the left and right, all other Jews straight ahead in the direction of the execution site. Vol 12 p 1656, 1761, 1767 ff, 1772 f, 1788 ff, vol 20 p 2788 f, 2790 f, 2792 f, 2836 f, 2839, vol 21, 2894 ff, 2918 f, 2923 ff,
Among the people sent straight ahead by Windisch and later shot were, the father-in-law of the witness Groznick with his two daughters as well as the mother, 2 sisters and a brother of the witness Golubok. Vol 12 p 1772 f, vol 21 p 2924 f, vol 21 2929
When the witness Bojarski tried to save his wife, his 3 children, and his two sisters-in-law with their children by showing his work permit from the tannery, the accused sent this witness with his family and both children of his sisters-in-law to the left with the words “such a large family?” and the two sisters-in-law of the witness straight ahead. Vol 12 p 1764, 1767, vol 20 p 2818
To the Jews allowed to survive and led back to the Market Place, the accused said that they were being allowed to live for the time being, but that their ultimate fate would depend on the course of the war. The accused later supervised covering the graves at the execution site with chlorine and earth, which he hurreid with the words “quickly, quickly, with the Jewish shit”. During this [work] the German Gendarmes shot at still living victims in the trenches in full view of the accused. Vol 1 p 198, vol 21 p 238, vol 11 p 1537, vol 12 p 1656, 1768, vol 20 p 2794, 2821, 2838, vol 21 p 2897.
In addistion, aside from the mass execution, the accused shot several Jews with his own had and participated in two smaller Judenaktioinen in Lida. Cases number 6 – 10 are concerned:
6) About September 1942 a Jewish painter whose name is unknown was renovating the apartment of the accused in Lida. The accused was not satisfied with the painter’s work, scolded and kicked him, whereupon the painter fell down the stair and into the courtyard. Thereupon Windisch shot the painter with several pistol shots. Then he odered the witness Cummings, who was present, to carry off the body, along with other Jewish workers. Vol 3 p 457, vol 6 p 965, vol 7 p 1030, vol 11 p 1480 ff, (vol 17 po 2349)
7) In fall 1941 the Jewish student Zelodowicz found himself in custody in the cellar of the RC in Lida, on charges brought by a Pole of alleged collaboration with the Communists. When the Judenrat member Lichtmann intervened with the accused Windisch, the student was brought from the cellar one norning and released. As the student left, the accused shot him in the back from a distance of about 20 meters with his pistol, and told the Judenrat member Lichtmann that “he can have him now”. Vol 21 p 2932 f (Reznik)
8) In early March 1942, in Lida jail, Hanweg and Windisch shot at least 35 Jews, most of whom had moved from the Vilnius area to Lida. The shooting was preceded by a selection at a place to which all the Jews were driven by the German Gendarmerie and members of the Wehrmacht (III./IR 727). Numerous Jews were already shot during the collection. Along with other members of the RC, the accused Windisch participated in the selection. After giving up all their valuable possession, all Jews had to pass through a turnstile. During this procedure, 4 Jews arrested for attempted robbery of a priest pointed out all those who allegedly moved to Lida from the Vilnius vicinity, whereupon the accused Windisch gave orders to arrest these. Those selected in this way were shot, along with the 4 arrested Jews by the German Gendarmerie and Polish Auxiliary Police in the presence of the accused Windisch and Werner. Vol 1 p 61, 178, vol 2 p 243, 245, 291, 298, vol 3 p 452, 614 f, 651 f, vol 7 p 1020 f, vol 10 p 1347 f, 1383, 1385, 1390, 1395, 1397, vol 11 p 1469, 1481, 1494, 1501, 1545, 1574, vol 12 p 1642, 1648, 1662 f, 1667, vol 14 p 1929, vol 16 p 2214, vol 17 p 2370 f, (2380. 2395, f) (vol 19 p 2626), vol 19 p 2667, 2688 f, vol 20 p (2765), 2779, (vol 21, p 2844), vol 21 p 2853, (2864), 2887,f, 2903, 2912, 2930, 2948, vol 22 p 3062, vol 23 p 3140 f.
9) In connection with the Aktion described under No. 8, Windisch ordered the witness Cummings to summon at least 7 members of the Judenrat and members of the Jewish Police (among them the President of the Judenrat Lichtmann, Attorney Kerzner, Kotok and the brothers Cyderowicz. He accused them of having given work permits to the Jews who moved from Vilnius. The accused conducted interrogations in the jail, during which he tolerated the beating of members of the Judenrat in his presence. On intervention of the Judenrat member Konopko with the Regional Commissar, the Regional Commissar referred him to the accused Windisch with the comment that Windisch alone was responsible, as Jewish Referent [responsible both in the sense of being in charge & in the sense that no other office had any mandate to act in such matters]. When thereupon Konopko spoke to Windisch about the matter, he replied that in other cities, such a lapse would have ‘started’ an Aktion against all the Jews. Vol 1 p 179, vol 2 p 243, 245 f, 298, vol 3 p 458, 465, 468, 475, 581, 614, 652, vol 5 p 793, vol 7 p 1021 f, vol 10 p 1348, 1390, vol 11 p 1469, 1481 f, 1494 f, 1501 f, 1545 f, 1575 f, vol 12 p 1663, 1684, (vol 21 p 2852, 2861, 2864), 2887 f, 2903 f, 2931, 2949, vol 22 p 3063.
All 7 members of the Judenrat were shot after gruesome torture in the presence of and by the orders of Hanweg and Windisch in the prison courtyard of Lida by German Gendarmes and Polish Auxliary Police.
Among bodies turned over the the Judenrat, some with arms and legs torn from their sockets, were the body of the teacher and Judenrat President Lichtmann, which the accused Windisch permitted to be released to his wife. Vol 1 p 179, vol 5 p 793, vol 10 p 1348, 1390 f, vol 12 1663, 1684, vol 13 p 1831, vol 16 p 2214, 2324 f, vol 17 p 2370 f, 2380, 2408, vol 19 p 2626 f, (2689), vol 21 p 2861, 1864, 2888, (2903 f), 2912, 2931 f,
10) About the end of July/ beginning of August 1942, Windisch shot in the neck with his pistol, at the Ghetto gate in Lida, the Jew Halpern because he had in his possession a small piece of butter. Vol 3 p 630, vol 6 p 957, vol 7 p 1029, vol 11 p 1510, 1596
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