Evidence of B.O. Lipshitz
The township of Pogrebishtche is situated on the Christianovka-Kazatin railway line; the Jewish population numbered 1,800, the Christian numbered 5,000 persons.
Our township was different from all the others in the region. In all the neighbouring townships and other localities, such as Tetiev, Pliskov, Ruzhin, etc., the Jewish population was completely unprotected and at the mercy of the bands of Sokolovsky, Tutunik and the others. Pogrebishtche on the contrary had for a long time been impregnable to all those bands. Some of them had come up to as close as two miles of the township, but every time they were repulsed by the Jewish self-defence corps.
The self-defence numbered some 200 persons. Almost the entire Jewish population of Pogrebishtche, old and young, men and women, were armed. They had rifles of various calibers, revolvers, hand grenades, bombs, etc. It was not an uncommon thing to see in the street an old Jew with a long grey beard carrying a rifle on his shoulder. Those of the women and old people who did not know how to handle firearms were armed in some other way: with improvised lances, hatchets, clubs, sulphuric acid, etc; no one at Pogrebishtche went about entirely unarmed. The men of the self-defence detachment were organized on a proper military basis. It had its own cavalry, an intelligence service that was always on duty, patrols, a service of liaison, a company commander, a general staff and all other appurtenances of a military unit.
The Pogrebishtche self-defence corps became well known far beyond the township itself, and the robbers’ bands operating in the locality looked on it as a serious military force and preferred not to attack it. Neighbouring villages on many occasions applied to the Pogrebishtche self-defence detachment for protection and assistance in times of danger, and the detachment sent its men to Spitchenzy (eight miles from Pogrebishtche), Pliskov, Dzunkov, Dovgalevka and so on. The heroic resistance which attacking bands met at the hands of the Pogrebishtche self-defense men made them furious and they vowed vengeance. At Ouman, Borshtchagovka and other places they boasted that they would get even with Pogrebishtche and utterly destroy the place. This went on the whole summer right up to the arrival of the Petlura troops in August.
On Monday, August 13, on its way from Christianovka to Kazatin a Petlura detachment occupied our township. On entering the township the chief of the detachment invited representatives of the Jewish self-defence detachment to call on him, gave them a most friendly reception and congratulated in their persons all the members of the self-defence who had so courageously and so effectively protected our township from attacks of bandits.
Next day, August 14, the ataman of the Petlura detachment proceeded to disarm the Jewish self-defence, giving as his reason that there was no further need for its existence. “The Jewish population is no longer threatened by any danger,” Petlura’s representative said; “we ourselves are going to protect the township from any raids or attacks.” “Moreover,” he said, “there are now no bands left anywhere near.” The staff of the self-defence gave up to the Petlura men the least valuable part of their arms, while the rest was hidden, as had been arranged long before.
The Petlura detachment left our township and proceeded towards Kazatin. This detachment was followed by several other units of regular Petlura troops. This went on for a whole week. The troops did not stay out our township, only a protection guard under the order of a Petlura man was left.
On Friday, August 17, alarming rumours began to circulate at Pogrebishtche that Zeleny with his band was advancing on us. The Jews wished again to arm themselves and began unearthing their hidden arms. Many wished to send their wives and children for safety to certain neighbours. The chief of the militia intervened and tried to calm the Jewish population, saying that he would not allow a pogrom, but fobade the Jews to arm themselves, saying that if they did so it might provoke a pogrom. He also forbade any Jews to leave the township in order, as he said, to prevent a panic.
On Saturday, August 18, the men of Zeleny had already reached the township. They entered in any orderly and peaceful way and many inhabitants took heart believing that these were regular troops. But already, on Saturday afternoon, the new arrivals threw off the mark and began a regular slaughter. It was not a pogrom in the usual sense of the word, when murders and robberies are committed simultaneously. The Zeleny men did not rob, did not take any money or valuables. They acted as if they were carrying out a religious rite, they visited house after house, massacring all the inmates without spring a soul.
To what extent they despised money and were bent on destroying human lives only may be clearly seen from the following fact: Thirteen members of one large and well-to-do family having been killed, the last survivor , the fourteenth member of the family, implored for mercy. He was told to produce Nicholas money. He brough them 40,000 roubles in Nicholas paper. They took the money and under his eyes tore up and burned every one of the banknotes. Then they spared his life.
The total number of persons killed was 400, including three members of the self-defence detachment; 200 women were massacred in the park where they were trying to hide; whoever fell into their hands was put to death, mostly by sabers.
One case became known where Russian Christians protected a Jewish girl and saved her life.
Another similar case becames known where the director of the local sugar works – a Pole – allowed a Jewish girl to hide there. As already stated, the Zeleny men themselves did not rob or loot, but they were followed by local peasants. Those men thoroughly cleared out all Jewish houses, and what they were unable to remove they destroyed. In all the Jewish houses they broke all the panes, doors, furniture, etc.
A few days later a Petlura commissar from Berditchev arrived in our township “to hold an inquiry” into the pogrom.
Ukrainian People's Republic Ministry for Jewish Affairs: Committee of Relief to Pogrom Victims-Vinnitsa Region Committee.
Pogrebishtche was overrun on August 23 by 300 Cossacks using sabers: 300 Jews were massacred and some 100 were wounded. The looting lasted two whole days. A large number of widows and orphans require urgent help. The ruin is great and the misery terrible.
Pogrebishtche, Goverment of Kieff, on August 18-21, 1919, by Zeleny, some 400 killed, half of them women.