Behind the advancing German army came special forces whose sole purpose was to kill all the Jews under their control.

by Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis and Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky

Behind the advances of the German army during the war were four Einsatzgruppen – special German commando units. Each consisted of 500 to 1,000 men. Their job was to follow behind the German army, round up all the Jews in the newly conquered towns, and kill them.

The Jews would be herded to the outskirts of town, often to anti-tank trenches. Sometimes the Jews would be forced to dig their own graves.

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Digging Own Grave

Forced To Dig Their Own Graves
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

The Nazis would line them up, and force the Jews to undress. Then they would shoot them over the trenches. In one incident lasting 3 days, over 52,000 men women and children were killed outside of Kiev, in the Babi Yar forest.

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The Last One

Shooting The Last Jew Of The Group
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem

 

 

 

We have testimonies of people who were shot and fell into the trenches, but were not killed. They waited until night, when the Germans were gone.

Then they clawed their way out of the pile of bodies. Those who were lucky – who were not killed by the locals – lived to tell their story.

Over 1,500,000 people were killed in this way.

Read an account of the fate of 1,100 Jews in the city of Trembowla.

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Mass Shooting

Mass Murder In Sdolbunov, Ukraine
photo courtesy of Yad Vashem
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Published: Wednesday, December 31, 1969
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Visitor Comments: 16

(16) R M Marcus, August 14, 2011 7:41 PM

we will nevef forget

Many would only wish to put behind them what has happened throughout history to the Jews, and move on. A noble thought?? Not at all. That would be the least courageous of acts. No, we shall remember...and live - IN YOUR FACES, with our loves, our lives, our work, our accomplishments, our honour, and all the rest. The very fact that this continually needs to be discussed and put into the faces who hagte Jews - including their own Jesus -is just one good reason why it needs to be said and said and re-said, until our last breath. Better get used to us Jews being around. We've been here for 5000 years; most civilizations in the world have, at one time or others, done their level best to eradicate us from "their" worl The most recent attempt was Germany's popular Nazi party. Where are they today? Gone. What remains? The State of Israel! So much for THAT attempt to eradicate us. What's next in line? Probably another fool and his legions of hate, in yet another attempt to "rid the world" of Jews. Eventual ourcome? Who knows? Perhaps we'll idiscover that both the head of the Church of England and the Pope himslelf, G-d bless him, are covert Jews. Weirder things have happened.,

(15) R M Marcus, August 14, 2011 7:29 PM

Tell - and retell

Let us NEVER forget what happened to us because we were Jews. Not 1000 years ago, but within living memory. We have no "chip on our shoulder".. They killed Jesus for the same reason and wound up worshiping him afterward. We Jews who live today want no such worship. Just leave to us to live in peace and quiet, even if we ARE Jews. Do ya think you c'n do just THAT much???

(14) Jonathan, March 9, 2008 1:58 PM

I still can't beleive it

Brachot to all Jewish Persons. My Father Jumped into Normandy at the age of 18 to stop this 'madness', he died three weeks ago. We now have something similar taking place in this year 2002/5763...and the same political games and treaties and resolutions stifle those whom can really see the true and real evil brewing on the horizon...NEVER AGAIN...NEVER AGAIN. The World must unite against Terrorism lest we see these horrors again. My heart cries out in agony when I think of these things. B"H

(13) Jenni, February 2, 2008 11:08 AM

amazing

i loved the way that the article was so easy to read and follow along with. right now my english class is reading the play of the diary of anne frank and all of this is really touching and sad.

(12) Matt Tarazwell, January 11, 2006 12:00 AM

Good

Very easy to read and follow excellent account of the event

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About the Author

Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis

Rabbi Eliyahu Ellis studied biology and geology at Northern Illinois University. In addition, he spent time as a deep-sea diver in the oil fields in the North Sea between Scotland and Norway and has circumnavigated the seas of the world in a sailboat. Rabbi Ellis received rabbinic ordination from Aish HaTorah where he is a senior lecturer at the Discovery and Essentials programs.

Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky

Rabbi Shmuel Silinsky received his BS from Cornell with a major in Communication Arts and a minor in Archeology, and did post-graduate work at UCLA in the field of Desert Plants and Natural History. Prior to moving to Israel, he worked in the field of Urban Ecology including several years as a landscape designer in Beverly Hills. Rabbi Silinsky received rabbinic ordination from Aish HaTorah and the Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. He currently teaches at the Yeshivat Aish HaTorah in Jerusalem.

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