Final Report of the International Commission on the - Minority Rights ...

German administration, and <strong>the</strong> population, you are hereby asked to take rigorous measures.” “What was
our answer?” Alexianu jotted on <strong>the</strong> translated telegram. His deputy, Secretary General Emanoil
Cercavschi, wrote back: “We answered <strong>Commission</strong>er General Oppermann that we have taken measures
to burn <strong>the</strong> Jewish corpses.”
Assisted by local gendarmes, Ukrainian policemen brought from Golta County shot about 48,000
Jews at Bogdanovka. The massacre began on December 21 and continued until <strong>the</strong> morning <strong>of</strong> December
24. After a break for Christmas, <strong>the</strong> executions resumed on December 28 and continued until December
30, only to start anew on January 3, lasting until January 8, 1942. The Jews were forced to undress and
<strong>the</strong>n shot in <strong>the</strong> back <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> neck by killers drunk on Samagoon, a local liquor made from beets. Any gold
teeth were removed with rifle blows or tongs, and rings were cut <strong>of</strong>f, toge<strong>the</strong>r with fingers if necessary.
The bodies were immediately burned by a team <strong>of</strong> 200 young Jews selected for this work, 150 <strong>of</strong> whom
were eventually shot, as well. One survivor described <strong>the</strong> process in this way: “We would make piles for
burning <strong>the</strong> corpses. One layer <strong>of</strong> straw, on which we placed people [in a space] about four meters wide,
more than one man high, and about ten meters long. On <strong>the</strong> sides and in <strong>the</strong> middle we put firewood, and
<strong>the</strong>n again one layer <strong>of</strong> people and a layer <strong>of</strong> straw with firewood. We would light one pile and prepare
ano<strong>the</strong>r, so it took about two months to turn our bro<strong>the</strong>rs to ashes. In terrible frosts we would warm up by
<strong>the</strong> hot ashes.”
At Domanovka, a Jewish borough on <strong>the</strong> road connecting Odessa to Golta, <strong>the</strong>re were about 20,000
Jews from Odessa and <strong>the</strong> borough environs. Between January 10 and March 18, 1942, local Ukrainian
police and <strong>the</strong> Romanian gendarmes killed 18,000. Although <strong>the</strong> corpses were initially buried, <strong>the</strong>y were
subsequently unear<strong>the</strong>d and burned in order to avert <strong>the</strong> threat <strong>of</strong> disease. Pretor Teodor Iliescu reported:
At Domanevca [sic] <strong>the</strong>re is a Jewish camp that poses a constant danger to <strong>the</strong> authorities and <strong>the</strong>
local population…due <strong>the</strong> filth <strong>the</strong> Jews live in and <strong>the</strong> insects <strong>the</strong>y are full <strong>of</strong>, which constitute <strong>the</strong> best
environment for <strong>the</strong> spread <strong>of</strong> typhus, cholera, and o<strong>the</strong>r diseases. Since in this village a significant
number <strong>of</strong> Jews have been shot and buried in graves… no more than half a meter deep, and that will
jeopardize public health once <strong>the</strong> snow melts and <strong>the</strong> water infiltrates <strong>the</strong>m…kindly order <strong>the</strong> relocation
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> camp to Bogdanovka….They cannot produce anything, and due to lack <strong>of</strong> hygiene, about thirty to
fifty are dying every day...
Isopescu noted his decision on <strong>the</strong> margin <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> report: “Proceed in accordance with Order no. 23.
Burn <strong>the</strong> corpses to prevent <strong>the</strong> extension <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> epidemic.”
Akmechetka was located on <strong>the</strong> Bug, 18 kilometers (11 miles) south <strong>of</strong> Bogdanovka, 18 kilometers
north <strong>of</strong> Domanovka, and 60 kilometers (37 miles) from <strong>the</strong> city <strong>of</strong> Golta. Although documents describe
it as a village, Akmechetka was actually a large pig farm. Far from o<strong>the</strong>r populated areas and strictly
guarded, Isopescu handpicked Akmechetka in early March 1942 to accomodate Jews who could not work
or serve any o<strong>the</strong>r function, including <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong> eldery and children. Healthy Jews were also sent <strong>the</strong>re as
punishment for disobedience, resisting rape by gendarmes and Romanian government personnel, or
refusing to surrender valuables, for example. Several hundred orphans joined <strong>the</strong>se prisoners, and
Akmechetka soon housed 4,000 Jews.
The camp, occupying only part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> farm, consisted <strong>of</strong> four pigsties—completely exposed to <strong>the</strong>
wind, snow, and rain—and one long warehouse. Boards divided <strong>the</strong> sties into sections, and approximately
1,000 people were crowded into each. The warehouse was reserved for <strong>the</strong> orphans. Akmechetka was
surrounded by three rows <strong>of</strong> barbed wire and deep trenches and was guarded by Ukrainian police
subordinated to Romanian gendarmes. The main purpose <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> camp was extermination via isolation.
Food was extremely scarce, and Jews <strong>the</strong>re “lay for entire days on <strong>the</strong> ground or on beds and could no