Holocaust in Romania - Corvinus Library - Hungarian History

February 17, 1942Throughout Transnistria , but primarily in small villages, Jews are at themercy of every beast in any power position, however slight. In Obodovca ,Stefanescu , an engineer at the Agricultural Centre , is the monster whohaunts the deportees. Even though in his job he has no connection withJews, he takes the wildest measures against them. He beats and torturesthem, and uses barbed wire to prevent them from buying food, and at thesame time, for exorbitant sums of money he arbitrarily issues permitsentitling the holders to stay in Obodovca . /.../March 31, 1942The petechial typhus epidemic reaches its peak in all contaminated vil -lages. /.../ Doc tors, one after the other, become victims of their pro fes sion.In Moghilev , 25 doc tors became ill as early as Feb ru ary, the chief phy si cianincluded; of the 27 doctors in Sargorod 23 became ill, i. e. 85%, 12 died,52% of the doc tors. The undertaker is unable to finish his work. There areal ways 60-80 corpses awaiting burial in the cem e tery in Moghilev . /.../The highest numbers of fatalities from the epidemic are in areas along thebank of the Bug. The general misery, in which the deportees lived, did nothelp prevent the epidemic. It raged on until it faded away by itself. InBershad and its surrounding villages, approx. 20,000 people died ofpetechial typhus. In Ustea alone, some 5 kms from the Bug, 1,600 diedfrom among the 2,500 deportees. /.../June 5, 1942The petechial typhus epidemic, which had become less of a threat with thepassing of spring, ceased almost completely. The survivors prepared forbattle against ensuing dangers, and closed the chapter on the previous,tragic, winter.In Moghilev 4,401 people were counted with typhus, 1,254 of these died,putting the death rate at 28%. However, this data is not accurate since notevery patient was recorded. It is suggested, there were approx.7,000patients in the town, approx. half of whom died.214