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ish residents in captured territories of Volhynia
and Lithuania (the Kressy) became more strict.
Persecutions against those even slightly suspected
of supporting Bolshevism grew daily. Organizational
and cultural activity was restricted, and all
activity centered on worries about day-to-day
existenceand fear of the day after.
Troops making their way to the front often
attacked Jews; riding a train became a life-threatening
event because of outbursts by troops and
their harassment ofJewish travelers with all sorts
of insults and even physical assaultsspitting in
their faces, pulling off their earlocks and cutting
their beards, delivering blows, chasing and throwing
them off the cars.
Particularly notorious were the soldiers of
General Hallerthe "Hallerchikes"known for
perverted attacks. On their way to the front, they
would get off the train at intermediate stops and
bully the Jews waiting there. And more than
once, when a train had to remain for a while in a
station, they went into town and broke into Jewish
homes and shops to pillage and steal.
The Jewish populace feared the future, particularly
the retreat of the Polish army and approach
of the front to the outskirts of our city.
They had had the experience of the previous
war, of attacks and murder they suffered when
the conquering Polish army came through in the
fall of 1918.
The demoralizing fear grew when they
learned that with the retreating Polish army were
remnants of Petlura's Ukrainian army, Denikin's
army, and the murderous bands of Bulak
Balechovitz, who had joined the Poles against the
Bolsheviks.
Intimations of destruction quickly turned
into bitter reality. Word came of the slaughter of
Jews in towns to the northKremne, Shatsk,
Iflis, and othersby Bulak Balechovitz's murderers
and local bullies, began reaching our town.
For more than a week, wild bands wreaked
havoc without let-up: They harassed, raped, and
killed in all sorts of horrible ways a great number
of Jews in the villages. The dead, and even parts
of bodies, lay strewn about for days, until they
were gathered for proper Jewish burial at the
cemetery in town.
THE EARLY DAYS 87
I remember how a group of young people
volunteered for this final act of charity, among
them my father's brother, of blessed memory, and
also Nute Blumen, may he know long life. Immediately
after the Bolsheviks captured the town,
they went out with carts, armed with rifles given
them by the authoritiesto the surrounding villages,
gathered the corpses, and brought them to
their final rest.
Only through a miracle were the Jews of our
town saved from the fate of their brothers in
surrounding areas. And this is how:
When it was learned that another regiment
including remnants of Petlura's, Denikin's, and
Balechovitz's forces was due to pass through town
in its retreat to the other side of the Bug River, the
community leaders immediately called an advisory
session to decide how to fend off the danger
likely to befall the Jews and their property from
these bands.
It was clear to all that there was only one way
to save the situation, and that was to intercede
with the city authorities and the military commander
to reroute the retreat at a distance from
the city.
After their consultation, the community leaders
immediately set about raising funds, and a
delegation was organizedat the head of which
was the new rabbi, Rabbi Pinchas Oselka, of
blessed memory, who spoke Polish very well.
The community delegation turned to the Catholic
priest, and with his help and interventionand,
of course, with the presentation of considerable
sumsthe military commander agreed to
arrange the retreat far from the city limits.
The Barefoot Army
On the heels of the retreating Polish army that
took up positions on the other side of the Bug
River about 10 miles from town, the Red Army
advanced into the city in the early morning hours
without opposition and without incident.
The entry of the Red Army was not particularly
festive or impressivenot what one would expect
of a conquering army. The opposite was true:
The first troops, in torn clothes and with meager
equipment, aroused both disappointment and
surprise. Ragged and worn, they made their way