Latvijas Vēsturnieku komisijas raksti - 18.sējums "Holokausts Latvijā

310 Novadpētnieka vākums
Town Council or police force reorganization. Information sources are limited to documents
(LVVA dossier P-132) compiled by the LSSR investigation committee examining fascist
crimes in 1944/45, criminal investigation cases by the Soviet Tribunal, testimonies of witnesses,
and recollections.
From these it appears that already at the beginning of July 1941, Jews living in Nereta
were gathered in the 4 km distant Pilkalne estate, where they were shot. The precise date
of the shooting is not fixed. Also Jews from other communities were brought here and
murdered.
In all, in Nereta and other rural areas, 157 Jews were shot during July/August 1941. Of
these, 137 names have been identified. The shooting was carried out by the local defence
organisations and a team from Jaunjelgava. German forces presence has been recorded
in Birži and Nereta. In the latter case, a witness recalls the return in 1941 of a German
named Bertram who in 1939 had repatriated to Germany. He appeared as an officer of the
German army and was supposed to reorganize the local police.
For participating in the 1941 Holocaust activities in the district of Jēkabpils, 22 persons
have been prosecuted. The death penalty had been abandoned, and seven of them were
sentenced to 25 years of hard labour. None have been rehabilitated. Others received
10 to 20 years. Seven of these committed suicide during investigations, whilst in prison or
when in labour camps.
After the World War II, Jewish mass graves in Nereta were exhumed for reburial.
In several rural communities, monuments have been erected in memory of the Holocaust.
There are two versions of Jews rescue actions in Sēlpils and Zalve. However, it
is impossible to verify the stories as part of the present study. The author hopes this can
be achieved during the Jēkabpils Holocaust investigation, since it is said that one rescue
person is from there and one from another town.