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⚫ | During the [[WWII]], thousands of villages in [[Russia]] and other [[Eastern European]] villages were burnt to the ground and their inhabitants slaughtered. [[Khatyn]], probably the most famous such village, was annihilated by the [[Schutzstaffel]] in [[Belarus]]. One of such "dead villages" was the [[Poland|Polish]] village of [[Koniuchy]] (currently in [[Lithuania]]). |
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On [[January 29]], [[1944]], this village was attacked by [[Lithuanian]] and [[Jewish]] partisans stationed in Rudnicki Forest. The raid was carried out by 100-120 partisans from various units, which included 50 Jewish partisans from the [[Kovno Ghetto]] and the [[Vilna Ghetto]] under the command of [[Jacob Penner (World War II)|Jacob Penner]] and [[Shmuel Kaplinsky]]. Earlier, partisans often took by force food, clothes and cattle from the village. Because of it, a small self defence unit was created in a village. |
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On [[29 January]] [[1944]], the [[Poland|Polish]] village of '''Koniuchy''' in [[Lida]] district (currently [[Kaniūkai]] in [[Lithuania]]) was completely destroyed with many of its inhabitants [[murder]]ed by [[Soviet partisan]] units under the command of the Central Partisan Command in Moscow. |
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The village was not fortified, and the villagers were armed with only a few [[rifle]]s. The village had about 60 households and about 300 inhabitants. A total of about 38 men (as reported by [[Instytut Pamieci Narodowej|IPN]], although earlier reports gave higher numbers of deaths), women and children were massacred indiscriminately and most of households destroyed. |
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In 1943, the village had about 60 households and about 300 inhabitants. Soviet partisans from nearby Rudnicki Forest used to notoriously plunder the village, stealing food, clothes and cattle. A small self defence unit was created <!-- when? --> in the village which effectively prevented further plundering. On the night of January 28 the partisans surrounded the village, and launched their attack at 5 in the morning. They set the houses on fire and were shooting the villagers attempting to escape their households. According to the investigation carried out by Polish [[Institute of National Remembrance]], not less then 38 men, women and children were indiscriminately massacred and most of households destroyed{{ref|IPN}}. The raid was carried out by 120-150 Soviet partisans from several multinational units, including Jewish escapees from the [[Kovno Ghetto]] and the [[Vilna Ghetto]]. On January 31, 1944, the head of the South Partisan Brigade, Genrikas Zimanas (Henoch Ziman), sent an encoded report to [[Antanas Sniečkus]] in Moscow, stating that the most ardent and self-defensive village of the region, Koniuchy was burnt down on January 29 by the combined forces of several partisan units. |
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According to current findings of the [[Instytut Pamieci Narodowej|IPN]] (investigation still in progress), at least 38 persons were killed, and a dozen or so injured, at least one of them died later. The attack was carried out by Soviet partisan units "Death to the fascists" and "Margirio" of Vilna Brigade of Lithuanian Partisan Staff and "Death to invaders" of Kovno Brigade. |
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Chaim Lazar, who described the Koniuchy massacre in his book,{{ref|Lazar}} claimed 300 people have been murdered. |
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After the attack a message was sent from Genrikas Zimanas (Henoch Ziman), head of the South Partisan Brigade to [[Antanas Sniečkus]], Head of the Lithuanian Headquarters of Partisan Movement: "on January 29 the joint group of Vilnius partisans, "Śmierć Okupantowi" and "Margiris" groups and the special group of General Headquarters burnt down the most ardent and self-defensive village of the Ejszysk region, Koniuchy" |
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[[Institute of National Remembrance]] started a formal investigation of the massacre on March 3, 2001. The institute examined a number of archival documents including police reports, encoded messages and military diaries of Soviet partisans and personal files of Soviet partisans. Requests for legal assistance were sent to prosecutor offices in Belarus, Lithuania, Russian Federation and Israel. |
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The events at Koniuchy have been described by Chaim Lazar in ''Destruction and Resistance'' in 1985, where he claimed 300 people have been murdered. The fact of this "massacre" has not been recognized by any government except Polish. In May 2004 there was a monument raised in Koniuchy, with 34 names of killed persons. |
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A similar massacre took place in [[Naliboki]] village.{{fact}} |
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==See also== |
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* [[Anti-Polonism]] |
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* [[Massacre in Jedwabne]] |
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In May 2004 there was a memorial monument raised in Koniuchy, with 34 names of the murdered. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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* [http://www.naszawitryna.pl/jedwabne_26.html List of the victims] (in Polish) |
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[[Category:Conflicts in 1944]] |
[[Category:Conflicts in 1944]] |
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[[Category:Anti-Polonism]] |
[[Category:Anti-Polonism]] |
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[[Category:Jewish Polish history]] |
[[Category:Jewish Polish history]] |
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[[Category:History of Lithuania]] |
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[[pl:Koniuchy (wieś na Białorusi)]] |
[[pl:Koniuchy (wieś na Białorusi)]] |
Revision as of 15:52, 30 December 2005
During the WWII, thousands of villages in Russia and other Eastern European villages were burnt to the ground and their inhabitants slaughtered. Khatyn, probably the most famous such village, was annihilated by the Schutzstaffel in Belarus. One of such "dead villages" was the Polish village of Koniuchy (currently in Lithuania).
On January 29, 1944, this village was attacked by Lithuanian and Jewish partisans stationed in Rudnicki Forest. The raid was carried out by 100-120 partisans from various units, which included 50 Jewish partisans from the Kovno Ghetto and the Vilna Ghetto under the command of Jacob Penner and Shmuel Kaplinsky. Earlier, partisans often took by force food, clothes and cattle from the village. Because of it, a small self defence unit was created in a village.
The village was not fortified, and the villagers were armed with only a few rifles. The village had about 60 households and about 300 inhabitants. A total of about 38 men (as reported by IPN, although earlier reports gave higher numbers of deaths), women and children were massacred indiscriminately and most of households destroyed.
According to current findings of the IPN (investigation still in progress), at least 38 persons were killed, and a dozen or so injured, at least one of them died later. The attack was carried out by Soviet partisan units "Death to the fascists" and "Margirio" of Vilna Brigade of Lithuanian Partisan Staff and "Death to invaders" of Kovno Brigade.
After the attack a message was sent from Genrikas Zimanas (Henoch Ziman), head of the South Partisan Brigade to Antanas Sniečkus, Head of the Lithuanian Headquarters of Partisan Movement: "on January 29 the joint group of Vilnius partisans, "Śmierć Okupantowi" and "Margiris" groups and the special group of General Headquarters burnt down the most ardent and self-defensive village of the Ejszysk region, Koniuchy"
The events at Koniuchy have been described by Chaim Lazar in Destruction and Resistance in 1985, where he claimed 300 people have been murdered. The fact of this "massacre" has not been recognized by any government except Polish. In May 2004 there was a monument raised in Koniuchy, with 34 names of killed persons.
See also
References
- Report from IPN on Poland
- Operations Diary Operations Diary of a Jewish Partisan Unit in Rudniki Forest.
- Lazar, Chaim. Destruction and Resistance. Shengold Publishers, New York, 1985.
- Information on the Investigation in the Case of Crime Committed in Koniuchy by IPN