In another case a somewhat drunken officer, a captain, demanded of the Jewish keeper of a small inn that he should immediately serve dinner to his entire company, and pay him personally 5,000 rubles. When the innkeeper declared that it was impossible to fulfil this at once, since he had no money and still less provisions to feed a whole company, the captain gave orders to lay him out and beat him with whips. His daughter, who had been about to hide herself, ran out and covered her father with her own body. Then lashes were distributed upon her and everyone else in the house. Then the captain took the innkeeper away with him. His daughter followed her father. At first the captain demanded that she go away, but finally allowed her to follow her father. He took them to his quarters, placed a revolver on the table, and ordered the daughter to prepare a dinner for his company in the course of the day and provide him with 5,000 rubles, otherwise her father would be shot at evening. It occurred to the old man to use this proposal to save himself. He assured the captain that his daughter
OVRUCH:
could do nothing, but that if they would let him go for a single hour, he would get the money and provisions. After long hesitation the captain agreed to let the old man go for half an hour. The old man ran to his home, which, by that time, had been stripped bare by the Cossacks. He advised his family to hide wherever they could, and then hid himself in a garret with acquaintances. Afterwards he and his family fled from the town. (Testimony of Wachlis, p. 36.)
In the first two days seventeen Jews were killed. The Jews applied to the mayor, Moshinsky, begging him to send a deputation of two Christians and one Jew to the Ataman to beg him to stop the pogrom. The mayor promised to do so, but in the end did nothing. Then the old men and women (the young Jews were all hiding) went with tears and lamentations to the house of the Ataman. The Ataman consented to receive a deputation of three from those who had come. When the deputation was admitted, he demanded that all the male Jewish population between the ages of 15 and 40 should appear on the square near headquarters on the next day.
Panic Among the Jews
This demand threw the Jewish population into a fearful panic. All were convinced that the working Jewish population was being demanded for slaughter. However, it was impossible to disobey the command. So on the next day the entire Jewish population between the ages of 15 and 40, protected by old men and women, appeared at the appointed spot near the headquarters building. After about an hour Kozyr-Zyrka at last rode up in an automobile. The Jews cried "Long live the Ataman, long live Ukraine!" Kozyr-Zyrka got out of the automobile and delivered a speech to them in which he enumerated all their "bolshevistic crimes."
Kozyr-Zyrka 's Speech to the Jews
In his speech, spoken in beautiful Galician-Ukrainian dialect, he said that he had the right to destroy all the Jews, and would do so if even a single Cossack suffered. In Potapovichi he had already done so, shooting a Jewish spy himself. He would destroy all Jews in Ovruch, if a single Cossack suffered. Therefore he advised the Jews, if there was a single bolshevik spy among them, to strangle him with their own hands.
When Kozyr-Zyrka finished his speech, the Jews cried hurrah.
UKRAINE
The fiscal Rabbi proposed to him that all Jews should swear loyalty to Ukraine and furnish a military detachment from their midst. The Ataman replied that he had no use for Jewish oaths or Jewish detachments. He permitted the Jews to breathe the air of Ukraine, but demanded that they remember his warning. The Jews dispersed and began to consider how they could move the Ataman. They collected about 20,000 rubles and gave it to him, for gifts to the Cossacks.
Collections
Kozyr-Zyrka accepted the money, but observed that not many gifts could be bought for this sum. He demanded 50,000 rubles more. The Jews promised to collect it. But since they were all plundered and ruined, it was not easy to collect such an amount. It was necessary to apply to the small artisans and Jewish servants, who contributed their savings.
Having received the extra sum, Kozyr-Zyrka issued an order forbidding plundering. But plundering continued on that and the following days.
Requisition of Tailors and Cobblers
At the same time Kozyr-Zyrka requisitioned all Jewish tailors and cobblers, and ordered them to work on the clothing stolen from the Jews. They made shoes, cloaks, uniforms, trousers, etc. Out of women's silk skirts were made scarfs and the like. They were compelled to work from 8 A.M. to midnight, even on Fridays. No food was allowed them during working hours. (Testimony of Shetman, p. 21; Stoland, p. 12.)
Kozyr-Zyrka as Judge