During all the time of Kotzyr's government no excesses of any sort occurred, and specifically none against Jews, With the arrival of the Soviet power part of Kotzyr's detachment left, and only a battalion commanded by a certain Leschenko remained. At first Leschenko was peaceable in his behavior, and the population felt no special constraints. But later requisitions began (mainly of the Jews) and searches. A contribution was imposed, which in the last analysis was paid only by the Jews, because the non-Jews were able to get themselves absolved from it.
Already in the beginning of May, with the attack of the Grigorievists, the peace of Chigirin was broken, and agitations con-
ALEXANDROVKA:
stantly arose. On May 14 the bandit Ovcharenko arrived at the city with a small detachment, but his onset was quickly stopped. Leschenko, with his battalion, energetically took the field against him and drove him off. The Jewish population lived in disquietude, but still did not expect a pogrom.
On Monday, May 19, an incident occurred which greatly alarmed the population, and which seemed entirely incomprehensible to the people of Chigirin. It has remained inexplicable up to the present time.
On that day, May 19, on the usual day of the market-fair, the frightened population gathered only very languidly; and only after Leschenko had given assurance that he would permit no excesses, had brought a machine gun into the fair and had calmed everybody, did the people begin to collect at the fair and to engage in trade. But at that same time Leschenko with men from his detachment was going about the city to the dwellings of ten persons previously marked out, and took away five men and one woman, all Jews, and shot them.
After this occurrence the population was still more frightened and lived in constant terror.
Beginning with May 20 various gangs of Grigorievists began to appear. On the 21st Kudriavtzev (Uvarov's lieutenant) arrived, and on the 22nd "Uvarovists" probably from the region of Cherkassy. The Uvarovists behaved very well for the first few days, did not allow robberies or murders, and the whole population met them cordially. Leschenko's detachment had abandoned Chigirin on the 20th. On the days following this still other bands arrived, operating from a base at the town of Kholodny Yar (about 16 versts from Chigirin). On Sunday, May 25, there arrived from Tzybulevo a "Smeliansky" detachment which was already infected with the poison of anti-Semitism and pogrom agitation, and which immediately started the slogans of "Kill the Jews" and "Save Russia." On the same day pillaging began, and eleven Jews were killed. The robberies continued on Monday and Tuesday, and several more people were killed. On Wednesday, probably under pressure from the Soviet forces, the gang disappeared.
TOWN OF ALEXANDROVKA ( F KIEV) 3,000 INHABITANTS
Testimony of Yelisavetsky, Presented by Tztfrinovich
The pogrom began on May 15 and ended on May 22. All the inhabitants of the place suffered. The victims numbered 211
UKRAINE
killed and about 30 wounded, of whom many have since died, and some are still in danger of death. Eruptive typhus is raging in the town. It is impossible to get flour. The majority of the victims were small shop-keepers, who at present have no means of Iivelih6od. The pogrom was perpetrated on the initiative of the Grigorievists, but the local population took part in it. There was violent anti-Semitic agitation. It was carried on by peasants, and by teachers of the local gymnasium, who went through the villages and said that the Jews wanted to usurp religion, that the Jews were communists, etc. The pogrom was ferocious in the degree of taunts and revilings of people. There were many cases of violation of women, who were then killed afterwards. In general not only young people, but also old men and children were killed. Whole families were killed. One family of 17 persons was wiped out completely.
(Signature)
NOVO-MIRGOROD ( F KHERSON)
Written June 20, 1919, from the Dictation of the Fiscal Rabbi S. Schwars and the Shokhet F. Reznichenko
Novo-Mirgorod is a "supernumerary town" (zashtatny — town without a district) of the government of Kherson, canton of Yelisavetgrad, situated on the railroad. It has 12,000 inhabitants, of whom about 1,500 are Jews (300 families). Its occupations are handicrafts and petty commerce. There was no poverty. There were few speculators ("profiteers") among the Jews. In general, thrift was prominent, and it increased during the war. There had never been any pogroms before. The relations between the Christian and Jewish populations were good.