After the departure of the latter a detachment of Soviet forces entered the town and put a complete end to the looting of the Jewish population. The latter was terrorized after the experiences of the pogrom. Now it is comparatively peaceful there. The commandant was removed, but fled, and is now being sought.
Litin now looks like a dead city. The stores are all closed. Economic life is completely at a standstill. The peasants have stopped bringing food into the city. Thus it is hard to get bread or anything to eat even for money. In the last few days some improvement is noticeable. A few food products are appearing. But the peasants demand not money, but produce (salt, manufactured articles, etc.).
On the advice of local people in public life, I applied to a wellknown woman, a Mrs. Merezel (a Christian). She emphasized that there was a special need for food products and for clothing, especially linen. When I found what the situation was and realized that the children were especially in want, I decided in the first days to open a food depot for a hundred children, in the style of a kindergarten.
II. Testimony of G. Zeidis, Gymnasium Student, Aged 18, Taken Down by S. Y. Maizlish, July 29, 1919
Some circles of the Jewish population of Litin took an active part in the communist movement. There were many Jews in responsible positions under the Soviet. In the region of Litin
YANOV: SHEPEL'S GANG 391
were operating the bands of Shepel, Saranchi, and Karpach, who came out against the Soviet regime and spread anti-Semitic watchwords, like "Kill the Jews, save Ukraine," etc.
The first pogrom was perpetrated May 14. Looting was epidemic; there were 120 killed, about 20 wounded, about 10 women violated. After this repeated attacks of the bands occurred, almost every week. On July 18 the workers of Yastrev's shoe factory from Vinnitza came to the village of Voniaga (three versts from Litin) for grain and provisions. The peasants of the village offered resistance, drove them out, and burst into Litin and killed seven Jews.
YANOV ( F PODOLIA)
Pogrom of July 11-15, 1919 Testimony of B. Raber, Taken Down by S. Y. Maizlish, July 29
The town of Yanov, canton of Vinnitza, is twelve versts from the station of Kalinovka. Six or seven hundred Jewish families lived in the place.
On Thursday, July 10, persistent rumors began to spread that a large band of pogromists was moving on Yanov. In the town was a local armed guard, of young men, which had 38 rifles. The local peasants proposed that arms be issued to them, and they would resist the insurgents. The weapons were deposited at the headquarters of the "Union," and at once there appeared about twenty men who seized the rifles, joined the local peasants, and began to fire irregularly through the town. One non-Jew was accidentally killed. The bandits dragged the body of the dead man into a certain Jew's hut, placed it on the bed, and spread the report that the Jews had killed him. Meantime a numerous band (Shepel's) arrived in the town, and began to plunder and kill.
On Friday, July 11, four people were killed. The Jewish population fled to the fields and woods. The looting and killing continued until Tuesday. They killed mercilessly whomever they met. On Tuesday they rounded up the surviving Jews, about 300 people, into the synagogue, and as usual demanded a contribution. They were given 200,000 rubles. After this the band began to discuss what was to be done with the assembled Jews. A certain Komarenko (a former Soviet commissar) proposed to kill all Jews between the ages of 13 and 40. The teacher Gorchina opposed this suggestion. The former commissar Beba proposed to let it go with throwing a few bombs into the syna-
UKRAINE
gogue. But this proposal was also rejected. They were on the point of deciding to burn the synagogue^ so that all the Jews should perish in the flames. But at that time an aeroplane appeared above the town and threw down two bombs. Panic arose among the rebels, and they started to leave the place. The assembled Jews were saved in this manner. In all 300 were killed, including about 30 from Berdechev and about 30 from Pikov.
OBODIN ( F PODOLIA) Pogrom of July 10, 1919 Testimony of Sh. Gronfain
The village of Obodin is in the canton of Bratzlav ten versts from Voronovitzy. There were only three families of Jews living in the town. One family, consisting of four people, did not succeed in fleeing and was entirely massacred. The wife was found with her breasts cut off; a baby of six months had its throat cut; and a child of six also was slashed to death.
As a general proposition the pogromists operated with "cold weapons" (not firearms). This is explained simply by the lack of cartridges. Cartridges cost fifty rubles.