Rescuers of Jews
Vasiljeva Sofija
Polina TARASEVIČ (1905–1943)
Murdered in 1943 in a forest near Jašiūnai
Testimony of Anatolij Kasinskij (Kasryel Bernan):
One night, my mother bribed a policeman with a fine box of silver spoons and took me and my brothers Samuelis and Šolemas out of the ghetto. We walked towards Jašiūnai and hid in the forests near Pilakainiai, Turgeliai and Parudominis villages (about 30-40 km from Vilnius). But some of the locals gave us away. We were caught by the policemen and taken to the forest to be shot. They made my mother and the elder brother dig a pit, but somehow the policeman fired a few shots at the ground and let us go. We hid in the forest for some time, but it was difficult for us to hide in one bunch, therefore mother made an agreement with reliable people and decided to leave me and my younger brother in different adjacent villages. She kept her elder son Šolemas with her. The locals were afraid to hide the Jews, which was natural because they could have been shot for that. Nonetheless, some people still were compassionate about this enormous human sorrow and were very respectful. In the meantime, others were capable of turning in a Jew for a promise of 16 kg of sugar.
I lived at Polina Tarasevič’s in Pratečenka village (now Biržiškės), Vilnius district. Polina Tarasevič’s niece Sofija Juljevna Petrovskaja (later Vasilyeva) was living with us too. She is still living there and can testify all events laid out in my accounts. One night, the Germans and the policemen organised a roundup. Someone from the locals had turned my mother and my brother in. A woman who was hiding me in her home – Polina Martynovna Tarasevič – was informed against too. She managed to warn me to run to the forest, so I survived. Meanwhile, her entire farmstead was burnt to the ground.
When I came back from the forest the next morning, I was told that Polina Tarasevič, my mother and my brother were put in a carriage, tied up and taken away to be shot. A few days later, Polina Tarasevič’s relatives managed to dig her body out and rebury it in the cemetery. According to Polina Tarasevič’s niece Sofija Juljevna Petrovskaja, no bullet wounds were found in the body – she had been bruised and tortured.
I know nothing of my mother’s and my brother Šolemas’ fate: neither where they were killed, nor where they were buried.
Murdered in 1943 in a forest near Jašiūnai
Testimony of Anatolij Kasinskij (Kasryel Bernan):
One night, my mother bribed a policeman with a fine box of silver spoons and took me and my brothers Samuelis and Šolemas out of the ghetto. We walked towards Jašiūnai and hid in the forests near Pilakainiai, Turgeliai and Parudominis villages (about 30-40 km from Vilnius). But some of the locals gave us away. We were caught by the policemen and taken to the forest to be shot. They made my mother and the elder brother dig a pit, but somehow the policeman fired a few shots at the ground and let us go. We hid in the forest for some time, but it was difficult for us to hide in one bunch, therefore mother made an agreement with reliable people and decided to leave me and my younger brother in different adjacent villages. She kept her elder son Šolemas with her. The locals were afraid to hide the Jews, which was natural because they could have been shot for that. Nonetheless, some people still were compassionate about this enormous human sorrow and were very respectful. In the meantime, others were capable of turning in a Jew for a promise of 16 kg of sugar.
I lived at Polina Tarasevič’s in Pratečenka village (now Biržiškės), Vilnius district. Polina Tarasevič’s niece Sofija Juljevna Petrovskaja (later Vasilyeva) was living with us too. She is still living there and can testify all events laid out in my accounts. One night, the Germans and the policemen organised a roundup. Someone from the locals had turned my mother and my brother in. A woman who was hiding me in her home – Polina Martynovna Tarasevič – was informed against too. She managed to warn me to run to the forest, so I survived. Meanwhile, her entire farmstead was burnt to the ground.
When I came back from the forest the next morning, I was told that Polina Tarasevič, my mother and my brother were put in a carriage, tied up and taken away to be shot. A few days later, Polina Tarasevič’s relatives managed to dig her body out and rebury it in the cemetery. According to Polina Tarasevič’s niece Sofija Juljevna Petrovskaja, no bullet wounds were found in the body – she had been bruised and tortured.
I know nothing of my mother’s and my brother Šolemas’ fate: neither where they were killed, nor where they were buried.