Historical Background and Interviews
II. The War The War
fighting in the woods of Eastern Europe. 7 Alter and Samuel Tiktin, who had escaped into the woods during the liquidation of the Ludvipol ghetto, joined the Russian Karilow partisans. After the liquidation, they led a successful Karilow at- tack on the German and Ukrainian forces in Ludvipol, killing two Ukrainian policemen and wounding Commissar Norgall; Norgall escaped and returned, later, to burn the town to ashes. 8 It was as a result of his wound that Norgall limped from then on. 9 Alex (Shalom) Edelman joined the Naumo partisans and was active in direct combat with Germans and in destroying German trains on their way to the Russian front. He knew no fear and fought even after he was wounded. 10 Many of the Jews in the forests were unfit for combat. What they needed from the partisans was shelter and food. Family camps were set up and maintained by some partisan units, and those who found shelter there tried to make themselves useful by tending the wounded, growing vegetables, cooking, sewing, and repairing tools and weapons. Their presence increased the partisans’ need for supplies, including food, from local farmers and fueled not only anti-Semitism but hostility toward the partisan groups. Additional- ly, the mobility of the partisans was impaired by children and old people in the family camps. Over time, conditions improved slightly. Although still in hid- ing, some Jews had enough to eat and were able to start working at trades and set up small-scale commerce. Some were able to help the families of Polish refugees who had previously assisted them.
Other Survivors’ Stories
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