The Denver Jewish news., 1920-08-25
Behavior of the Retreat
ing Polish Forces
AN OFFICIAL REPORT FROM AN
INVESTIGATION OF THE MIN
ISTRY FOR JEWISH AFFAIRS
IN LITHUANIA.

July IL. IA and 10. this year during
the retreat of the Polish army.
On July 23rd l was delegated by
| the Jewish National Council to give
| the first aid to the victims of the
Jewish pogrom which had been com
mittcd by the retreating Polish troops
Oh the 14th of July. ] took advantage
Of this opportunity in order to get II
general idea of the pogrOm and
the local population. the members of
the Jewish self-gOvernment, the rab-
bis and other reliable persons and by
personally inspecting houses and
shops that had been destroyed. and
questioning people that had suffered.
According to the data which I have
been able to obtain, the following
events took place in Landwarowo:
Already on the 9th of July consid-
cradle detachmcnts of the retreatinS
Polish forces passed thru the little
town of I.andwarowO. which is situat-
cd by the railway Landwarowo
and along the Vilno-GrodnO railway
line Some of them halted there for
n day or so and set to digging trenches.
erecting rampartS etc, as tho prepar-
ing for n defensive. They would. by
force. compel the local Jewish popn-
lntion TO take part in this work and
sometimes took them to places 1920
wersts from the town.
On July 10th group of Polish
soldiers broke into the syaagog where
the congregation were assembled in
prayer. The Rabbi. venerable white
haired man of seventy. was carried
away to compulsory labor along with
the other people present. On the way
they were insulted. the soldiers hit
them with their gunsticks. deprived
them of their holy robes tTalith
prevented them from changing the
hats they had beefi wearing In the
synagog for their ordinary hats
and SO on.
The next few days were full of per
secution and tcrrorization Of the Jew
ish population. Towards the evening
of the 18th of July. things became $"
bad that the Jews had to abandon
their homes and property and to seek
refuge in the woods and fields. anxi-
Gus to save their lives at least.
The Chairman of the. local Jewish
community. Mr.. Zas. an old man of
sixty. asked to his house some of his
Christian ncighbors. and these
promised to prevail upon the soldiers
that his house should he spared. But
these neighbGrs were driven away by
the soldiers who threatened to fir"
at them. Zns had to go with the sol
dicrs and to lond their automobiles
and wagons with heavy sacks of
spoil Zas escaped, thanks to his
friends. who got Il local Polish gen
darlne to help Zus for which he re-.
ceivcl 2OO marks. The Gcndarme told
the soldiers that the higher authori
ties had given orders to arrest Ins.
On his way home Zas was several
times surrounded by soldiers. who III
sisted on having him delivered to them
in order that they might kill him. AT
the same time other soldiers wer"
demolishing and pillaging his house
and shop. \ general destruction of
the abandoned houses and stores he
gan on July 18th from the early morn
ing. Not one of the G0-G5 Jewish
families of LnndwnrowO escaped the
general fate. Not even the poorest
among the poor We're spared. So. for
instance. Hnja Znblotska. Il poor shop
keeper. was deprived of all her he
longiags; Sora- Esther Butrimanovitch
widow and mother of eight children
had broken aud wasted whatever poor
property she possessed. 'fhey did til"
same thing to Hama Shustcr. dress
maker. who was deprived Of her sew
ingnmchi and consequently. Of her
only means of subsistence. Rivka
Shncider. with her two daughters. who
were making money by sewing under
wear for their ncighhOrs. underwent
the same fate. The little workshop of
n Jewish shoemaker which used to he
opposite the station. was pulled down.
or course. it was more III the houses
of the well-to-dO Jews that the Polish
soldiers satisfied their lust for plum
der and instincts of destruction. What
could not be taken away. was destroy.
ed: that which could :iot be entirely
destroyed. damaged. The house Of Mr..
| Silberkveit. the richest person in
Landwarowo. was entirely devastated.
It is difficult to believe that this was