Evening star., 1944-04-20
|Swift Russian Advance Blocked
INdzi Destruction Near Odessa

~ N~AE O~~S S1NA
mans have little time for systematic
burning"
Gen. Rogov said the Germans in
tended to hold line along the
Dnepr River and had devastated
the entire region to the east to
create no-mans land and deprive
the advancing Russians of local
support. That is no longer so.
Here the Germans ran for their
lives.
Odessa. seventh Russian city, is
by far the most important in the
newly liberated area. Odessa is typ
ical. It suffered cruelty under Ro-
manian and finally German occupa-
ton. About 10000 of its residents
were killed. They were mostly Jews.
Like Prewar Paris.
But today, Odessa has an atmos-
phere like prewar Paris on the 18th
of July, with crowds strolling along
peaceful, sunlight avenues in holi-
day mood.
Mayor Boris Davidenko, chairman
Of the Odessa Soviet, told Allied
correspondents that the city's plans
to celebrate its 150th anniversary
this year had been interrupted by
the war. The city had grown rap
idly from 604, 900 population in 1889
to 737 900 in 1941 and heavy indus
try was developed highly, he said.
Evacuation was started in July,
le41, and most industrial equipment
and more than half the population
were moved through the Caucasus
into Central Asia. Odessa's land
communications were cut July 8 of
that year, but evacuation continued
by sea while the city fought back
stubbornly for 70 days until mid
October. It was subjected to "a
hour daily shelling and aerial bonn
bardment. Mayor Davidenko said.
Industry remaining in Odessa sup
lplied besieged troops defending the
city.
Boundary Set Up.
One OF the first Romanian acts
was to set up a boundary on the
Southern Bug River establishing
frontier posts separating territory
they considered their own from that
controlled by the Germans.
"The rule Of the Romanians was
often worse than that of the Ger
mans" Mayor Davidenko said. "They
subjected the population to torture
and death"
Late in 1941 and early in 1912,
Mayor Davidenko said about $1,000
persons were burned to death or shot
at Sterelbische rife range near
Odessa. He said Jews were herded
there behind barbed wire, wet with
gasoline and burned in the Sabansks
barracks. He said others were killed
at numerous nearby places.
The Romanians converted Odessa
into trading center" There were
few Germans in evidence and the
Romanians were mostly merchants
who took charge of all trade and
production by artisans Schools and
government correspondence were
conducted in Romanian.
The horrors were relieved some
what by comic aspects of the Ro-
manian administration as related by
Father VASTLY, priest of the Uspen-
sky Cathedral. He said the Ro-
manian Patriarch Nikodim sent the.
Metropolitan Visarion of Bessarabia
and Chernovitsy as head of a clerical
mission. The priest said the Metro
politan started terrible quarrels
with Gov. Alexeanu and left very
quietly with one small suitcase on
droshky.
- Renewed for Embezzlement. #
Father Vastly said Al3xeanu was
finally removed in February, 1914,
for terrible embezzlement of the
|governorship."
"Cur money was spent not for
pubic welfare but for pretty legs"
he added. II
The designation Trans-Dnestria
then was abolished and the region
between the Dnestr and the South
|ern Bug rivers was placed under
Romanian military command. The
Germans started taking control in
February and openly assumed au-
thority in March.
During the final hours of occupa-
ton German radio cars raced
through the streets hroadcasting
that the Nazis were leaving for only
three months and would never for
give any one who worked for the
Russians. Notices were posted April
8 ordering every one off the streets
at 3 pm. and telling the people to
stay in their houses with doors open
and windows closed.
At 6 am. on April 10 the Red
Army entered the city, breaking
through quickly from the east after
smashing the main German line
north of Odessa. Ten thousand
Partisans who rose from the cata.
combs prevented much destruction
in the city.
When city authorities entered
with troops at dawn on April 10
Mayor Davidenko said they founc
the port facilities the hardest hit
A grain elevator, a meat packine
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