49°42' N 28°14' E . Tarashcha or Tarascha (Ukr: Тараща) is a city in Tarashcha Raion..Home of Boris Thomashefsky, American Jewish singer, cantor, and actor.
MASS GRAVE:
TARASHCHA: People from here were buried in the mass grave at Medvin.
Tarascha Mass Grave II - In mid-September 1941, Tarascha's remaining 200 Jews were ordered to gather in the town's main square and march to the cemetery where they were shot. The mass grave to the right of the entrance to the cemetery is unmarked and undemarcated. It is used by local residents as a waste dump. [Mar 2015]
CEMETERY:
TARASHCHA I: US Commission No. UA09300501
Alternate name: Tarasca (Yiddish), Tarashtcha (German) and Tarasza (Polish.) The town is located at 49º34 º30.30, 122 km from Kiyev and 22 km from Olshanitsa. The mass grave is located at central part of the town, opposite the market. Present town population is 5,001-25,000 with 11-100 Jews.
- Town officials: Village Executive Soviet at 256600, Tarashcha, Shevchenko St. N7 [Phone: (8-266) 53830], Vice-chairman Saushkina Yelena Grigoriyevna [Phone: (8-266) 52066].
- Town: Altman Yakov Illich of B. Khmelnitskogo St. N17 [Phone: (8-266) 54744]. Lashchenko Ivan Grigoriyevich, history teacher, R. Luksemburg St. N75, [Phone: (8-266) 51952].
The earliest known Jewish community was 1765. 1926 Jewish population was 3222. Effecting the Jewish community were 1918-1919 pogroms by Petlura and Denikin, 1941 Jewish ghetto, and September 1941 mass execution of Jews by Nazis. No Jews from other towns or villages were murdered at this unlandmarked mass grave. The isolated site has signs or plaques in local language mentioning Jews and the Holocaust. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. The mass grave is on the bottom of the ravine. A broken fence and a gate that does not lock surround the mass grave. The approximate size is now 0.04 hectares. 1 to 20 stones, all in original location, date from 20th century. No stones were removed. Municipality owns site now used as a Jewish cemetery only. Adjacent properties are residential. The mass grave boundaries are larger now than 1939. Frequently, organized individual tours, private visitors and local residents stop. This mass grave has not been vandalized. Local/municipal authorities and Jewish individuals within country cleaned stones and cleared vegetation in 1945-1996. Now, authorities clear or clean occasionally. Within the limits of the mass grave are no structures. Very serious threat: weather erosion. Moderate threat: uncontrolled access and vegetation (seasonal) Slight threat: pollution. No threat: vandalism, existing and proposed nearby development.
Sokolova Eleonora Yevgeniyevna of 253152, Kiyev, Tichini St. N5, Apt. 68 [Phone: (044) 5505681] visited site and completed survey on 13/09/1996. Interviewed on 13/09/1996 were Altman Yakov Illich of Tarashcha, B.Khmelnitskogo St. N17, [Phone: (8-266) 54744] and Krivunda Trofim Andreyevich of Kommuni St., N92 [Phone: (8-266) 51988]. Documentation: Veytsblit I.I. Movement of Jewish People in Ukraine, published by 'Proletar', 1930; Jewish Encyclopedia, published by Brokgauz-Yefron', Leningrad; The History of Towns and Villages of Ukraine. Kiyevskaya Oblast', Kiyev, 1971. Semyonov P., Geographical and Statistical Dictionary of Russian Empire, 1865; The list of populated areas in Kiyevskaya Province; Statistical Reference Book of Numbers of Jewish Population in Russia, 1918. Other documentation exists but was inaccessible.
TARASHCHA II: US Commission No. UA09300502
See TARASHCHA I for town information. The mass grave is located at Jewish cemetery on Parizhskoy Communi St. No Jews from other towns or villages were murdered at this unlandmarked 1941 mass grave. The urban flat land, part of a municipal cemetery, has no sign or marker. Reached by crossing other public property (Jewish cemetery on Parizhskoy Kommuni St.), access is open to all. No wall, fence, or gate surround surrounds the mass grave. The approximate size of mass grave is now 0.05 hectares. No stones are visible or removed. The mass grave contains unmarked mass graves. Municipality owns site used for Jewish cemetery and waste dumping. Adjacent properties are agricultural and Jewish cemetery. The mass grave boundaries are larger now than 1939. Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents visit occasionally. The mass grave was vandalized frequently in the last ten years. There are no structuresor maintenance. Because of no sign or marker, the local residents use the part of mass grave land to dump garbage. Serious threat: vegetation (high level of seasonal vegetation.) Moderate threat: uncontrolled access and weather erosion constant. Slight threat: existing and proposed nearby development.
Sokolova Eleonora Yevgeniyevna of 253152, Kiyev, Tichini St. N5, Apt. 68 [Phone: (044) 5505681] visited site on 12/09/1996. Krivunda Trofim Andreyevich of Kommuni St. N92 [Phone: (8-266) 51988] was interviewed on 12/09/1996. Documentation: Veytsblit I.I. Movement of Jewish People in Ukraine, published by 'Proletar', 1930; Jewish Encyclopedia, publish by Brokgauz-Yefron', Leningrad. The History of Towns and Villages of Ukraine. Kiyevskaya', Kiyev, 1971. Semyonov P., Geographical and Statistical Dictionary of Russian Empire, 1865; The list of populated areas in Kiyevskaya Province', 1900; Statistical Reference Book of Numbers of Jewish Population in Russia, 1918; The article 'The echo of the old tragedy', by I.Lashchenko, in newspaper 'Tarashchenskiy kray', N112, 19.09.1991. The article 'The truth of Babin Yar is Burning', by L. Kamins'ka, in newspaper Tarashchanskiy KrayN117, 1.10.1996.
TARASHCHA III: US Commission No. UA09300101
See TARASHCHA I for town information. The cemetery is located at Parizhskoy Kommuni St. in NW village center. The last known Jewish burial was in 1996. No other towns or villages used this unlandmarked cemetery. The urban flat land and crown of a hill, separate but near other cemeteries, has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road, access is open to all. No wall or fence, but a non-locking gate, surrounds the cemetery. The approximate size of cemetery before WWII and now is 4.00 hectares. The cemetery has special sections for men, women, children and suicides. 101 to 500 stones date from 19th to 20th century. Some tombstones have portraits on stones and/or metal fences around graves. The cemetery contains unmarked mass graves. Municipality owns site now used for Jewish cemetery use only. Adjacent properties are agricultural and residential. The cemetery boundaries have not changed since 1939. Organized Jewish group tours or pilgrimage groups, Jewish or non-Jewish private visitors and local residents visit frequently. The cemetery was vandalized during World War II. Jewish individuals within country cleaned stones and cleared vegetation regulary from 1918 and 1995. Now, occasionally, individuals clear or clean. Very serious threat: vegetation (too much trees and grass-seasonal.) Serious threat: The cemetery land is plowed.) Moderate threat: uncontrolled access. Slight threat: weather erosion (seasonal), existing and proposed nearby development. No threat: vandalism.
Sokolova Eleonora Yevgeniyevna of 253152, Kiyev, Tichini St. N5, Apt. 68 [Phone: (044) 5505681] visited site on 12/09/1996. Krivunda Trofim Andreyevich of Tarashcha, B.Khmelnitskiy, N17 [Phone: (8-266) 54744] was interviewed on 12/09/1996. Documentation: Veytsblit I.I. Movement of Jewish People in Ukraine, published by 'Proletar', 1930; Jewish Encyclopedia, published by Brokgauz-Yefron', Leningrad; The History of Towns and Villages of Ukraine. Kiyevskaya Oblast', Kiyev, 1971; Semyonov P., Geographical and Statistical Dictionary of Russian Empire, 1865; The list of populated areas in Kiyevskaya Province. Statistical Reference Book of Numbers of Jewish Population in Russia, 1918. Other documentation exists but was inaccessible.
TARASHCHA IV: US Commission No. UA09300102
See TARASHCHA I for town information. The cemetery is located at N center of village. The last known Conservative Jewish burial was in the 19th century. Kovshevataya (13 km away) used this unlandmarked cemetery. The isolated urban hillside and crown of a hill has no sign or marker. Reached by turning directly off a public road and crossing private property. The access is open to all. No wall, gate, or fence surrounds the cemetery. The approximate size of cemetery before WWII was 4.00 hectares. No stones are visible OR The cemetery has only common tombstones. Stones were removed to another cemetery (Parizhskoy Kommuni St.). The cemetery contains no known mass graves. Municipality owns site now used for housing. Adjacent properties are residential and ravines with trees. The cemetery boundaries are smaller now than 1939 because of ravines with trees. Rarely, private visitors and local residents stop. The cemetery was not vandalized in the last ten years. Jewish individuals within country cleaned stones and cleared vegetation regulary before 1920. There is no maintenance. Very serious threat: existing nearby development (Residential buildings are on part of the cemetery.) Serious threat: proposed nearby development (Possibility taking all the land for residential use.) Moderate threat: uncontrolled access, weather erosion, vegetation and vandalism. Slight threat: pollution.
Sokolova Eleonora Yevgeniyevna of 253152, Kiyev, Tichini St. N5, Apt. 68 [Phone: (044) 5505681] visited site on 12/09/1996. Krivunda Trofim Andreyevich of Parizhskoy Kommuni St. N92 was interviewed on 12/09/1996. Documentation: Veytsblit I.I. Movement of Jewish People in Ukraine, published by 'Proletar', 1930; Jewish Encyclopedia, published by Brokgauz'-Yefron', Leningrad; The History of Towns and Villages of Ukraine. Kiyevskaya Oblast.', Kiyev, 1971; Semyonov P., Geographical and Statistical Dictionary of Russian Empire, 1865; The list of populated areas in Kiyevskaya Province; Statistical Reference Book of Numbers of Jewish Population in Russia, 1918.