Kopychyntsi (Kopyczynce) | Ternopil

An elderly man in traditional dress with a cane poses among passersby in the marketplace near a store. 1920s © From the Archives of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research The photographer wrote: "A Jewish trade--rope spinners, father and son." 1920s © From the Archives of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research On the porch, in front of an inn. The photographer explains, "In this very house Yiddish theater has been performed--the best American Yiddish performers, originally from Russia and Rumania. 1920s© From the Archives of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Resear / Maria L., born in 1922, “Before being killed the Jews were forced to undress. After, all the clothes were taken by trucks.” © Guillaume Ribot - Yahad-In Unum Stefania Sh., born in 1925, “Once the Jews hid in the bunkers. The Germans set the fire to them and because of the smoke the Jews were forced to come out. They were all shot.” © Guillaume Ribot - Yahad-In Unum Witness leading Yahad’s research team to the mass grave at the Jewish cemetery © Guillaume Ribot - Yahad-In Unum The killing site of 50 Jewish victims © Guillaume Ribot - Yahad-In Unum The memorial to 3,000 Jewish victims murdered by Nazi © Guillaume Ribot - Yahad-In Unum

Execution of Jews in Kopychyntsi

3 Execution site(s)

Kind of place before:
Jewish cemetery
Memorials:
Yes
Period of occupation:
1941-1944

Witness interview

Maria L. recalls: "The Jews were brought on foot from the ghetto and shot here. It happened at 1 or 2pm. There were 50 Jews, -- children and the elderly among them and three Germans. There was also police who brought Jews in groups of 2-3 to the pit. Once there, the Jews had to undress and get down at the edge of a pit.” (Witness N°157, interviewed in Kopychyntsi, on August 07, 2005)

Soviet archives

“A ghetto was established by the Germans in Kopychyntsi. Due to the terrible living conditions, life there was miserable. The ghetto residents were subjected to hard forced labor. They had to repair the roads, stock wood, clean public bathrooms and so on. The daily food rations they received were not enough. They were starving. They received 100 grams of bread daily. Under the pretext of being taken for labor, the Jews were gathered and brought in groups of 200-300 people to the forested outskirts of Kopychyntsi, where they were shot. There were four similar actions in Kopychyntsi.” [Report drawn up by Soviet extraordinary commission on July 22, 1944; RG-22.002M.7021-75/14]

Historical note

Kopychyntsi is situated 56 kilometers (35 miles) southeast of Ternopil. According to the census of 1931 2,590 Jews lived in the town. The German army occupied it on July 07, 1941.

Holocaust by bullets in figures

The anti Jewish actions were carried out mostly by Security police from Chortkiv with the help of Gendarmerie and Ukrainian auxiliary police. The first Holocaust victims, about 30 Jews were killed in the early July, 1941. After the Jews were subjected to forced labor, humiliation and assaults on behalf of Ukrainian police. From November 1941 till June 1942 around 500 Jews, women and men among, fit to work were deported to different labor camps: Kamyonki, Velyki Birky, Velykyi Glybochok, Stupki. An informal ghetto was established shortly by. On September 30, 1942, 1.000 Jews were deported to Belzec death-camp and around 50 Jews killed on the spot. On their place Jews from Chortkiv, Husyatyn and others villages of the district were resettled. On April 15, 1943 during the action about 500 Jews were executed near the railway station by gunfire. On June 3, 1943, during the ghetto liquidation action around 2,000 Jews were slaughtered including the refugees brought meanwhile from Buchach. According to some sources, following days and up to June 11 2,000 more were killed. On June 12, 1943, almost a half of 1,000 remaining Jews moved to Chortkiv ghetto and others Jews stayed in reformed ghetto in Kopychyntsi. The ghetto was liquidated on July 20, 1943. According to Soviet extraordinary commission around 8,000 Jews were murdered in Kopychyntsi.

Jewishgen

Go to the Townpage on JewishGen Kehilalinks website

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