Heroism in the Forest, The Jewish Partisans of Belarus Reviewed By Janet Walker of Bookpleasures.com
- By Janet Walker
- Published August 19, 2013
- History , Judaica
Janet Walker
Reviewer Janet Walker: Janet is the author of Colour To Die For, first of the Fee Weston Mystery Series. Janet lives in Australia and when she is not writing about P.I. Fee Weston's fight for truth, justice and a livable cash flow, she writes articles for magazines and fund raises for Australia's wildlife carers - heroes of the bush. For more about Janet and Fee visit Janet's WEBSITE
Author: Zeev
Barmatz
Publisher : Moshe Alon
ISBN:
978-965-7589-01-4
Heroism In The Forest is not a work of
great literary merit, it is though, a work of great humanity; a
testament to the suffering and bravery of Jewish men, women and
children whose villages were overrun by the German Army’s advance
into Soviet Russia in the area now known as Belarus during WWII.
It
is also a testimony to the bestiality and greed of the German forces
as they moved Jewish people from villages where they had lived for
generations to herd them into overcrowded ghettoes where starvation,
transportation to a labour camp or death by firing squad was the most
likely outcome.
As Jewish families marched to internment
in ghettoes, German soldiers and Russian neighbours stole their
possessions – heartbreaking for families to watch as
people they had lived alongside for years ransacked their homes –
incomprehensible as well. During WWII the German Army treated Russian
people very badly; using civilians to check areas for mines resulted
in horrific injuries and deaths in local communities. Why not then
join with Jews against the common enemy? The answer lies in Russia’s
centuries old anti-semitism; government sanctioned raids/pogroms on
villages and unfair laws which restricted education, employment and
living areas for Russian Jews.
Author, Zeev
Barmatz’s intention in Heroism in the Forest is to dispel the
myth that Jews did not fight back during the years 1941-45 but
allowed themselves to be dispossessed and passively marched to their
deaths. Barmatz concentrates on the Jewish ghettoes which were set up
around the densely treed Belarus forests, presenting facts and
figures along with survivor accounts of the Jewish resistance
movements which were formed to harry and halt the German Army’s
advance into Russian territory and importantly, rescue Jews from
starvation and death in the ghettoes.
The true stories
of life in the German run ghettoes and the forming of the partisan
units are both tragic and awe-inspiring. There is a great deal of
sadness in the realization that some Jewish village leaders did not
accept the expressed German intention of religious genocide and
thought that if they offered money or waited for a miracle they would
be spared. Money doesn’t last forever and miracles are hard to come
by, entire Jewish populations of some Belarus villages were cold
bloodedly slaughtered.
These
murderous events hardened the resolve of Jews to escape the ghettoes
and create partisan camps in the forest. It’s fair to say some
Russian farmer’s did provide support (not nearly enough) and with a
small amount of help, little food or weapons and enormous amounts of
courage, Jewish villagers succeeded in forming, deep within the
forests, fighting communities that became a threat to German patrols
stationed in the area. They also tracked and killed Russians and
Lithuanian soldiers who for a sack of potatoes or German patronage
betrayed or killed Jews escaping from the ghettoes to join the
resistance.
There were other partisan groups in the
forests, made up of Russian soldiers cut off from their units by the
speed of the German advance and local villagers. Jewish partisans
were wary of these groups with good reason; they often killed Jews
who had escaped the ghettoes to join the forest fighters. Once again:
incomprehensible. Incredible to believe that prejudice can run so
deep that ridding the area of Jews was as welcome in some communities
as the defeat of the German occupation forces.
Despite
the betrayal of Russian partisans and the certain knowledge that
capture by a German patrol meant torture and death, Jewish partisan
groups flourished, attacking German positions and rescuing many Jews
from imprisonment and death. The Bielski brothers, Tuvia, Zus and
Asael, formed a particularly successful forest camp and are credited
with saving many Jewish lives.
Women and children
joined the forest groups – the children acting as messengers
between the partisans and the ghettoes. Barmatz acknowledges the
importance of Jewish women in the partisan movement – the backbone
of the camps, they cooked, sewed, cared for the children and elderly,
and created a welcoming environment for the men and boys returning
from battle.
In writing Heroism in the Forest, Zeeve
Barmatz has recorded the true story of Jewish partisans who
lived, worked and fought during WWII in the forests of Belarus. In so
doing, he acknowledges and honours the courage and indomitable spirit
of those who were trapped where the light of human goodness rarely
shone. To say the actions of the partisans were awe-inspiring is not
nearly enough – read the stories and find out.
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