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Mass Grave Database - Based On Early Testemonies

Where vicitims are from, last know location Równe [Wołyń voivodeship]
Town/county where mass grave is located Sosenki
Mass Grave Location Sosenki 5km from town
Date of Murder 1941 November
Numer of Victims 17,000
Names of Victims Mentioned
Full Testimony The first carnage took place in November 1941. Jewish policemen, who were designated on the same day as the municipality, were going from one Jewish house to another and announcing that on the following day all the Jews must turn up in so-called "Sosenki", 5km away from the town, where they would be deported from. [...] Most of them, 17 000 people, turned up in Sosenki. The German Gendarmerie and the Ukrainian militia were waiting for them 2km away from Sosenki. They were leading the Jews to Sosenki not through the road but through swamps, so that most of the Jews got stuck. The rest of them were herded to Sosenki. Pits 10m long and 1m wide had already been prepared. The Ukrainians and the Germans were throwing the Jews to the grave in groups of 20, then they were shooting at them a few times so not all of the Jews were even injured, poured phenol in and covered it with dirt. Then, they would throw in another layer of people. That way there were a few layers in one grave. Those who got stuck in the swamps were pulled out and tied to a cart's wheel by arm or leg, dragged all the way to the grave and buried there. Small children were poked with riffle butts and thrown into the graves. The action lasted all night. Next day, when they found a Jew on the streets, they shot him on the spot.
Testimony Number 301/872
page in longer testimony page 2
Date of Testimony Lodz 1945
Name of Witness Adela and Inda Liberman
Current Country Ukraine