Assia Levinski was thirteen years old at the outbreak of WWII. She lived with her parents and younger brother Monia in a small village called Kazlu-Ruda, Lithuania. Her grandparents lived nearby on a farm and her father dealt in lumber. They were a close-knit family, but by the time of Assia's death they would be scattered throughout the country.
The nearest city was Marijampole, where both of Assia's parents had attended secondary school. Marijampole had a Jewish population of 2,545. Many of this community worked in agriculture or small industry. Additionally, steps had been made in establishing Jewish educational foundations in the city.
The Germans invasion of Lithuania began in the summer of 1941 and did not end until four years later. The invasion was by many seen as in fact a liberation of the oppressive Soviet regime. Soon however, the Germans did not acknowledge the Provisional Government set up by the Lithuanians and attitudes towards the Germans changed dramatically.
At this time, thirteen-year-old Assia and her family were forced to move to a ghetto with over 7,000 fellow Jews crammed into unsanitary flats. The ghettos severely lacked food, medicine and sanitation. Jews were forced to work for the German government. Overcrowding was a given and waste was disposed of in the streets. Any who resisted were shot.
The Lithuanian Ghettoes were liquidated in June 1943. However, Assia did not make it that far.
In September 1941, Jews were led away from the Ghettoes in groups of 500. This was part of the mass execution phase of the Lithuanian Holocaust, lasting from June-December 1941. The Einsatzgruppen marched the groups a few miles outside the city and lined up the Jews in ditches, facing away from their executioners. The killing squads walked up and down the line shooting each Jew in the head, one by one. Any who resisted were shot.
Mass execution ravaged through Lithuania in the latter half of 1941, unlike many other occupied countries where the elimination campaign was more gradual. It is estimated that 80% of Lithuania's Jews had been murdered by 1942.
The nearest city was Marijampole, where both of Assia's parents had attended secondary school. Marijampole had a Jewish population of 2,545. Many of this community worked in agriculture or small industry. Additionally, steps had been made in establishing Jewish educational foundations in the city.
The Germans invasion of Lithuania began in the summer of 1941 and did not end until four years later. The invasion was by many seen as in fact a liberation of the oppressive Soviet regime. Soon however, the Germans did not acknowledge the Provisional Government set up by the Lithuanians and attitudes towards the Germans changed dramatically.
At this time, thirteen-year-old Assia and her family were forced to move to a ghetto with over 7,000 fellow Jews crammed into unsanitary flats. The ghettos severely lacked food, medicine and sanitation. Jews were forced to work for the German government. Overcrowding was a given and waste was disposed of in the streets. Any who resisted were shot.
The Lithuanian Ghettoes were liquidated in June 1943. However, Assia did not make it that far.
In September 1941, Jews were led away from the Ghettoes in groups of 500. This was part of the mass execution phase of the Lithuanian Holocaust, lasting from June-December 1941. The Einsatzgruppen marched the groups a few miles outside the city and lined up the Jews in ditches, facing away from their executioners. The killing squads walked up and down the line shooting each Jew in the head, one by one. Any who resisted were shot.
Mass execution ravaged through Lithuania in the latter half of 1941, unlike many other occupied countries where the elimination campaign was more gradual. It is estimated that 80% of Lithuania's Jews had been murdered by 1942.
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