Progress report USSR 106 07-10-1941

The following document contains reports about actions against Jews, first the notorious execution of of 33.771 Jews in Babi Jar, next the clearing of the ghetto in Shitomir by Sonderkommando 4a commanded by Paul Blobel of Einsatzgruppe C.

Excerpt from Ereignismeldung (Progress report) UdSSR Nr. 106

II. Executions and other measures

The economic progress of the Jews under Bolshevist rule and their services as informers and agents for the NKVD as well as the explosions and the ensuing massive fires, caused exceptional agitation against the Jews among the inhabitants. In addition, it has been proved that the Jews have been involved in the arson. The inhabitants therefore expected suitable measures of reprisal from the German authorities. For this reason and in accordance with the city council, numerous Jews were called up to assemble on September 2nd, until 8:00 o’clock in a certain location. These calls for assembly were posted across the entire town by members of the Ukranian militia billeted there. At the same time, it was announced orally that many Kiev Jews were to be resettled.

In co-operation with the Gruppenstab and two units of the police regiment South, Sonderkommando 4a has executed 33.771 Jews on September 29th and 30th . Money, valuables and clothing were confiscated and part of it was donated to the NSV to be distributed among the Volksdeutsche and some to the city council for distribution among poor people. The action itself was carried out without problems. Irregularities did not occur. The Umsiedlungsmassnahme (resettlement measure) taken against the Jews has met with the approval of the population. That the Jews were in fact liquidated has hardly become known until today and based on recent experience, this would not have met any resistance anyway. The Wehrmacht also approved these measures. Jews who had not been captured or had fled back to town will be treated accordingly.

At the same time, a number of NKVD officials, political Kommissars and partisanleaders could be caught and executed.

Due to the arrests in Kiev on behalf of the Kommandos, the Bandera men have lost some striking power and it was established they are kept busy with handing out pamphlets and hanging up posters.

Arrests have been made, more will follow.

On behalf of the Gruppenstab, Sonderkommando 4a and Ersatzkommando 5, which had also arrived in Kiev, contact was made with the proper authorities immediately. Continuous co-operation was achieved with these offices and actual problems were discussed in daily meetings. When supplying materials, the activities of the Einsatzkommandos must be reported in detail every time.

III. Actions against Jews.

After the Jews of Shitomir had been herded into an enclosed area, as suggested by Sonderkommando 4a and the military commander, it was noticed that at the same time a situation of perceptible rest arose, for instance on market places and so on. Also at the same time, strong rumours decreased sharply and it looked as if with the herding together of the Jews, Communist propaganda had sharply diminished also. After a few days however, it turned out that herding the Jews together without establishing a ghetto was not enough and the old problems arose once more. Complaints about the insolent behaviour of the Jews reached headquarters from various agencies. It could be established that large scale propaganda amongst the Ukranians, to the effect that the Red Army would soon recapture the areas that had been taken from them, originated in the Jewish quarter. The local militia was fired at from hidden places by night as well as by day.
Furthermore, it was established that Jews exchanged their possessions for money and were leaving town to relocate to the western Ukraine, that is to areas where a civil administration already exists. All these events could be ascertained but the Jews involved were hardly ever caught as they had ample opportunity to evade arrest. A meeting with the military commander on this subject took place on September 10th, 1941 where the decision was taken to exterminate the Shitomir Jews once and for all as all recent warnings and special measures had shown no perceptible relief.
On September 19th,1941, the Jewish quarter was cleared beginning at 4 in the morning after it had been surrounded and sealed off the night before by 60 men of the Ukranian militia. Evacuation took place using 12 trucks of which some had been made available by the military commander and some by the city council of Shitomir. After the evacuation was completed and the necessary preparations had been made with the help of 150 prisoners, a total of 3.145 Jews were registered and exectuted……

See also: Statement Blobel 1 and Statement Blobel 2