Seligman Swartzman Gillis Sandman Joffe Yachad Lederman Fleishman

THE FIRST MASS EXECUTION OF THE JEWS OF TAURAGĖ The first mass execution of the Jews of Tauragė was carried out on July 2, 1941, by soldiers of the German Gestapo and SD. A few days after the city Tauragė was overrun by the German military commander of GPP Laugszargen Kriminalsekretär Schwarz was ordered by commander of Gestapo Tilsit, SS-Sturmbannführer Hans Joachim Böhme to round up all Jews and Communists and to prepare them for execution. The order was carried out by Gestapo from GPP Laugszargen and by Lithuanian police. The date of the execution was set to July 2 by Böhme. That day Böhme and commander of SD Tilsit SS-Sturmführer Werner Hersmann arrived with soldiers of Gestapo Tilsit and SD Tilsit. Together with the Gestapo GPP Laugszargen the number of German soldiers was about 20–30 men. The execution was carried out at a trench next to a destroyed farm building, outside of Tauragė in the village Visbutai. The victims had to wait at the destroyed building where all their valuables were taken from them. Meanwhile, a number of Jews were forced to deepen the trench which was to become their g rave. The victims were led to the pit in small groups where they had to kneel down at the edge. Then they were shot in the neck with a pistol and simultaneously pushed in the back so they would fall into the pit. The shooters were Gestapo and SD men. That day 133 men were shot in total. Nearly all of them were Jews, although there were a few Communists as well. Among the victims were Jewish doctor Dr. Joffe and Jewish dentist Dr. Möst. The number of victims was reported by Böhme and Hersmann to RSHA and chief of the EGr A SS-Brigardeführer Franz Walter Stahlecker. Address: Tauragė district, Mažonai administrative district, Visbutai village Victim number: 133 Victims MöstasJoffe Perpetrators Gestapo Tilsit, led by H. J. Böhme; SD Tilsit, led by W. Hersmann; GPP Laugszargen, led by Schwarz; Lithuanian policemen HOW TO FIND? Going down the main Šilalės street in Tauragė (road no. 164), turn onto Aerodromo street. Go to the end towards Visbutai. After crossing the creek, you’ll see a road on the right and a commemorative marker standing by its side. Go another 200 meters until you see the monument on the right. Latitude: 55.263200 Longitude: 22.267817 MONUMENT Inscription “At this place in 1941 Hitler’s murderers and their local helpers murdered 900 men: Jews and a few Lithuanians” (in Yiddish and Lithuanian) BIBLIOGRAPHY KZ-Verbrechen vor deutschen Gerichten, bd. II: Einsatzkommando Tilsit. Der Prozeß zu Ulm, ed. Van Dam H. G., Giordiano R., Frankfurt a. M., 1996; Justiz und NS-Verbrechen cd 15, case no. 465, ed. Sagel-Grande Irene, Bauer Fritz, Amsterdam, 1976; The Einsatzgruppen Reports, ed. Arad Y., Krakowski Sh., Spector Sh., New York, 1989, p. 16. http://www.holocaustatlas.lt/EN/#a_atlas/search//page/1/item/168/

MASS MURDER OF THE JEWISH WOMEN AND CHILDREN OF TAURAGĖ NEAR GRYBLAUKIS VILLAGE Under ageneral order by commander of Gestapo Tilsit SS-Sturmbannführer Hans Joachim Böhme, the Jewish women and children of Tauragė were rounded up by Lithuanian auxiliary policemen and Gestapo from GPP Laugszargen. They were brought to 3 sheds in the area of the Batakai railway station where they were imprisoned and guarded by Lithuanian auxiliary police. Commander of GPP Laugszargen Kriminalsekretär Schwarz suggested to Böhme to blow these sheds up, but Böhme feared the destruction of the nearby railway station. Schwarz then was assigned to organize the shooting of the Jewish women and children. The exact date of the shooting is unknown: it was either at the end of August or the beginning of September. The shooting was carried out in a forest about 2–3 kilometres outside of Batakiai in a swampy area close to the village of Gryblaukis. The victims were forced to dig a 100 meter long ditch which was to become their grave. Then they were forced to hand over their valuables and completely undress. Extremely exhausted, thirsty and tired, the victims were forced to line up at the edge of the pit and were shot either by shots to the neck or with machine guns. Some of the victims were still alive before they were buried. Before shooting vodka was given to the Lithuanians. The shooting photographed by Gestapo soldiers. At least 500 Jewish women and children were murdered on that day, although most sources say that the number of victims was between 1,500 and 1,800. Schwarz reported the event to Böhme who forwarded them to the RSHA and chief of the Einsatzgruppe A SS-Brigardeführer Franz Walter Stahlecker. Address: Tauragė district, Batakiai administrative district, Puželiai village, Gryblaukis forest Victim number: 500-1800 Perpetrators GPP Laugszargen, led by Schwarz; Lithuanian auxiliary policemen; HOW TO FIND? Going from Tauragė towards Kryžkalnis on the A12 highway, turn off at the second sign to Batakiai. Go several kilometers until you see a left turn and a commemorative marker. Go about 1 km in the direction of the forest. Then you’ll see the second commemorative marker. Turn right. The monument is 100 meters further on. Latitude: 55.373233 Longitude: 22.532217 MONUMENT Status of the site: Protected by state, Unique site code 20688 Inscription “At this place in 1941, Hitler’s murderers and their helpers killed 1800 Jewish women and children” (in Yiddish and Lithuanian) BIBLIOGRAPHY KZ-Verbrechen vor deutschen Gerichten, bd. II: Einsatzkommando Tilsit. Der Prozeß zu Ulm, ed. Van Dam H. G., Giordiano R., Frankfurt a. M., 1996; Justiz und NS-Verbrechen, bd. 15, case no. 465, ed. Sagel-Grande Irene, Bauer Fritz, Amsterdam, 1976; http://www.holocaustatlas.lt/EN/#a_atlas/search//page/1/item/169/

THE THIRD MASS EXECUTION OF THE JEWS OF TAURAGĖMinimize|To list|Print ABOUT MASSACRE After the first two shootings in Tauragė, the Jewish women and children of Tauragė were arrested by Gestapo men of the GPP Laugszargen (Lauksargiai) and Lithuanian policemen, under the command of Kriminalsekretär Schwarz. The victims were detained in construction sheds on Vytautas str. and guarded by Lithuanian policemen. On an unknown day in September the Jews were brought on trucks to a wood close to the old cemetery of Taurage and the Sunja (Šunjė) river. The victims had to hand in all their valuables and undress. They were treated very cruelly by the Lithuanian and German guards. At least 130 people (although some sources say far more than 1000 people) were shot on that day. The shooters were Lithuanian auxiliary policemen and Gestapo men of the GPP Laugszargen. The Gestapo handed out Vodka to the Lithuanian auxiliary policemen, so it can be assumed that they very drunk during the shooting. Schwarz again took photos of the atrocities. Schwarz reported the number of people shot to the Gestapo Tilsit, from where it was reported to the RSHA and the commander of EGr. A SS-Brigardeführer Franz Walter Stahlecker. Address: Tauragė district, Mažonai administrative district, Antšunija village Victim number: 130 Perpetrators GPP Laugszargen, led by Schwarz; Lithuanian auxilary police HOW TO FIND? Going from Tauragė towards Šilutė, on road no. 164, approximately 5 km outside the city on the left side of the road you'll see a commemorative marker and the memorial for the second mass execution. Walk arround the memorial and in 100 m you'll see the memorial for the third mass execution. Latitude: 55.299740 Longitude: 22.299972 BIBLIOGRAPHY KZ-Verbrechen vor deutschen Gerichten, bd. II: Einsatzkommando Tilsit. Der Prozeß zu Ulm, ed. Van Dam H. G., Giordiano R., Frankfurt a. M., 1996 Justiz und NS-Verbrechen, bd. 15, case no. 465, ed. Irene Sagel-Grande, Fritz Bauer, Amsterdam, 1976 http://www.holocaustatlas.lt/EN/#a_atlas/search//page/1/item/248/