On Friday 27th of June 1941 German soldiers again entered Knyszyn. They caught five Jews and shot them in a place called Piaski.
Soon in Knyszyn the ghetto was planned but Polish intelligence people intervened and the decree was cancelled. Jews still lived in their houses.
During the first week of German occupation Jews from Szczuczyn, Grajewo, Radziłów arrived to Knyszyn because in these towns was the slaughter of the Jews. In July 1941 the bandits from Knyszyn wanted to start the pogrom in the town. They painted David’s stars on Jewish houses and crosses on Polish houses. But next day it finished thanks to local intelligence people who stopped these people. The priest held back the young man who wanted to break windows in Jewish houses. This priest every Sunday proclaimed in his homilies not to persecute Jews and help them.
That time the Judenrat was created. The president of the organization was Mordachaj Zapasner, the cashier – Melech Brzeziński and members – David Suraski, Mosze Lewin.
On Sunday the 1st of November 1942 the local magistrate received orders to deliver wagons and to tell Jews to bring food for three days. On Monday the 2nd of November at 5 o’clock a.m. all wagons were on the market but nobody knew why. Later the Gestapo formed a cordon surrounding the town. Many Jews felt what could happen and escaped to the forest. About eighty Jews escaped this way. Old and ill Jews were taken from their houses by Germans and shot. All Jews were put on wagons and taken to Białystok. Eighty-five killed Jews were buried on the Jewish cemetery. German soldiers pillaged Jewish houses and took valuable things. In Białystok Jews from Knyszyn were three weeks and later they were taken to Treblinka. During that time the Judenrat saved about ten people for example the Brzeziński family.
Soon in Knyszyn the ghetto was planned but Polish intelligence people intervened and the decree was cancelled. Jews still lived in their houses.
During the first week of German occupation Jews from Szczuczyn, Grajewo, Radziłów arrived to Knyszyn because in these towns was the slaughter of the Jews. In July 1941 the bandits from Knyszyn wanted to start the pogrom in the town. They painted David’s stars on Jewish houses and crosses on Polish houses. But next day it finished thanks to local intelligence people who stopped these people. The priest held back the young man who wanted to break windows in Jewish houses. This priest every Sunday proclaimed in his homilies not to persecute Jews and help them.
That time the Judenrat was created. The president of the organization was Mordachaj Zapasner, the cashier – Melech Brzeziński and members – David Suraski, Mosze Lewin.
On Sunday the 1st of November 1942 the local magistrate received orders to deliver wagons and to tell Jews to bring food for three days. On Monday the 2nd of November at 5 o’clock a.m. all wagons were on the market but nobody knew why. Later the Gestapo formed a cordon surrounding the town. Many Jews felt what could happen and escaped to the forest. About eighty Jews escaped this way. Old and ill Jews were taken from their houses by Germans and shot. All Jews were put on wagons and taken to Białystok. Eighty-five killed Jews were buried on the Jewish cemetery. German soldiers pillaged Jewish houses and took valuable things. In Białystok Jews from Knyszyn were three weeks and later they were taken to Treblinka. During that time the Judenrat saved about ten people for example the Brzeziński family.
