“Kiselyov's List” — Belarusian partisan Nikolay Kiselyov saved the lives of over 200 Jews
08.05.2023
“Kiselyov's List” — Belarusian partisan Nikolay Kiselyov saved the lives of over 200 Jews.
In autumn 1942, Nikolay Kiselyov, a member of the Belarusian partisan squad “Avenger”, led a group of more than 200 Jews threatened by the Nazi occupation of Belarus to safety behind the Soviet lines in an unprecedented thousand-kilometer-long journey.
Kiselyov volunteered for the task. The squad commander allocated five armed troops for escort and protection.
In late August, the group set off: Kiselyov, five partisans and around 200 Jews ¬(the rest died during the German attacks). They travelled mostly at night, while during the day Kiselyov and his troops would scavenge for food.
The refugees were exhausted by starvation, cold and diseases. A three-year-old Bella Kremer was starving and continuously crying. Her parents were desperate to soothe the girl and had to agree to drown her as demanded by the other refugees. Realizing these people were going mad with hunger and fear, Kiselyov took the child away from her parents and carried her for many days, feeding her with his own ration.
Rubin the one-legged tailor would often lag behind. Kiselyov would repeatedly stop the entire group and send troops to search for Rubin, despite the discontent and complaints of other people.
Three months later, on November 25, 1942, Kiselyov's group reached the territory controlled by Soviet partisans, located close to the frontline near the city of Velikiye Luki. The people were saved.
On September 28, 2005, Nikolay Kiselyov was recognized as one of the Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem.
