Bobrovytsia

Bobrovitza (Yiddish), Bobrowica (Polish), Bobrowyzja (German), Бобровица – Bobrovitsa (Russian), Бобровиця (Ukrainian).

Bobrovytsia is a city (since 1958) in Chernihiv region of Ukraine. Population is 11,916 (2001). Before Revolution it was a town of Kozelec Uezd, Chernigov Gubernia.

The earliest known Jewish community was first half of 19th century. 1926 Jewish population (census) was 154.

Jewish prayer house was opened here in 1867 but I haven’t find information when it was closed and in what building was situated.  According to 1897 census there lived 671 Jews.

In Bussines Directory for 1904 mentioned next Bobrovitsya Jews: Levitanskiy Evsei Aronovich (grocery store), Mezhirov Berka Mih. (kerosene amd grocery store), Stoyanovskiy Izko Haimovich (timber), Nohotovich Haim Gershelevich (manufacture store), Roizman Izko Avraamovich (manufacture store), Drobinskiy Gersh Berkovich (grain trade), Drobinskiy Udka Berkovich (grain trade), Zhukovskiy Aizik (grain trade), Kadinskiy Nota Girshevich (grain trade), and Kramko Aaron Leizerovich (grain trade).

First pogrom happened in Bobrovitsa at October 27, 1905 when 27 Jewish shops were robbed. Total damage was estimate in 74530 rubles.

In 1912 Bobrovytsia had a Jewish savings and loan association.

In September 2, 1919 units of Denikin’s White Russian Army carried out a pogrom in Bobrovitsa, killing four Jews.

In January 2, 1920 the Romashko gang killed 38 Jews. Locals afraid to burry corps and they did it only at January 10, 1920 in 6 graves at Jewish Cemetery. I find detail description of this massacre in book by Milyakov L.B. and can sent to you if you need it.

Full list of Bobrovitsa Jews killed at January 2, 1920 by Romashko gang:

After this pogrom all Jews families escaped from Bobrovitsa to Nezhin. List of these families stores in Kiev Oblast Archiv. In 1926 Jewish population was 154 persons that show an impact of Civil War pogrom…

Former Bobrovytsia Jewish Cemeter

The Jews in Bobrovitsa were mostly artisans; others were employed in one of the village’s 28 small enterprises and one large sugar factory.

In 1939 only 122 Jews lived in Bobrovitsa, comprising 1.7 percent of the total population.

Bobrovitsa was occupied by German troops on September 15, 1941. Because the village was located on the Kiev-Moscow railway many Jewish families succeeded in leaving Bobrovitsa in time. During the German occupation of Bobrovitsa the remaining Jews, numbering at least 11, and some Jews from nearby villages were murdered by Germans, while other Jews were shot in the Nezhin prison.

A group of at least 7 Jews from Bobrovitsa was transported to the Nezhin prison and killed there in 1942 by a German murder squad. One Jew from Bobrovitsa was taken to the prison and shot there in 1943.

Bobrovitsa was liberated on September 9, 1943 by a partisan unit commanded by Bovkun. On September 18 (or September 20), 1943 the Red Army took control of the town.

Exact number of killed and survived Jews during WWII in Bobrovitsa is unknown…
In “Chernigov Region WWII memorial book” mentioned 17 killed Jews from Bobrovitsa (military and civilian).

After the war few Jewish families returned to Bobrovitsa. In 2013 no Jews lived here.

Places

The Jewish cemetery was located on the south-east outskirts of the town on Oleha Bychka Street, on the road to the village of Nova Basan’. The cemetery was demolished in the late 1980s. There is an open field at the site of the cemetery.  Location of removed stones is unknown.

According to memories of old persons before Revolution Jews lived in the center and near railway station. Jewish houses were holding in one line till the end of 2000’s when gas station was build at that place.

Most pre-revolution building in the center were wooden and destroyed in 1960’s-1970’s.