Dov Bar's Volchin - Jews and Gentiles

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Dov Bar's Volchin

Jews and Gentiles
The southern end was populated chiefly by Belarussians whose religion was Provoslav. They had a beautiful church, renovated and exists today as well.

In the center of the village lived Jews and there was the synagogue that exists until this very day. However, the Russians used it at the beginning as a communist club and 11 years ago we saw that it was a school for carpentry and locksmith's work.

The north part of the village was populated by Polish goyim with their Catholic church. Shmuel Englander told me this story: The Catholics were always quarreling with the Provoslavs, especially on Sundays when they were coming out of their churches. However, once a Jew would pass by, the two camps would attack the Jew. He also said that the Jews knew how to defend themselves.

About Melcher
It was said that Melcher was a good person. He was not a doctor. And was not a Jew. He was a farmer who also raised cattle. He was a Nazi mayor.

Webmaster's notes: beautiful church: the Provoslav church was and still is located in central Volchin; that is, beforeWWII it was in the midst of the Jewish community. Melcher: Dov was asked about Wladyslaw Melcher, appointed Wojt (approximately, mayor) of Volchin muncipality (gmina) in the 1920s, described as a Polish farmer, herbalist “doctor”, and benefactor of the area's poor. No documentary evidence can be found that he cooperated with the Nazis.

Page Last Updated: 02-Nov-2011