Biro-bidjan Sending Men and Vitally-needed Materials to Russian Battle Fronts

The Jewish autonomous region of Biro-Bidjan in Soviet Asia, although thousands of miles removed from the fighting front is contributing materially to the war effort, both in manpower and vitally-needed war material and food, according to reports reaching the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee here today.

Typical of the Jewish fighters whom Biro-Bidjan has contributed to the Russian forces are Misha I. and Zakhar B., who have been living in Biro-Bidjan since 1929. They joined the Red Army as soon as war broke out and later became attached to guerrilla bands. Zakhar is now the commander of one partisan detachment. In a letter to his parents, a copy of which was released by the Committee, the young commander writes; “The partisans have recaptured many towns behind the German lines and the regular Soviet government has been restored there. We have derailed many trains and destroyed hundreds of Fascists and we shall not rest until we are victorious.” In an interesting postscript to his letter he adds, “I am writing this letter hurriedly, in order to catch the plane which will soon be here to take out mail, “indicating that there is regular communication between the guerrilla bands behind the Nazi lines and regular Red Army detachments at the front.

On the home front the Jewish province has made great strides agriculturally and industrially since the advent of war, according to the reports from there. War plants constantly exceed their quotas, sometimes by as much as fifty percent and more; local cooperatives have shipped hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition to the front, far exceeding their production schedule; metal and textile factories are working on war orders. The Jewish collective farmers have delivered great quantities of grain, potatoes and dairy products to the armed forces, Machine tractor stations have filled and over-fulfilled their quotas.