Thousands of Jews were among an estimated 20,000 persons murdered during the Nazi occupation of Rostov, the Moscow radio declared last night, quoting a letter sent to Premier Stalin by the citizens of Rostov. The Jews were tortured to death, burned, buried alive and electrocuted, the broadcast said. Even small children and women were not spared.
The Moscow press today carries an account of the prowess of a wounded Jewish sniper, Nahum Spilberg, who helped to clear Rostov of the Nazi rear guard. Spilberg was familiar with the streets of Rostov, having participated in the Russian offensive last year which recaptured the city the first time. Using this knowledge, he crept to various vantage points from where he succeeded in silencing many Nazi machinegun nests, enabling the Russian troops to clear out the remnants of the German forces. He has been recommended for a decoration.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
