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Background of the 4 Bielski Brothers - Resistors

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Background of the 4 Bielski Brothers - Resistors

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The 4 brothers including Tuvia, Asael, Zusya and Aharon Bielski lived in Eastern Poland which is known today as Western Belarus. It was annexed by the Soviet Union in 1939. Their village named Stankiewicze housed the Bielski family for over 3 generations. They farmed and owned mills while being the only Jewish family within 6 families. David and Beila, the parents of the brothers, had 12 children, 10 of them were boys and 2 were girls. Jews were forced to flee to Ghettos after German troops invaded the Soviet Union in June, 1941.

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The Jews were followed by Einsatzgruppen, killing squads, who murdered the jews in mass graves. A massacre of around 5,000 Jews on December 8, 1941 took the lives of the Bielski's parents and other relatives. The brothers would go to the Belarusian forest, setting up a Partisan unit. Tuvia Bielski held the role of commander.

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As the Bielski group grew in size their challenges and dilemmas grew in size as well. The biggest challenge was supplying enough food for the group. Young armed men were sent out to collect food from peasants but it was hard to know who was trustworthy and willing to provide food. Belarusian farmers struggled supplying the Germans and Soviet partisans confiscated food for themselves. Sometimes peasants refused to give food to jews and some even alerted German authorities of the Jewish partisans in the forests.

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The German attack on the Bielski Group "Hermannn"

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The German attack on the Bielski Group "Hermannn"

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The most fearsome enemies were the Germans and local police. A German attack caught them by surprise in July 1943 with 52,000 soldiers to hunt and liquidate all partisans in the forest. The operation was called “Hermann”. German troops surrounded the forest and the Luftwaffe planes circled around. The group would abandon everything and move to Naliboka Puscha which had swamplands and was difficult to navigate to instead of staying close to the villages. In a desperate rescue attempt, the Bielski brothers led the approximately 800 members through miles of swamps to an isolated island, called Krasnaya Gorka, in the center of the forest. Even though the group suffered from hunger and exhaustion for two weeks, they survived making one of the greatest escapes of WW2. Shortly after this escape, the Germans left the Belarusian woods and the Bielski group constructed a Jewish village for the Jews to live in freedom in Nazi-occupied Europe.

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The story of the Bielski brothers and the operation as a whole brings to light how ideology and a strong community can survive in solidarity in the face of oppression and hate.

There was no Jew left behind. The people had various political views, educational levels, and health levels. Thousands of Jews received shelter, food, community, and were saved by what may have started as an out of the blue endeavor but evolved into a combined and structured operation making it one of the most successful Jewish rescues of the time. They were also in active resistance fighting back against the Nazis in partisan operations. Many dilemmas were faced along the way like the invasion of the German soldiers and disagreements over the way the camp was being handled however with Tuvia Bielski’s strong leadership and guiding motivation of saving Jews rather than killing Germans, the camp prevailed. The camp’s communal lifestyle and strict rules retained the humanity, morality, and Jewish way of life of the large and diverse group. The camp and its members are still remembered as a symbol and inspiration to many other Jewish communities at the time to fight back and showcase how important it is to resist oppression with bravery and remain united despite differences.

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Working With Russian Partisan Groups & Maintaining Strict Values

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Working With Russian Partisan Groups & Maintaining Strict Values

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Many Russian partisan groups formed in the area because of the fast retreating Red Army and the German’s fast and unexpected attacks as well as advance in 1941. They worked together with the Bielski brothers despite some suspicion. They joined forces with the partisan unit of Viktok Panchenkov who served in the Red Army and whose unit was overrun when the Nazis invaded in June 1941. The Bielski group became an official participant in the Soviet war effort. There were many failed attempts by Soviet commanders to absorb Bielski fighters into their units. This let the Jewish partisan group keep its integrity and remain under Tuvia Bielski’s command, continuing their primary mission to protect Jewish lives. They started their first operations against Nazis and local collaborators by March, 1942.

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What Did The Bielski Forest Partisan Unit Do?

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What Did The Bielski Forest Partisan Unit Do?

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Their main goal was to save Jews. This mattered more than killing any Germans and would be the driving force of the group. Attacks & sabotages against the Germans were still carried out nonetheless as they were still a partisan unit. They had fighters sent out to ghettos to convince people to join them in the forests. Some came but others were too fearful of the German's power and their revenge. Gentile neighbors provided invaluable help like food, info, and passing messages. They kept a strict military style throughout the camp enforced by Tuvia Bielski. However the sense of community was what kept everyone fighting with multiple facilities like schools and crimes no matter the size were punished.

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The Inspiring Quote From A Camp Member Speaking On The Motivations And Desperation Of The Jew Resistance.

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The Inspiring Quote From A Camp Member Speaking On The Motivations And Desperation Of The Jew Resistance.

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“If someone tells you that when he went to the partisans he was motivated by a desire to take revenge, that is incorrect. All of us left the ghetto in the hope of staying alive. We hoped just for a chance. And if not to survive, at least one wanted to die differently from the way most Jews were dying. Not to be shot in a mass grave and not to go to a concentration camp. I think that these motivations were similar for all who ran away from the ghetto. They did not leave to fight, they left to live.”- Zorach Arluk.

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Documentary On The Legacy Of The Bielski Brothers

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Documentary On The Legacy Of The Bielski Brothers

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A Holocaust Story - The Legacy of the Bielski Brothers Education Video by Brendon Rennert

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Family Camp - Yehudia Bielski seated on the right, second row.

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Family Camp - Yehudia Bielski seated on the right, second row.

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Area of Operation for the Bielski Family Camp

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Area of Operation for the Bielski Family Camp