Soviet Civilians And Prisoners Of War

Mindless Murders​

A Daring Attempt

Led by Germany, the Axis invaded the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarossa. Millions of prisoners of war were captured and executed in open fields by German armies. Those who survived died later in inhumane conditions, whether in war camps or death marches.
 
Some of the prisoners were sent to concentration camps, where they were either killed or forced to work.
 
Starvation and execution killed around 3.3 million Soviet prisoners of war, as well as over 4.5 million civilians. The number of victims is much higher, as Jews and other minorities were also targeted in separate killings.
 
Only in Leningrad, more than 1.2 civilians were killed. In places like Ukraine or Belarus, entire communities were simply wiped with executions.
 
According to some sources, over 13.7 million people died in the former Soviet Union throughout the invasion. Civilians died in unoccupied territories too, mainly because of starvation. That was about 20% of the entire population of the country.

Holocaust Museum of Corfu
Holocaust Museum of Corfu
Items

Learn More About Soviet Civilians And Prisoners Of War

Birth Certificate​

Holocaust Museum of Corfu

Alexander’s birth certificate is one of the only things left behind before going to war. The only thing his family knew was that he was taken to the Dachau concentration camp as a Soviet prisoner of war. Since he couldn’t be found after the war, it’s believed he perished there. His family kept his birth certificate since then.

· Donated by the Plotnick family

Cigarette Papers​

Holocaust Museum of Corfu

These cigarette papers were found along with other Soviet items buried close to the Neuengamme camp, so it’s believed they belonged to one of the Soviet prisoners of war brought there. Out of all the inmates going through this camp, around 43,000 of them were killed. The cigarette papers were found by a local. She kept them as war relics.

· Donated by Richeza Johanns

School Certificate​

Holocaust Museum of Corfu

Augusts and his family were confined into the Riga Ghetto, along with thousands of other Latvian Jews. His family was massacred at the end of 1941. His fate is unknown. This school certificate is the only thing left as a statement to his existence. Local Latvians searched for valuables after the ghetto was vacated. This certificate was kept because it belonged to a local.

· Donated anonymously

Many More Items​

Holocaust Museum of Corfu

Our collection has countless other items to display. We are currently in the process of saving donations to open a physical museum, so we can display the entire collection. Any donation through the button below will be greatly appreciated and can help us preserve the memory of the Holocaust alive. Thank you.

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Rebecca Aaron was the last Holocaust survivor in Corfu. May her memory be a blessing.
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