Rezekne after World War Two
Some of the Jews who had escaped to Russia returned to Rezekne, and were joined by Jews from other communities [116]. Young people from this community were active in the aiding of Jews who wished to escape to the land of Israel. Among them were the Shomer HaZair members Eilka Goldberg and Vlasik Shlumovich [117]. In 1950, the Jewish population was a few hundred. A Jew by the name of Chiat was head of the Construction Ministry. And a Jew by the name of Israelite was head of the Planing Ministry. The government allowed [118] minimal religious services for these Jews. The Jewish cemetery, which was slightly damaged during the war was rerenovated. In the 1960's, a fence was built around it. The synagogue “ The Greener Study Hall” was re-opened, and there was a ritual slaughterer. After his death, the Jews asked for this ritual services from the Rabbi of Lodza [119]. His service continued until 1956 [120].
A monument was constructed in the center of Jewish cemetery in memory of those who died in the Holocaust, with the inscription in Hebrew.
In 1960 there was one synagogue in the city, but mazzah baking was prohibited. In 1970 the Jewish
population of the city was 250. Most of them left Rezekne afterwards for Riga and the services for the Jews weren't continued [121]. In the 1970's there were only a few Jewish families in the city.
In 1965, the members of the Latvian auxiliary police, who took an active part in the murder of Jews of the
Rezekne area, during World War Two, were put to trial in Riga. One of them got sentenced to 15 years, and the others received the death penalty. The chief of police, Bulislav Mikovskis,escaped previously to Russia and therefore wasn't present at the trial [122].
According to German sources, 3,219 Jews were murdered in Rezekne and the surrounding area; and in the general area 5,128 Jews were murdered. Of the 95,000 Latvian Jews, only 15,000 managed to escape into Russia. Only 10% of Latvian Jewry remained as survivors of Concentration Camps. This is the lowest percentage of Holocaust survivors [123].
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