Selected text
During the war we were not aware of the mass execution of Jews. Only after the war the information started seeping through. We found out about the mass execution of Jews in Kiev, at Babi Yar [30], in Belarus, Ukraine, concentration camps in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. Of course, before the war was over, it was clear what was going on, but the Soviet regime was not willing to talk about the execution of the Jews, trying to conceal it from people.
Klooga [31] was the worst concentration camp in Estonia – only few people managed to survive. I know one survivor from Klooga. His name is Benjamin Anolik. When Estonia gained independence, the memorial devoted to the victims of fascism was unveiled in Klooga. Every year on 19th September people come there from all parts of the world to commemorate the innocent victims. This year the presidents of Estonia and Israel were present at the 51st anniversary of the camp. Recently, a new pavilion was opened in Yad Vashem [32], where the exposition starts with Klooga. Many people ask the following question: ‘Why Klooga?’
In 1944, attachés of alliance troops addressed Stalin with the request to visit Tallinn. The first model of an acoustic torpedo was there and they wanted to see it. Stalin gave them permission for their visit and suggested bringing along reporters as there were other things to see apart from the torpedo. In late September 1944, they were taken to Klooga. In 1944 neither Oswenzim [Auschwitz] nor Buchenwald [33] nor any other camps were liberated. There were rumors that nobody saw them.
In Klooga, they saw burning piles of people. The fires were made in the form of a square, six by six meters: a man – a log. A person lay down, he was shot in the head and another person lay down next to him. There were two fires like that. The Germans didn’t have time to make more fires like that as Soviet troops were attacking. The young journalists Graham Greene, Harrison Salisbury, Erenburg [34] and others came to Klooga. It was the first time when people saw in real life what the Germans did to people, to Jews. Those pictures were on the pages of all newspapers in the world. A newsreel was shot. For the first time the world found out about the fascists’ crimes, namely from Klooga. That is why the exposition of Yad Vashem begins with Klooga.
Klooga [31] was the worst concentration camp in Estonia – only few people managed to survive. I know one survivor from Klooga. His name is Benjamin Anolik. When Estonia gained independence, the memorial devoted to the victims of fascism was unveiled in Klooga. Every year on 19th September people come there from all parts of the world to commemorate the innocent victims. This year the presidents of Estonia and Israel were present at the 51st anniversary of the camp. Recently, a new pavilion was opened in Yad Vashem [32], where the exposition starts with Klooga. Many people ask the following question: ‘Why Klooga?’
In 1944, attachés of alliance troops addressed Stalin with the request to visit Tallinn. The first model of an acoustic torpedo was there and they wanted to see it. Stalin gave them permission for their visit and suggested bringing along reporters as there were other things to see apart from the torpedo. In late September 1944, they were taken to Klooga. In 1944 neither Oswenzim [Auschwitz] nor Buchenwald [33] nor any other camps were liberated. There were rumors that nobody saw them.
In Klooga, they saw burning piles of people. The fires were made in the form of a square, six by six meters: a man – a log. A person lay down, he was shot in the head and another person lay down next to him. There were two fires like that. The Germans didn’t have time to make more fires like that as Soviet troops were attacking. The young journalists Graham Greene, Harrison Salisbury, Erenburg [34] and others came to Klooga. It was the first time when people saw in real life what the Germans did to people, to Jews. Those pictures were on the pages of all newspapers in the world. A newsreel was shot. For the first time the world found out about the fascists’ crimes, namely from Klooga. That is why the exposition of Yad Vashem begins with Klooga.
Period
Location
Klooga
Estonia
Interview
Avi Dobrysh