Video History Archives
Of Jewish Soviet Soldiers
during WW2
“I used to hear them calling us names and fear one of them would shoot me from behind as was known to happen to other Jews”
Private in anti tank artillery – Siege Of Leningrad
Semyon was in his first year of auto mechanic training when the Nazis invaded in 1941.
He was drafted and sent near Leningrad on the western front:
“Leningrad was surrounded, there was a siege. Our task was to breach the siege. We didn’t have a chance to breach the siege until 2 years later. Our troops were attacking to breach the siege for 2 years. Finally after the Germans were defeated near Moscow and Kursk, they became so weak that they had to retreat”.
Semyon worked in artillery: “I was a private soldier, a plugman; I loaded shells into a plug. The division was equipped with small guns utilizing 3 kinds of shells; armour piercing shells, fire shells putting tanks on fire and shrapnel shells targeting infantry” Unable to break the Siege of Leningrad, Semion and the other soldiers would often sneak supplies into the city. He survived the winter but was wounded on March 10th 1942. After convalescing for 6 months, Semion was made a military driver and spent the remainder of the war transporting soldiers to and from the front lines.
Semyon worked as a mechanic in The Soviet Union before immigrating to Canada in 1975.
Born 1922 In Smolensk, Soviet Union.
Interviewed In: Montreal, Quebec
Medals Awarded: Medal For Defense of Moscow, Medal For Capture of Konigsberg, Order of the Red Star, Order of the Patriotic War (1st and 2nd Class) and Victory over Germany In The Great Patriotic War
Born 1927 Noravlla, Belarus.
Interviewed In: Toronto, Ontario
Medals Awarded: Order of the Patriotic War (1st and 2nd Class), Medal for Courage, Medal For Capture of Konigsberg and Victory over Germany In The Great Patriotic War
Born: March 6th 1920 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Passed Away: November 2, 2012 Toronto, Ontario.
Interviewed In: Toronto, Ontario
Medals Awarded: Order of the Patriotic War (1st and 2nd Class), Medal For Capture of Berlin and Victory over Germany In The Great Patriotic War