Additional information
by E. Leoni (Editor), Stefanie Holzman (Index by), Jonathan Wind (Prepared by)
The Korets Yizkor Book tells the 500-year history of Korets, including the early history of the town, the famous Rabbi Pinchas, and the Jewish publishing houses. It includes the survivors' memories of the way of life, the geography, and the history. Education and art were important, including the Hebrew schools (Tarbut) and library, the Heder and Yeshiva, the Yiddish School, the College of Jerusalem, as well as the Yiddish Drama Lovers Circle. The town's many rabbis, poets, scholars and doctors were portrayed as important, colorful personalities. Zionist and youth movements were also part of the vibrant pre-war society. Finally, economic life and livelihoods were detailed with all of their complexities, given the fragility of this historic border town.
The book also details the outbreak of World War II, including the Soviet invasion and retreat, the Nazi invasion, the Korets ghetto, the destruction of Korets, and the two massive killings, resulting in the murder of 90% of the town's Jewish community. The book contains chapters written by members of the Korets partisans who fought against the Nazis, including Moshe Gildenman, who took the fight to the end in Berlin. Final chapters describe the survivors' memories of the destruction and ruins of Korets, the remains of the old Jewish cemetery, and the return of the Koretser Jews who had been deported to Chelyabinsk, Siberia at the start of the war. The book concludes with a Yizkor section, containing the names of all the Jews of Korets who were murdered. A final note includes a list of Koretsers who fell fighting in Israel's war of independence.
