Valdemarpils Holocaust

Valdemarpils 1941

On June 14, 1941, prior to the German entry into Valdemarpils, the Soviet Union deported massive numbers of Latvian citizens to Siberia. In such a small town, this only affected a handful of property owners.

In July, 1941, the Germans entered the area. The Talsi commander ordered Jews to wear circles on both their front and back. From the Museum, “Jews in Latvia,” the unfit for work, elderly people, the disabled, and the young children were exterminated on the night of the 26th of July 1941. The remaining 56 people were transported to the turf-cutting field 5 km away from the town and killed there on the 7th of August 1941. A list of those killed is below.

Mednu Farmstead memorial, placed by the Council of Jewish Communities of Latvia in 2007.

• Database of June 14, 1941 deportations
• Holocaust in Valdemarpils – documentary film from Latvian Television, July 2020
• The Jews of Valdemarpils – Killed and Then Forgotten – article from Latvian Public Broadcasting, 2018.
• Jews of Latvia: A Project. Names and Fates 1941-1945. This massive project to document Latvian victims of the Holocaust is now searchable by surname.
• Pinkas Hakehillot: Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities, Latvia and Estonia, by Dov Levin, “Valdemarpils“
• Mednu Farmstead Memorial – Holocaust memorial sites in Latvia, University of Latvia Judaica Study Center
• Yad Vashem
  • Photo database, Valdemarpils
  • Shoah Names database, Valdemarpils residents before the war
  • Shoah Names database, those killed in Valdemarpils

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Jews of Valdemarpils, 1941

The following list was obtained from Eric Prokopovics. According to him, it was prepared by the Valdemarpils City Council in 1941. Those who were able to work were marked with a red X, and made to dig turf from July 10 until they were killed August 7, 1941. The others were killed in July. The list is only 120 out of a probable 150. The original list can been seen here and at the Jewish Museum in Riga.

Click to access prokopovics-list.pdf

No.	Surname	Name	Able to work?	Birthdate	Address	Notes
1	Veinbergs	Zara		1885	Cunces iela 23
2	Konrads	Lazer		4 Dec 1874	Cunces iela 23
3	Bencilis	Simon		2 Jun 1903	Cunces iela 15
4	Bencilis	Lazers	x	8 May 1896	Cunces iela 15
5	Bencilis	Minna	x	2 Feb 1899	Cunces iela 15
6	Bencilis	Ette		29 Jun 1936	Cunces iela 15
7	Bencilis	Hene		27 May 1938	Cunces iela 15
8	Bencilis	Dune		12 Feb 1931	Cunces iela 15
9	Bencilis	Roche-Molle		8 Apr 1935	Cunces iela 15
10	Levensons	Beile		6 Nov 1889	n/a
11	Bencilis	Rosa		1907	Cunces iela 15
12	Levensons	Gitte		18 Jun 1926	Cunces iela 2
13	Levensons	Elle-Rivka		23 Oct 1931	Cunces iela 2
14	Verbelovs	Bers	x	1894	Liela iela 15
15	Verbelovs	Zenya		1906	Liela iela 15
16	Verbelovs	Meijers		1937	Liela iela 15
17	Blumenau	Jenalis	x	5 Feb 1898	Anbrakas iela 3
18	Blumenau	Malke	x	25 Mar 1894	Anbrakas iela 3
19	Grillks	Freide		8 Apr 1885	Ezera iela 1
20	Hirssons	Estere		1905	Anbrakas iela 6
21	Hirssons	Lina		age 10	Anbrakas iela 6
22	Hirssons	Minna		age 11	Anbrakas iela 6
23	Hirssons	Frida		age 1 yr, 7 months	Anbrakas iela 6
24	Hirssons	Nachmans		age 9	Anbrakas iela 6
25	Hirssons	Zorachs		age 4	Anbrakas iela 6
25	Blumbergs	Haims	x	18 Apr 1905	Liela iela 1
26	Blumbergs	Zara		1908	Liela iela 1
27	Blumbergs	Belanna		1938	Liela iela 1
28	Leviuss	Haims		31 Jun 1872	Talsu iela 6
29	Leviuss	Slove	x	1905	Talsu iela 6
30	Leviuss	Leia	x	16 Dec 1908	Talsu iela 6
31	Shraders	Jenales	x	20 Oct 1871	Anbrakas iela 2
32	Shraders	Asne	x	29 Oct 1894	Anbrakas iela 2
33	Shraders	Vigder	x	29 Jun 1921	Anbrakas iela 2
34	Glikmanis	Beines	x	1 Dec 1906	Anbrakas iela 2
35	Kopenhagers	Shnur		1884	Liela 11
36	Kopenhagers	Gitte		1887	Liela 11
37	Kopenhagers	Levi	x	1920	Liela 11
38	Schneemanis	Abe	x	1911	Anbrakas iela 23
39	Rosenbergs	Israels	x	1885	Liela iela 20
40	Rosenbergs	Sheine	x	1885	Liela iela 20
41	Shraders	Zorachs	x	1890	Talsu iela 6
42	Shraders	Gutle	x	8 Jan 1887	Talsu iela 6
43	Shraders	Civje	x	27 Nov 1924	Talsu iela 6
44	Hircfelds	Joseps		1906	Liela iela 11
45	Hircfelds	Amalija		1915	Liela iela 11
46	Hircfelds	Boris		1941	Liela iela 11
47	Levenbergs	Jette		1882	Liela iela 11
48	Veinbergs	Bencions	x	8 Aug 1902	Talsu iela 6
49	Veinbergs	Hane	x	22 Nov 1902	Talsu iela 6
50	Leviuss	Volfs	x	22 Nov 1914	Liela iela 20
51	Leviuss	Gite		17 Dec 1884	Liela iela 20
52	Cindelis	Elica		1857	Liela iela 20
53	Cindelis	Rebeka		19 Nov 1883	Liela iela 24
54	Verbelovs	Arons	x	4 Nov 1898	Liela iela 18
55	Verbelovs	Feige		9 Jun 1892	Liela iela 18
56	Verbelovs	Estere		23 Dec 1932	Liela iela 18
57	Verbelovs	Haims	x	25 Sept 1892	Liela iela 13
58	Verbelovs	Leia		19 Oct 1867	Liela iela 13
59	Veinbergs	Minna	x	1910	Liela iela 4	crossed out
60	Michelsons	Bodona	x	1902	Jauna iela 1
61	Tals	Heimans	x	1875	Liela iela 4
62	Einsteins	Hirss			Liela iela 4
63	Bencilis	Sore	x	1895	Liela iela 4
64	Cinbelis	Isers	x	3 Jan 1918	Liela iela 4
65	Cinbelis	Israels	x	1 Sep 1911	Liela iela 4
66	Cinbelis	Devora	x	6 Apr 1908	Liela iela 4
67	Cinbelis	Sore		1882	Liela iela 4
68	Cinbelis	Abe-Wulfs		30 Jul 1880	Liela iela 4
69	Leviuss	Zara		27 Nov 1867	Liela iela 14
70	Veinbergs	Dvina		22 Apr 1905	Liela iela 14
71	Veinbergs	Mirjana		30 Aug 1939	Liela iela 14
72	Buchbinders	Vigders	x	7 Jul 1923	Anbrakas iela 14
73	Buchbinders	Sore	x	25 Aug 1924	Anbrakas iela 14
74	Buchbinders	Kozriels	x	7 Jul 1923	Anbrakas iela 14
75	Edelsteins	Joels	x	1891	Liela iela 9
76	Edelsteins	Gitte		28 Feb 1897	Liela iela 9
77	Edelsteins	Mendels	x	1926	Liela iela 9
78	Edelsteins	Shmulis		1930	Liela iela 9
79	Edelsteins	Henija		1933	Liela iela 9
80	Himmelhoch	Frida	x	5 Aug 1901	Liela iela 9
81	Kravis	Minna		4 Jan 1898	Liela iela 9	crossed out
82	Blums	Estere		2 Jul 1867	Cunces
83	Girsovics	Feigs	x	25 Mar 1897	Ezera iela 1
84	Girsovics	Basja	x	24 Aug 1906	Ezera iela 1	crossed out
85	Girsovics	Lea	x	27 Oct 1921	Ezera iela 1
86	Girsovics	Jakobs	x	19 Mar 1925	Ezera iela 1
87	Girsovics	Mirjama	x	23 Mar 1927	Ezera iela 1
88	Girsovics	Davids	x	27 May 1928	Ezera iela 1
89	Girsovics	Israels		27 Oct 1933	Ezera iela 1
90	Nochmoskis	Libe	x	5 Jun 1923	Ezera iela 1	crossed out
91	Nochmoskis	Taube	x	25 Nov 1940	Ezera iela 1	crossed out
92	Levins	Lea		1863	Ezera iela 1
93	Levins	Gitte	x	1906	Ezera iela 1	crossed out
94	Jakobsons	Joche		1885	Ezera iela 1
95	Kans	Arons	x	1896	Liela iela 4
96	Kans	Basja	x	27 Sep 1924	Liela iela 4
97	Kans	Minna	x	1890	Liela iela 4
98	Kans	Rafaels	x	1926	Liela iela 4
99	Kans	Estere	x	1928	Liela iela 4
100	Edelsteins	Ernste		1855	Liela iela 4
101	Tals	Zara	x	1898	Liela iela 9
102	Tals	Misha	x	13 Jan 1927	Liela iela 9
103	Veinbergs	Bers	x	10 Nov 1884	Jauna iela 1
104	Jakobsons	Jankels	x	28 Feb 1883	Liela iela 5
105	Jakobsons	Kalmans	x	25 Jul 1913	Liela iela 5
106	Jakobsons	Sheine	x	23 Dec 1882	Liela iela 5
107	Shumacher	Efroim	x	20 Dec 1917?	Talsu iela 6
108	Cviks	Zara		1858	Liela 20
109	Levensons	Abrams	x	1886	Anbrakas iela 17
110	Levensons	Anna		1895	Anbrakas iela 17
111	Levensons	Elke		20 Jan 1934	Anbrakas iela 17
112	Levensons	Haims		8 Nov 1935	Anbrakas iela 17

Site of mass murder outside of Valdemarpils. Photo by Betsy Thal Gephart, 2003.