Boris Maftsir (left) on location - Image credit: Ron Katznelson
Wherever there is an opportunity to bring the hidden history of the Holocaust in the Soviet Union into focus – we grab it with both hands which is why partnerships and collaborations with like-minded organisations and individuals are so very precious and important.
On March 23rd, The Together Plan was honoured to partner with the Ghetto Fighters’ House Museum (Lohamei HaGeta’ot) in Israel for the final session of their three-part online series exploring the history of the Jews in the Soviet Union. This programme complemented the museum’s newly launched exhibition, Among the Trees – The Holocaust in the Soviet Union, which commemorates the experiences of Jews in the former Soviet Union from the interwar years through the Nazi occupation and beyond.
The final session, The First Million: The Hidden Holocaust in the Soviet Union, was introduced by Tamara Vershitskaya, The Together Plan’s heritage specialist. Tamara, who has worked closely with guest speaker Boris Maftsir, drew from her own experiences of filming with him in Belarus to collect personal testimonies. She provided valuable insight into how the Holocaust in the Soviet Union was systematically erased from public memory.
In her introduction, Tamara highlighted a significant development in Belarusian Holocaust research. In January 2022, Belarus adopted a law recognising the genocide of the Belarusian people and launched a nationwide project to collect testimonies. For the first time, Holocaust research has moved from the margins to official policy, with Jewish victims acknowledged as an integral part of the Belarusian experience. This marks a meaningful step forward in Holocaust recognition and remembrance.
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- Boris Maftsir – with permission
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- Boris Maftsir (left) on location – Image credit: Ron Katznelson
Boris Maftsir, a world-renowned filmmaker, presented his documentary film project, The First Million: The Hidden Holocaust in the Soviet Union. His talk explored the ways in which the Holocaust in this region was concealed from public memory, and he shared new findings on mass murders in Lithuania. The audience also had the opportunity to view video clips from his documentary series, Searching for the Unknown Holocaust, which aims to educate and raise awareness about these overlooked atrocities. Click here to watch ‘The First Million’.
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- Luftwaffe SPS auxiliaries pass under the Western Bridge. The Government House is visible on the right.
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- Belarusian Auxiliary Police Battalion Siegling, formed by Nazi Germany from members of collaborationist Bataillons from White Ruthenia and Ukraine Wikimedia Commons
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- Nazi-Soviet Parade Brest-Litovsk 22nd September 1941 Photo attribution – Contando Estrelas, CC BY-SA 2.0 Wikimedia Commons
The Together Plan is committed to telling the story of the Jews of Belarus across the centuries. Our Holocaust education program, Making History Together, helps teenagers begin their journey of understanding the Holocaust by exploring its impact in Soviet Belarus. By uncovering this history, we gain a deeper understanding of how the Final Solution evolved.
The Ghetto Fighters’ House plays a crucial role in bringing this hidden history to light, and we are proud to collaborate with them in this essential work of education and remembrance.
The first in the series – Jews in the Soviet Union – a Complex Narrative – ‘Being Jewish in the Soviet Union’ – can be watched here
The second in the series – Jews in the Soviet Union – a Complex Narrative – ‘The Intersection of Heroism and Tragedy During the Holocaust in the Soviet Union’ can be watched here