Historical Context
Events Chronicle
27 March 1944
Cruel Children’s Action abduction in forced labour camps of Kailis factory and Wehrmacht engineering unit workshops (HKP 562).
After the liquidation of the Vilnius Ghetto, about 3,000 Jews were left to work in “Kailis” factory, Wehrmacht engineering unit workshop, military hospital, and Gestapo workshops. 27 March 1944, a cruel action of children abduction was carried out in the camps of “Kailis” factory and Wehrmacht engineering unit workshops. The action was supervised by Gestapo officers M. Weiss, W. Schröder and SS-Oberscharführer Richter.
From the diary of the “Kailis” labour camp inmate Grigorijus Šuras:
On 27 March 1944, children were called in for a routine muster (Appel) and supposed medical inspection in the military hospital block. Parents left for work in the factory, although they found this to be a peculiar change in the daily routine. Children hurriedly washed themselves, dressed up left for the “inspection”.
When almost everyone was in the hospital, a truck arrived with a special Lithuanian squad commanded by Schröder, Mühle and Hazem and Lithuanian policemen. The band of armed men stormed into the hospital. Older children and mothers holding babies on their hands realised at once that they had been lured into a horrible trap. Scared children and women started crying and weeping.
Jewish children were taken to the yard and put in trucks. Filled vehicles immediately left one by one.
Some of the children managed to hide under the beds in the hospital or under planks piled in the yard.
During the roundup of children, machineguns were positioned all over “Kailis” factory and all exits were blocked by armed Lithuanian policemen. Workers immediately realised that something wrong was happening to their children. They only found out about the tragedy when they returned from work.
250 children and old people were taken from “Kailis” labour camp.
The Children’s Action was also carried out in the labour camp of the Wehrmacht engineering unit workshops (HKP). Early in the morning, SS-Oberscharführer Richter arrived at the gate of the camp. He was accompanied by Gestapo officers (including M. Weiss) and policemen. Kolysh, the commandant of the camp, was told that all invalid people (children, the elderly and the sick) were to be removed from all camps of Ostland under the order of Heinrich Himmler. Some parents tried to hide their children. The residents of the camp were chocked and the panic set in. The officers started searching the premises looking for children and elderly people. Those found were taken to the camp square. A total of 150-200 children were gathered. Mothers trying to protect their children were savagely beaten. One of the women (Zhukovskaya) called M. Weiss a child killer. He brought the woman to her knees and shot her in the back of the head with a pistol. Then the children were put in trucks and taken in an unknown direction. Only a few managed to hide and avoid being taken away. They stayed in the camp illegally until its liquidation.
The last Jews remaining in Vilnius (2,000–2,300 people) were killed by Nazis on 2-3 July 1944.
Cruel Children’s Action abduction in forced labour camps of Kailis factory and Wehrmacht engineering unit workshops (HKP 562).
After the liquidation of the Vilnius Ghetto, about 3,000 Jews were left to work in “Kailis” factory, Wehrmacht engineering unit workshop, military hospital, and Gestapo workshops. 27 March 1944, a cruel action of children abduction was carried out in the camps of “Kailis” factory and Wehrmacht engineering unit workshops. The action was supervised by Gestapo officers M. Weiss, W. Schröder and SS-Oberscharführer Richter.
From the diary of the “Kailis” labour camp inmate Grigorijus Šuras:
On 27 March 1944, children were called in for a routine muster (Appel) and supposed medical inspection in the military hospital block. Parents left for work in the factory, although they found this to be a peculiar change in the daily routine. Children hurriedly washed themselves, dressed up left for the “inspection”.
When almost everyone was in the hospital, a truck arrived with a special Lithuanian squad commanded by Schröder, Mühle and Hazem and Lithuanian policemen. The band of armed men stormed into the hospital. Older children and mothers holding babies on their hands realised at once that they had been lured into a horrible trap. Scared children and women started crying and weeping.
Jewish children were taken to the yard and put in trucks. Filled vehicles immediately left one by one.
Some of the children managed to hide under the beds in the hospital or under planks piled in the yard.
During the roundup of children, machineguns were positioned all over “Kailis” factory and all exits were blocked by armed Lithuanian policemen. Workers immediately realised that something wrong was happening to their children. They only found out about the tragedy when they returned from work.
250 children and old people were taken from “Kailis” labour camp.
The Children’s Action was also carried out in the labour camp of the Wehrmacht engineering unit workshops (HKP). Early in the morning, SS-Oberscharführer Richter arrived at the gate of the camp. He was accompanied by Gestapo officers (including M. Weiss) and policemen. Kolysh, the commandant of the camp, was told that all invalid people (children, the elderly and the sick) were to be removed from all camps of Ostland under the order of Heinrich Himmler. Some parents tried to hide their children. The residents of the camp were chocked and the panic set in. The officers started searching the premises looking for children and elderly people. Those found were taken to the camp square. A total of 150-200 children were gathered. Mothers trying to protect their children were savagely beaten. One of the women (Zhukovskaya) called M. Weiss a child killer. He brought the woman to her knees and shot her in the back of the head with a pistol. Then the children were put in trucks and taken in an unknown direction. Only a few managed to hide and avoid being taken away. They stayed in the camp illegally until its liquidation.
The last Jews remaining in Vilnius (2,000–2,300 people) were killed by Nazis on 2-3 July 1944.