In the village of Dobre (Russian: Dobroye) a memorial commemorates the more than 560 Jews who were murdered there by the Einsatzgruppe (mobile killing unit) D on September 10, 1941.
Dobre, undated, about 1920, Agricultural labourers during lessons given by an agronomist, YIVO Institute, New York
Dobre, 2000, Memorial to the murdered Jews in Dobre, Tkuma
The village of Dobre is located near the city of Mykolaiv (Russian: Nikolaev) north of the Black Sea. The village was founded by Jewish colonists in the first half of the 19th century. Shortly afterwards Christian Germans started to settle there as well but the Jewish inhabitants continued to make up the majority of the population, which in 1916 was 3,100. In the turmoil following the October Revolution several Jews died during pogroms or because of hunger and diseases. In 1924 the economic situation of the village improved due to the financial support by the Jewish immigration relief organisation »Jewish Colonization Association«. In 1929 all rural households were merged into two kolkhozes in the course of collectivisation. The two synagogues in the village were closed. Many Jews moved to the nearby major city of Mykolaiv. The population figure dropped to approximately 2,100.
On August 12, 1941, a few weeks after the German attack on the Soviet Union Dobre was occupied by the German Wehrmacht. About half of the population had managed to flee eastwards beforehand. On September 9, 1941 the »Volksdeutscher Selbstschutz«, a local militia consisting of ethnic Germans, rounded up all Jews in a shed on the village outskirts. This militia significantly participated in the murder of Jews in this region. The following day the Einsatzgruppe (mobile killing unit) D murdered all Jewish children, women and men in a pit near the village. After this »Aktion« the Jewish community of Dobre was annihilated. Only few managed to flee. Among them Alexander Perman who fled along with two other youths the day before the shooting. His two companions died while escaping. Perman survived the war as a soldier of the Red Army.
On August 12, 1941, a few weeks after the German attack on the Soviet Union Dobre was occupied by the German Wehrmacht. About half of the population had managed to flee eastwards beforehand. On September 9, 1941 the »Volksdeutscher Selbstschutz«, a local militia consisting of ethnic Germans, rounded up all Jews in a shed on the village outskirts. This militia significantly participated in the murder of Jews in this region. The following day the Einsatzgruppe (mobile killing unit) D murdered all Jewish children, women and men in a pit near the village. After this »Aktion« the Jewish community of Dobre was annihilated. Only few managed to flee. Among them Alexander Perman who fled along with two other youths the day before the shooting. His two companions died while escaping. Perman survived the war as a soldier of the Red Army.
Dobre, undated, about 1920, Agricultural labourers during lessons given by an agronomist, YIVO Institute, New York
Dobre, 2000, Memorial to the murdered Jews in Dobre, Tkuma
On September 10, 1941 the Sonderkommando (special unit) 10a of the Einsatzgruppe (mobile killing unit) D murdered virtually all Jews of the village of Dobre. The Soviet Enquiry Commission states the number of 560 victims. According to witnesses more than 900 people were buried in the mass grave.
Dobre, 1959, Exhumation of the victims, Larissa Perman-Traspova
Dobre, 1960, Dedication of the memorial to the murdered Jews, Larissa Perman-Traspova
The village was liberated by the Red Army on Mach 10, 1944. In 1955 Rita and Alexander Perman, two survivors from Dobre established a commission with the objective to identify the victims' names and to erect a memorial for them. In the following years they obtained permission by the Soviet authorities to exhume and rebury the mortal remains of the victims at the Jewish cemetery of the village. In 1960 the memorial on the Jewish cemetery was completed. The Russian inscription reads »Here lie buried Soviet citizens, shot by the German-Fascist occupiers on September 10, 1941 in the village of Dobre Baschtanskij Rajon«.
The memorial was restored in 2010 with the assistance of relatives from Israel and Germany. The square in front the memorial was covered with stone slabs and the Star of David was replaced. Among the donors was the daughter of Alexander Perman. Every year on September 10 a commemoration takes place at the memorial. The Foundation for Jewish Culture from Mykolaiv organises trips to the memorial sites.
The history of the Perman family is one of fifteen on display in the »Room of Families« in the Information Centre of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin.
The memorial was restored in 2010 with the assistance of relatives from Israel and Germany. The square in front the memorial was covered with stone slabs and the Star of David was replaced. Among the donors was the daughter of Alexander Perman. Every year on September 10 a commemoration takes place at the memorial. The Foundation for Jewish Culture from Mykolaiv organises trips to the memorial sites.
The history of the Perman family is one of fifteen on display in the »Room of Families« in the Information Centre of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin.
Dobre, 1960, Dedication of the memorial to the murdered Jews in Dobre, Larissa Perman-Traspova
Dobre, undated, Memorial to the murdered Jews in the village of Dobre, Tkuma
- Name
- Pamjatnyk jewrejam zahyblym u seli Dobroje
- Open
- The memorial is accessible at all times.
- Possibilities
- Each year on September 10 a commemoration takes place at the memorial.