The Jews in Suceava during the Holocaust

The settlement of the Jews in Suceava began in 1707, the year in which they were granted the right to settle in the city. Statistical data indicate an increase in the Jewish population in the 19th century, the main factor being the settlement of Jews from Russia and Galicia. In 1880, 3,750 Jews lived in Suceava (37% of the total population), and in 1901 and 1914 their number reached 6,787 and 8,000, respectively. During the interwar period, the Jewish population registered a demographic decline. In 1930, as a result of emigration to Chernivtsi, 3,496 Jews still lived in Suceava. The occupations of the Jews of Suceava were in the fields of trade, crafts, credit institutions and the liberal professions (doctors, lawyers). Among the Jews there were also civil servants, entrepreneurs, and tenants.

The 1930s were marked in Romania by the intensification of anti-Semitic manifestations. In Suceava, Jewish shops and houses were vandalized and destroyed by Romanian peasants, and their owners were assaulted. From December 1st, 1938, Jews were the target of restrictive regulations. By the decision of the Royal Resident of Suceava Realm, George Alexianu, they were forbidden to use another language “than Romanian in shops, workshops, factories, banks, institutions, courtrooms, in all public offices or on the streets”. Those who violated this provision risked several sanctions. The first misconduct entailed the closure of the business for three days, the second for ten days, and the finding of a third misconduct amounted to the definitive closure of the business or professional office. At the same time, from the perspective of the Romanian authorities, Jews who spoke on the streets or in public places a “language other than the Romanian language” proved that they were not Romanian citizens, and would no longer “benefit from the advantages of Romanian citizenship”. Last but not least, the Jews who had lost their Romanian citizenship could no longer hold any position in neither public nor private businesses.

Repressive measures intensified after 1940 and especially in 1941. In 1940, Jewish students in public schools were expelled, and in the same year several Jews were made available to German and Romanian military units so that they could be used for labour. A former student recounted in an interview how they were expelled from schools: “after the headmistress and the form-mistress came out and announced that the Jewish children were going home until further orders, [students] from the older classes came and kicked us on the stairs and threw their backpacks at us and it was one of the first manifestations of direct hooliganism on me”.

After that, the Jews were removed from the army, education, and public institutions, and the business licenses of Jewish entrepreneurs were revoked. At the same time, their properties were confiscated. From June 30th, 1941, measures were imposed to restrict freedom of movement. The presence of Jews on the streets between 8.00 in the evening and 7.00 in the morning was forbidden. Jewish men were also taken hostage. If riots broke out in the city, they would be shot.

In October 1941, the measures moved to a new stage: deportation. This was announced through communications by the city hall of Suceava. The Jews were informed that this would take place according to the street on which they lived. At the same time, they were warned that those who were not present at the time set at the point of departure or those who would not comply with the provisions or would commit acts of violence, attempt to flee or destroy their property would be shot on the spot. 

Thus, on October 9th, 10th and 11th, 1941, three deportee trains left Suceava. With the first train, Jews were deported from Suceava, Ițcani and Burdujeni. In the second there were only Jews from the city, and with the last train the sick of Jewish origin were deported from Suceava Hospital, a measure that was equivalent to sending them to a certain death. Many had serious or contagious diseases. 3,253 Jews from Suceava were deported between October 9th and 11th, 1941. They arrived in Moghilev, Sargorod, Djurin, Murafa or other ghettos in Transnistria. In total, 5,874 people were deported from the city, a figure that includes Jews from Ițcani and Burdujeni.

The assets of the Jews were taken over by commissions of the Prefecture of Suceava County and the City Hall of Suceava, which also included representatives of the National Bank. After October 11th, 1941, 27 Jews remained in Suceava.

After the end of the Second World War, both the survivors of the deportees from Suceava and the Jews from Northern Bukovina returned to the city. Thus, in the first post-war years, about 4,000 Jews lived in Suceava. During the communist period, most emigrated.

Ana Bărbulescu, Suceava, accessible online at http://www.inshr-ew.ro/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Suceava.pdf 

Lucian-Zeev Herşcovici, Suceava, accessible online at https://yivoencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/Suceava

Cosmina Gușu, Interviu cu Solomon Rauth [Interview with Solomon Rauth], accessible online at http://www.inshr-ew.ro/solomon-rauth-interviu/ 

Matatias Carp, The Black Book. The Sufferings of the Jews from Romania 1940-1944. Transnistria, vol. III, Bucharest, "DACIA TRAIANA" NATIONAL PUBLISHING AND GRAPHIC ARTS SOCIETY , 1947, pp.  92, 175-176.