June 14, 1941, Deportations to Siberia

 

            The Soviet Union occupied Lithuania in the summer of 1940 and transformed it into a Soviet state.  Strict censorship was imposed, many non-governmental organizations were disbanded, and large estates and businesses were confiscated.  Sometime between February and early June 1941, General Ivan Serov, a Soviet state security official, issued top-secret instructions for the coordinated, sudden arrest and deportation to Siberia of Òenemies of the Soviet peopleÓ in the Baltic states. (ÒRegarding the Procedure for Carrying Out the Deportation of Anti-Soviet Elements from Lithuania, Latvia, and EstoniaÓ)

 

            The ÒSerov InstructionsÓ were executed without warning on June 14, 1941.  Whole families were arrested, taken together to collection points.  There, in many cases, the family members would be separated, with the heads of families sent to Gulag labor camps and other family members sent to settlements in ÒdistantÓ areas. [1]

 

            The Lithuanian governmentÕs special archives of the Soviet secret police, such as the NKVD and KGB, contain the records of many of those deported to Siberia from Lithuania.  In 2016 the archives provided a list of the names of the Jewish deportees from the Rokiskis region.  Following is an English translation of part of the information from that list. (Courtesy of Litvak Special Interest Group.  All rights reserved.)  One of the deportees, Samuil Meller, reviewed the information from the list and provided corrected and additional information, as did a witness who was not deported.  The corrected and additional information is provided within brackets (Ò[ ]Ó). 

 

Rokiskis-Region Jews Deported To Siberia

 

Surname

Given Name

Father

Family Position

Sex

Birth Year

Town [of Arrest]

Notes 

MELERIS / [MELLER]

Motelis

[Mordechai]

Abramas-Icikas

Head of household

M

1885 [1892]

Rokiskis

Sent to the NKVD Gulag [Krasnoyarsk Krai, station Reshoty, died there in 1942]

 

 

 

 

MELERIENE / [MELLER]

Sara [received a doctorate from the Sorbonne]

Abramas

Wife

F

1889

Rokiskis

Exiled to Altai Krai [Tiumentsevo village, and after World War II moved] to Rubtsov [where she died in 1976]

 

 

 

 

 

 

MELERIS / [MELLER]

Amnon

Motelis

Son

M

1927

Rokiskis

Exiled to Altai Krai [Tiumentsevo village, and after World War II moved] to Rubtsov. [Survived, later moved to Israel. He died there in 1997.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MELERIS / [MELLER]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Judel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abramas-Icikas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Head of household

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

M

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1899 [1902]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rokiskis

 

 

Sent to the NKVD Gulag [Krasnoyarsk Krai, station Reshoty. After World War II, returned to Lithuania.  In 1952, exiled to Biysk in Altai Krai. In 1972, moved to Israel.  He died there.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MELLER

Jacha [Jakha]

Moisei

Wife

F

1904

Rokiskis

Exiled to Altai Krai to Biysk (Tiumentsevo according to some other documents) district [Exiled in 1941 to Vilkovo village in Tiumentsevo district. After World II, returned to Lithuania. In 1952, exiled to Biysk in Altai Krai.  In 1972, moved to Israel. She died there.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MELLER

Miron

Judel

Daughter

[Son]

F

[M]

1927 [1926]

Rokiskis

Exiled to Altai Krai to Biysk (Tiumentsevo according to some documents) district. [Exiled in 1941 to Vilkovo village in Tiumentsevo district. After World II, returned to Lithuania. In 1952, exiled to Biysk in Altai Krai. In 1974, moved to Israel. He died there in 2004. ]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MELLER

Zuzana

[Shoshana]

Judel

Daughter

F

1928

Rokiskis

Exiled to Altai Krai to Biysk (Tiumentsevo according to some other documents) [Exiled in 1941 to Vilkovo village in Tiumentsevo district. After World II, returned to Lithuania. In 1952, exiled to Altai Krai, Vilkovo village in Tiumentsev district and later transferred to Krasnoyarsk. In 1972 moved to Israel, where she lives now (2017).]

 

 

KLIGMANAS / [KLINGMAN]

Jankelis

[Moshe ?]

Smuelis / [Shmuel]

Head of household

M

1895

Rokiskis

Sent to the NKVD Gulag [survived, later moved to Israel ]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KLIGMANIENE / [KLINGMAN]

Chaja

SERAS / [SHER] Chaimas

Wife

F

1894

Rokiskis

 

Exiled to Altai Krai to Barnaul; in 1942 transferred to Yakutia (not specified); in 1951 transferred to Krasnoyarsk Krai to Abansky district [survived, later moved to Israel ]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KLIGMANAITE / [KLINGMAN]

Sima

Jankelis

Daughter

F

1922

Rokiskis

Exiled to Altai Krai to Barnaul; in 1942 transferred to Yakutia (not specified); in 1951 transferred to Krasnoyarsk Krai to Abansky district [survived, later moved to Israel ]

 

 

 

VOLOVIC / [VOLOVICH]

Jakov

Judel

Head of household

M

1890

Rokiskis

Exiled to Altai Krai to Barnaul; in 1942 transferred to Yakutia to Yakutsk

VOLOVIC / [VOLOVICH]

Liza

Abram

Wife

F

1900

Rokiskis

 

Exiled to Altai Krai to Barnaul; in 1942 transferred to Yakutia to Yakutsk

 

 

 

VOLOVIC / [VOLOVICH]

Rasel / [Rashel]

Jakov

Daughter

F

1936

Rokiskis

Exiled to Altai Krai to Barnaul; in 1942 transferred to Yakutia to Yakutsk

 

 

 

VOLOVIC / [VOLOVICH]

Zelik

Jakov

Son

M

1922

Rokiskis

Exiled to Altai Krai to Barnaul; in 1942 transferred to Yakutia to Yakutsk

 

 

 

MELERIS / [MELLER]

Chona

[Khona]

Abramas-Icikas

Head of household

M

1887 [1895]

Rokiskis

Sent to the NKVD Gulag [Krasnoyarsk Krai, Reshoty station, and died there in 1942]

MELERIENE / [MELLER]

 

 

Faina

 

 

Samuelis

 

 

Wife

 

 

F

 

 

1900

 

 

Rokiskis

 

Exiled to Altai Krai to [Vilkovo village in] Tiumentsevo district [He died there in 1943 ]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MELERIS / [MELLER]

Samuelis

Chona

[Khona]

Son

M

1927

Rokiskis

Exiled to Altai Krai to [Vilkovo village in] Tiumentsevo district. [Conscripted into Russian military, fought in the Russo-Japanese War of 1945, later lived in Leningrad / St. Petersburg, Russia, and in 2000 moved to the USA ]

 

 

 

PENTUSEVICIUS / [PENTUSEVICH]

Samuelas

Zelinas

Head of household

M

1889

Pandelys

Exiled to Altai Krai (not specified)

PENTUSEVICIENE / [PENTUSEVICH]

Reza

Pilchas

Wife

F

1900

Pandelys

Exiled to Altai Krai (not specified)

 

 

 

RUCHAS / [RUKH]

Peisach

Michail

Head of household

M

1871 [1878]

Rokiskis

Exiled to Altai Krai to Pavlovsky district [died in Siberia]

 

RUCHIENE / [RUKH]

Pera

[Pera-Aida]

Mendelis

Wife

F

1880

Rokiskis

Exiled to Altai Krai to Pavlovsky district [died in Siberia in 1952]

 

 

 

RUCHAS / [RUKH]

Leiba

Peisach

Son

M

1908

Rokiskis

 

Exiled to Altai Krai to Pavlovsky district [survived, later moved to Israel.  He died there in 1982.]

 

 

 

RUCHAITE / [RUKH]

Basia

Peisach

Daughter

F

1920

Rokiskis

 

Exiled to Altai Krai to Pavlovsky district [survived, later moved to Israel, where she was known as Batya. She died there in 1999.]

 

 

 

 

MELERIS / [MELLER]

Samuelis / [Shmuelis Wolf ]

Abramas

Head of household

M

1895 [1887]

Rokiskis

 

Exiled to Altai Krai to Barnaul district; in 1942 transferred to Yakutsk [Information is incorrect. Exiled to Rasskazikha village in Pavlovsky district; transferred in 1942 to KazachÕye village in Yakutia, near the shore of the Arctic Ocean. He died in there in 1943]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MELERIENE / [MELLER]

Mariana

[Mira]

Mejeris

Wife

F

1895

Rokiskis

 

Exiled to Altai Krai to Barnaul district; in 1942 transferred to Yakutia [Information is incorrect. Exiled to Rasskazikha village in Pavlovsky district; in 1942 transferred to KazachÕye village in Yakutia, near the shore of the Arctic Ocean. In 1959 moved to Krasnoyarsk.  She died there in 1970.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MELERIS / [MELLER]

Abramas Icikas

Smuelis Vulfas

Son

M

1938

Rokiskis

 

Exiled to Altai Krai to Barnaul district; in 1942 transferred to Yakutia. [Information is incorrect. Exiled to Rasskazikha village in Pavlovsky district; in 1942 transferred to KazachÕye village in Yakutia, near the shore of the Arctic Ocean.  Moved to Krasnoyarsk in 1959 and lives there now (2017).

LEVINAITE / [LEVIN][2]

 

 

Chana Leja

 

 

Josel

 

Head of household

 

 

F

 

 

1915

 

 

Rokiskis

 

Exiled to Guryev region (not specified)

 

 

FISERIS / [FISHER]

Sendaras /[Shendar]

Matelis

Head of household

M

1882

Pandelys

Exiled to Krasnoyarsk Krai (not specified)

 

 

In addition to the names above, which were provided by the Lithuanian special archives, the following individuals were also deported:

 

 

 

ZALCMAN

Avraham

Head of household

M

Rokiskis

 

Survived, later moved to Israel

 

ZALCMAN

Yacha

Wife

F

Rokiskis

Survived, later moved to Israel

 

ZALCMAN

Michael

Avraham

Son

M

Rokiskis

Survived, later moved to Israel

ZALCMAN

Basia

Avraham

Daughter

F

Rokiskis

Survived, later moved to Israel

ZALCMAN

Yudite

Avraham

Daughter

F

Rokiskis

Survived, later moved to Israel

ZALCMAN

Rachel

Avraham

Daughter

F

Rokiskis

Survived, later moved to Israel

 

 

LEVIN

Faina

Head of household

F

Rokiskis

Survived, later moved to Israel

 

LEVIN

Joseph

 

Son

S

 

Rokiskis

Survived, later moved to Israel

 

LEVIN

Dvora

 

Daughter

F

 

Rokiskis

Survived, later moved to Israel

 

LEVIN

Yudite

Daughter

F

Rokiskis

Survived, later moved to Israel

 

Title 1

 

The Meller families that were deported to Siberia in June 1941 consisted of the four sons of Abramas-Icikas Meller and their wives and children.  Samuil Meller was born in Klaipeda 1927.  He lives now (2017) in California.  His grandfather, Abramas-Icikas, lived at 2 Vytauto gatve in Rokiskis. 

 

 



[1]  Approximately 17,500 Lithuanian citizens were deported.  Of this number, about 1,700 were Jews.  ÒMultidirectional memory and the deportation of Lithuanian Jews,Ó by Violeta Davoli_t_, Ethnicity Studies, 2015/2 (Lithuanian Social Research Centre, June 2015), pp. 131, 134.

[2]  According to one witness, although Chana Leja LevinÕs name was on the list of those to be arrested, she may have been spared arrest.  In this regard, it should be noted that Yad VashemÕs database of Holocaust victims includes two murdered individuals from Rokiskis with the name of ÒKhana Levin.Ó