Aerial Photographs of Holocaust History in Buchach

1. The Monument in Holon Cemeteryהמצבה בבית העלמין בחולון • In Memory of the martyrs of the city of BUCZACZand vicinity May they attain eternal rest and may their names never be forgotten

3. Street map of Buchach 2001 compiled by Tom Wiess Tarhova

4. Town sign for Buchach in cyrillic שם העיר בוצ'אץ' על שלט דרכים

5. The image was produced by combining 4 aerial photographs of Buchach. The 4 original photographs were taken on April 15, 1944 by the German Air Force and were captured by the Allies. A more detailed history of Buchach during WWII is available from Martin Rudner and from sections of the Yizkor book for Buchach entitled Second Witness and Third Witness. Briefly, Buchach was occupied by German forces on July 7, 1941; liberated by Russian forces on March 23, 1944; recaptured in a counter attack by German forces on April 3, 1944; and finally liberated by Russian forces on July 21, 1944. These photos are probably reconnaissance photos taken in connection with the German counter attack. The image shown below was produced by combining the 4 digital files. The original photographs were taken at 4pm and the shadows of trees and houses suggest that north is up in the photograph. Compare this aerial photograph to the detailed map of Buchach. The S-shaped course of the Strypa river are clearly seen in both the map and the photograp. The aerial photographs were enlarged and image processed to reveal details of Buchach: The center of Buchach showing the bridges over the Strypa river, the Jewish cemetery, the Fedor hill, many landmarks, and a large swastika carved in the side of a cliff. The center of Buchach with annotations identifying many key sites in the town. The annotations were obtained largely through the efforts of former Buchach resident Etunia Bauer Katz (see her book in the Bibliography) and her daughter Felice Katz plus Alexander Dunai and 5-6 Burchach residents who stopped to examine the aerial photographs and to identify sites. If anyone can identify any other sites please get in touch with Tom Weiss and the new sites will be added to the image. During the holocaust, thousands of Jews were shot at a number of sites in Buchach including: the Jewish cemetery, Fedor hill, and Legi field. (2) a detail of the swastika carved in the side of a cliff; (3) a detail of one of the bridges showing vehicles on the bridge and craters (from bombs?) along the edges of the river (4) a detail of the Jewish cemetery. Buczacz air scan

6. To TernopiL Torhova St. Mass Grave Klatka bridge Family Graves Jewish Cemetery Die Groisse Shul Bridge Charny most (Black bridge) Ratusz Zyblikewicza St. Fedor? Gimnazjalna? bridge Grunwaldzka St. Gimnazjalna Court Strypa Sokol theater Police Margulies Bakery Girl's elementry school Kolejowa st. to the train station Basyliany cloister Koscielna St. Zauderer's wood storage house Christian cemetery Soccer field N Swastika Kusher Slaughter house Fedor hill Legi field

7. The village of Medvedevtsy where Ducho was killed at the Babak house in 1944 Railroad bridge Railroad w Strypa river To Belzec Death Camp Kolejowa street To Monasterzyska Buchach railway station Potocki's castle ruins

8. Buchach air scan April/1944 בוצ'אץ', צילום אוויר, אפריל/1944

9. The fortress (The Empty Castle)

10. The bridge on the way to the primary school and the “Sokol”

11. Fedor soccer fieldAt the top of the Fedor hill there is a soccer field that adjoins the Christian cemetery which contains a memorial to Buchach citiznes in the army who died in WWII. Surprisingly, there are a few Jewish names in the list.

12. The Strypa river N E W S

13. The Strypa River as seen from the Gimnazjalna bridge

14. The Buchach Sokol Theater תיאטרון סוקול בבוצ'אץ'

15. הכנסיה הבאזילינית The Basyliany cloister

16. Zoom on the monastery Buchach is hilly. Here is a picture of the town as viewed from one of the hills. The twin-peaked building is the Basilian monastery.

17. The Ratusz then and todayהרטוש בימים ההם ובזמן הזה

18. The Sokol theater Girl's elementary school The Gimnazjalna

20. ToFriedlander& Ebenstein graves Family ( Eber’s & Margaliot’s) graves in the Jewish cemetery of Buczacz

22. Eber Chaim Eliezer Grave died in 11.2.1935 • נפ ח' אדר ראשון • תרצה • איש זקן וישר מר • חיים אליעזר בר מאניס • משרידי הדור הישן • מנאמני ד' ותורתו • ידו לא קפץ מאביון • ממשכימי וממעריבי • בית הכנסת נמנה • שיח ערב יצק לפני • קונו • תנצבה

23. Hebrew inscription

24. Rivka’s Eber bat Gedalia Grave died in 13.2.1934 פ"נ אשה צנו' מ' פייגא רבקה בר גדליה ז"ל נפ כח שבט תרצד ואצלה בתה מ' מלכה בר חיים אליעזר נפט כ תמוז תרפד הבת גוועה בדמי ימיה ותעזוב יתומה בנעוריה באחריתה האם האומללה יסורים ומכאובים סבלה תנצבה

25. English inscription הלנה, סבתי, נשענת על מצבת אמה, גולדה מרגלית. • פנ • גאלדע מארגלית • בת חיים • עליעזער עבער • נפט יב תמוז • תרצה תנצבה

26. Helena, my grandmother, leaning on her mother’s, Golda Margalit, grave Here lies burried Golda Margalit The daughter of Chaim Eliezer Eber Died 12 Tamuz 5695 (13.7.1935) May her soul be bound in life

27. נפטרה ח סיוון תרצד מינצי בת ר שמואל זיינוויל זל מנוחת אשה ישרה עטרת בעלה ואם יקרה בקרה חולים ועשתה צדקה ת נ צ ב ה בעלה בצדה שמעון בר צבי זל איש ישר זקן ושבע ימים נהנה מיגיע כפיו ת נ צ ב ה To Family graves Friedlander Minzi & Shimon 22.5.1934 >6/1941

28. To Eber & Margaliot graves Family (Friedlander & Ebenstein) graves in the Jewish cemetery of Buczacz

29. Hebrew inscription

37. One more picture The front wall of the Great Synagogue

38. The back side of the grate Synagogue 1917

39. Back

40. Street map of Buchach 2001 compiled by Tom Wiess Tarhova

41. My mother’s family tree The Margaliot’s (the bakers from Buczacz) family tree

42. Mass grave holding 3635 martyrs who perished on 27 Shvat 5703 (February 2, 1943).This picture was taken in 1945 after the war on the BashtaCan anyone point this location today?

44. נפטר כו' אדר שני שנת תרע"ו פה ישכב אף ינוח איש ישר ושפל רוח גם בעושרו לא גבה לבו ולא בקש תענוגים ונהנה מיגיע כפיו מר חיים בן גדליהו ז"ל ת.נ.צ.ב.ה To family graves To Family tree Chaim the son of GedalyahuMargaliot 1850-1916

45. בכפר הזה, בבית משפחת בבק, הגיע לסיומו הטראגי המאבק בין דוצ'ו לד"ר זייפר.