Transnistria holocaust survivors eligible for German compensation

Survivors from the Bogdanovca camp (shown) in what was then Romanian occupied Transnistria are now eligible for German pensions

BOGDANOVCA (Tiraspol Times) - A survivor of the Bogdanovca concentration camp has been given a German pension in what is a precedent setting case for holocaust victims from World War II's Romanian-occupied Transnistria.

The case involves an 82-year-old Israeli who was confined to the Jewish ghetto in Trans-Dniester (Romanian: Transnistria), at the time legally part of the Soviet Union. The area was controlled by pro-Nazi Romanian forces.

The man was a Soviet citizen for 70 years. He was originally told by both Germany and Romania that Holocaust pensions were not available to Soviets and were only given to people in places invaded by German troops (and not to those in Transdniester, who had been invaded by Nazi Germany's Romanian allies). The tribunal overruled this decision, saying the man was entitled to a Holocaust pension nevertheless.

Thousands more could benefit from the ruling. Germany currently pays monthly stipends to tens of thousands of victims of the Nazis, most of them people who spent at least six months in one of Nazi Germany’s concentration camps.

The stipends are calculated based on the length of the person’s persecution.

A German social security court ruled in favor of the Jewish Holocaust survivor on Thursday, Die Welle reported. The ruling will expand the number of Holocaust survivors eligible for benefits from Germany.

Romania rejects claims over its responsibility in massacres

Originally, the pension claim of the Jewish Transnistria-survivor had been rejected whereupon he appealed to the Federal Social Security Tribunal in Kassel, Germany. On Thursday, the tribunal overruled lower court decision and said that he was entitled to claims. The ruling comes 62 years after the end of World War II.

Romania, as the main invading force, bears the major responsibility for having turned Transnistria into the geographically largest killing area in the history of World War II. However, Romania has not been willing to admit guilt and indemnify holocaust survivors. This comes despite Germany's admission and its willingness to provide pensions and war reparations.

Romania, on the other hand, supports Moldova's claim to the area. Some say that this claim has no merit. Historically and ethnically, the Transnistria region is neither Moldovan nor Romanian. It has always been inhabited by a mixed population where Slavs consistenty make up the majority and its Moldovan/Romanian population form a minority. At various times it was part of Russia, Ukraine and Poland/Lithuania. At no time in history has the territory ever been part of Romania or part of any independent Moldovan state.

Word "Transnistria" invented in World War II invasion

The word "Transnistria" is a Romanian invention which was used to designate the area which Romania invaded during World War II. It means "beyond the river Dniester" (Nistru, in the Romanian language). It was never in use before the World War II invasion by Romania. Locals call the land Pridnestrovie ("by the river Dniester") and the official name of the new and emerging country is PMR, the Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublica.

Romania only ruled the region during part of World War II and used it as a staging location for deportations and executions.

The Bogdanovca holocaust camp was located in the village of Bogdanovka in what was then Romanian-occupied Transnistia. It was established in October 1941 by the invading Romanian forces.

By December 1, 1941, over 54,000 Jews from Bessarabia and Odessa were imprisoned in the camp. In mid-December, typhus broke out in Bogdanovca. At that point, the Romanians and Germans decided to destroy the entire camp population.

The extermination began on December 21, led by Romanian soldiers and police. Approximately 5,000 sick and handicapped prisoners were locked into two stables which were then burnt down. The rest of the prisoners were marched in groups of 300-400 to the river. They were forced to remove their clothing and kneel. Then they were shot or hit with hand grenades. The killing continued for four days, during which 30,000 Jews were murdered.

The killing was stopped temporarily on Christmas Eve, while the remaining Jews were left outside, freezing and waiting to die. The massacre began again on December 28 and 11,000 Jews were killed by December 31.

Two hundred were kept alive to burn the bodies, after which most of them were either killed or died from frost exposure.

See also:
» Transnistria, the artificial name for "the Romanian Auschwitz"
» Romania whitewash of Transnistria invasion angers Holocaust survivors
» US State Dept supervisor lectures on Transnistria Holocaust