Alytaus žydų indėlis į Lietuvos nepriklausomybės atkūrimą

LTPirmojo pasaulinio karo išvakarėse karštas lietuvių ir žydų politinės sąjungos propaguotojas Urijas Kacenelenbogenas apsakyme „Trys“ nupiešė būsimosios federacinės Lietuvos viziją: „Žydas, gudas ir lietuvis slaptais, nemindžiotais takeliais susiėjo ir slaptais takeliais pranyksta. Kiekvienas grįžta pas savuosius, bet neilgam – vis tiek jie trys dar susirinks. Kai ateis laikas.“ Tas laikas atėjo baigiantis karui, kai iširo daugiatautės Rytų Europos imperijos ir jų griuvėsiuose kūrėsi naujosios valstybės. Ankstyvą 1918 m. pavasarį būsimasis Lietuvos Vyriausybės ministras pirmininkas Mykolas Sleževičius ir kaunietis advokatas Oizeris Finkelšteinas, būsimasis Lietuvos Respublikos Seimo narys, vaikštinėdami apytamsėmis Maskvos gatvėmis, aptarinėjo būsimosios valstybės ir lietuvių bei žydų sąjungos kontūrus. Lietuvių politikai suvokė tautinių mažumų, kurios jų projektuojamoje valstybėje sudarė maždaug pusę visų gyventojų, svarbą, todėl ieškojo jų paramos. Dauguma žydų vadovų buvo prolietuviškos orientacijos ir skelbė „Didžiosios Lietuvos“ su sostine Vilniumi, „Lietuvos Jeruzale“, šūkį. Jie tikėjosi, jog būsimoji valstybė būsianti daugiatautė federacija, kuri sudarysianti idealias sąlygas žydų autonomijai. Po Pirmojo pasaulinio karo, į litvakų gyvenamą teritoriją pretenduojant lietuviams, lenkams ir rusams, daugumai žydų patraukliausias buvo Lietuvos valstybės variantas. [Iš teksto, p. 237]

ENIn 1918 after the restoration of Lithuania’s independence, the Jewish community of Alytus contributed to the creation of the young state and its institutions. Some of the Jews volunteered for the Lithuanian army and took part in the independence struggle. Others provided material assistance to the emerging Lithuanian regiments. The Jews had a considerable influence on the political and social life of the city. Starting from the first city council elections, Jews always had their representatives in it. In 1920 in the municipal elections, 17 members were elected to the Alytus City Council and 7 of them were Jews. Kopel Schulman was the mayor of the city in 1922–1923. In 1923 according to the census of the population, Alytus had 6322 residents and 1715 of them were Jews. On November 23, 1918 by the order of the Lithuanian Minister of National Defence, the 1st Infantry Regiment was established and deployed in Alytus. In order to attract as many volunteers as possible, recalls were distributed among the population, urging them to join the army. The officers went to the Alytus area to agitate young people. The first months were very difficult: lack of funds, ammunition, clothing as well as the actions of German troops who obstructed the maintenance of order in the city. Mendel Bokšicki and Šmuel Beiral helped the regiment acquire weapons and telephones. Mendel Bokšicki, having learned about the plans of the German soldiers to attack the soldiers of the Lithuanian regiment, warned the leadership of the regiment. On February 12-15, 1919 during the battles of Alytus, the city was occupied by the army of Bolshevik Russia. A couple of Lithuanian soldiers did not manage to leave. Šmuel Beiral helped them hide and later safely leave the city.Mendel Bokšicki‘s activity in 1918–1919 was useful to Lithuania, he was one of the local Jewish intellectuals, and from the very first moments of Lithuania’s statehood he did not hesitate to get involved in the work of rebuilding the state. He worked in the offices of the Governor of Alytus County and the Commander of the County Militia. In 1928 Mendel Bokšicki was awarded the 10th Anniversary Medal of Lithuanian Independence and the 3rd degree badge of honour Helping for the Close People for his social activity and work for the benefit of Lithuania. In 1932 he was awarded the 2nd degree badge of honour Helping for the Close People (only 29 people have received this badge in Lithuania). In 1934 he was awarded the gold medal of the Estonian Firefighters’ Badge of Honour. In 1927 the Lithuanian Armed Forces Volunteer Union (LKKSS) was established. Its divisions operated throughout Lithuania. There were separate volunteer units of Lithuanian and Jewish soldiers in Alytus. The Alytus branch of the Union of Jewish Soldiers, who took part in the conquest of Lithuania’s Independence, was established in 1934. The members of the organization were: Aizikas Azerskis, Motelis Chaikovičius, Mejeris Choroželskis, Faivelis Mackevičius, Kopelis Nemunaiskis, Šimonas Polivnikas, Elija Pružanas, Joselis Pružanskis, Reznickis, Meilachas Rubinšteinas, Mauša Slifkinas, Leibas Smolnickis, Lipskis Šepšelis, Kivelis Švarcbordas, Dovydas Vaisenbliumas, M. Valavičius, Dovydas Volovičius, Josifas Zupraneris and Chaimas Žmudskis.On June 15, 1940 the Soviet Union occupied Lithuania. Some Jews were deported to Siberia and other harsh areas. On June 22, 1941 the war between Germany and the Soviet Union began. There were 1231 Jews living in Alytus in July 1941. In August - September 1941 more than 2200 Jews from Alytus and Alytus County became the victims of the Holocaust in Vidzgiris forest. Few managed to escape. The Jewish community of Alytus, which created and nurtured the city of Alytus together with other townspeople for several centuries, was destroyed. [From the publication]