In summer 1941, in their push to invade Soviet Union, Adolf Hitler’s German army marched through Ukraine. On July 19th, Vinnitsa, Ukraine was captured by German troops. The town of Vinnista witnessed its own share of tribulations in the 30s and the 40s. As many as 10,000 Great Purge corpses were exhumed by the Germans. Adolf Hitler established his eastern most headquarters FHQ Wehrwolf near the town and spent a number of weeks there in 1942 and early 1943. But the greatest turmoil came during Rosh-ha-Shana holiday (September 22th) when 28,000 Jews were massacred by the Nazis. According to the census data of 1926, 21,800 Jews lived in the region which means the entire Jewish people were exterminated in Vinnitsa.
This famous picture, inscribed on the back of the photo as of the Last Jew in Vinnitsa, was taken by German Einsatzgruppen solider before he was shot by another Einsatzgruppe Dofficer. His haunting face and hollow, distracted eyes were as symbolic of the Holocaust as later Margaret Bourke-White images. Present in the background of the photo are members of the German Army, the German Labor Service, and the Hitler Youth.
Iconic Photos is a useful and interesting site. Too bad it is tainted by hatred-type comments such as many of these. Perhaps using a moderator should be considered
Very slick.