Obj. ID: 48040
Memorials  Memorial complex at the site of the murder of Jews in Gorodeya (Horodziej, Haradzeya, Gorodeia), Belarus, 2004

In September 1939, World War II broke out, and Haradzeya was occupied by the Soviets. By 1941, because of the influx of hundreds of Jewish refugees from the German-occupied areas of western Poland, the Jewish population of the village had grown to more than 1,100. In June 1941, the Soviet-German War began, and German troops entered Haradzeya on June 26. 

Sometime in the fall of 1941, a ghetto was established in Haradzeya. On July 18 (or July 17, according to other sources), 1942, the Nazis liquidated the Haradzeya Ghetto. The inmates were assembled in the square and subjected to abuse, with some of them being killed on the spot. The survivors were then taken to a disused sand quarry and shot with machine guns.

Haradzeya was liberated by the Red Army on July 4, 1944.

In 1964, the Jewish victims were reburied in the area between the former cemeteries of Stoplce and Haradzeya. In 1990 a stele was erected at this reburial site. [Untold Stories]

The construction of the monument at the major killing site was initiated by the Belarus Holocaust Memorials Project. The architect Leonid Levin summarized his artistic idea in the following way: 

"In Gorodeya, for example, I laid 1137 stones, one for each dead Jew. I put myself in the place of those executed, imagined myself among them. What are they thinking about in their last moments? Around fear, screams, tears. But some thoughts still come to mind even in this situation. They were shot on the mountain, they dug this hole themselves. From this mountain you can see Gorodeya, where they lived. Some of them looked at the streets where they lived. Streets, houses, friends, neighbors. 300 Belarusians stayed in these houses, and they were driven here. The houses were on fire. Therefore, here are the corners of houses, burnt windows and ... a lot of stones. I arranged these stones with the thought that the dead turned into this stone, that they live next to us". [Walk on the edge]

The Opening Ceremony took place on the 18th of July, 2004 - the day of the destruction of the Gorodeya Ghetto. The Opening Ceremony was attended by representatives of the regional authorities, the Ambassador of the State of Israel, USA, Great Britain, Germany, Jewish public organizations, rabbis, local Orthodox and Catholic priests, the author of the Memorial, sponsors, residents of Gorodeya, and nearby villages.

 Memorial ceremonies take place on July 3rd and May 9th (Victory Day in Belarus) еаch year. Groups from Belarus and other countries visit the memorial during the year.