Figures published for the first time in a new study issued today revealed that more than 500,000 Jews served in the Russian army during World War II, and that 67,000 of them won medals for meritorious performance, bravery and heroism. The medal winners included 50 who were awarded the highest Soviet order–Hero of the Soviet Union.
The study, “Face to Face with the Nazi Enemy,” was published here by the Association of Invalids of the War Against the Nazis and includes data on partisans who fought the Nazis. The survey also reported that at the outbreak of World War II in 1939, there were more than 150,000 Jews in the Polish army and in the period before Poland surrendered three weeks later, 32,000 were killed. The Nazis took as prisoners 61,000 Jewish soldiers in the armies of Poland, Greece, Yugoslavia, Britain, South Africa, the United States, Canada, Italy and Bulgaria.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
