Kryvokobylska Maria and Ivinska Melania

In the early twentieth century, there were more than 100 000 Jews throughout the Yekaterynoslav (now – Dnipropetrovsk region) (4.8% of the total population).  The vast majority of them lived in the cities and towns.

In the early 1930s, 56 Jewish schools with almost 10,000 children continued to function in the newly created Dnipropetrovsk region, as well as four technical schools — pedagogical, zootechnical, agrotechnical, and communist education.

During the Soviet anti-religious campaign there was a powerful attack on Judaism and Jewish religious buildings - in 1941 there were only 2 synagogues left in the city.  Some of the Jews of Dnipropetrovsk fell into the grind of Stalin's repressions of the 1930s, among them were well-known political, cultural, and public figures.

Thus, by the beginning of World War II, almost all manifestations of Jewish national life had ceased to exist.  Jewish political parties were banned, educational and cultural institutions (including religious) were disbanded, and in 1939 Jewish national districts were liquidated.  However, according to the 1939 census, a total of 129,439 Jews lived in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

German occupation of Dnipropetrovsk started on August 25, 1941. At the time of the occupation of Dnipropetrovsk, there remained from 30 to 35 thousand Jews.

For Jews, as well as for other residents, the short period of anarchy in late August of 1941, when Red Army units retreated from the city and Wehrmacht forces had only entered its right-bank part, was remembered by the widespread looting of various trade establishments.  warehouses, granaries.

One of the first orders of the Nazi administration was an order from the commandant on September 25 that "Jews and semi-Jews акщь the age of 10 should wear a white зфеср with the Star of David sewn on their left sleeve."  And for violation of the order, there was a death penalty.

On October 12, a meeting was held between representatives of the occupation authorities: representatives of the SD, German police, the city council, and local police.  An order was given: "On the night of October 12-13, 1941, the remaining Jewish population will be gathered throughout the city of Dnipropetrovsk in a special place, from where they will be sent to a designated location of permanent residence."

Melania Ivinska and her sister Maria Kryvokobylska lived in Dnipropetrovsk, in a communal apartment with several other families.  One of the rooms of the flat was occupied by the Jewish family of Zatulovskyis.

When the war broke out, the head of the Zatulovskyis family went to the front, and his wife and children - 13-year-old Naum and 7-year-old Elia - remained in Dnipropetrovsk.

In October 1941, two policemen entered the flat and ordered them to follow.  Melania Ivinska and Maria Kryvokobylska, who had friendly relations with the Zatulovskyis, volunteered to escort their Jewish friends to the gathering point.  On their way, a column of Jews passed the army trucks, and a German officer ordered Naum to help him load the lorry.  The Jews continued to move to the gathering place, and Melania and Maria waited until Naum was released.  When the officer released Naum, the boy secretly removed the Star of David from his hand, and Maria took him to her cousin Yevdokia Kryvokobylska.

A few days later, announcements were posted throughout the city that sheltering Jews would be punishable by death.  Yevdokia could not hide Naum because she was afraid for her four children, but she offered Maria to take the documents of her eldest son.  Maria took Naum with her at night. According to the document his name was Roman Kryvokobylskyi. Soon the Jews of Dnipropetrovsk were shot.

Some neighbors knew that Maria was hiding a Jew, so she sent Naum to the village of Kurylivka to her sister.  After the liberation of Dnipropetrovsk from Germans on October 25, 1943, Naum returned home to his rescuers and remained there until 1947 when his father returned from the army.

After the war, Naum graduated from the Industrial College, then - the Metallurgical Institute.   He worked as the head of the laboratory of the Petrovskyi plant.  He died in 1996.

The title of Righteous Among the Nations was awarded to Maria Kryvokobylska and Melania Ivinska on March 24, 1996