Savytska (Belko) Tamara

The sisters Tamara and Lidiia Belko lived in Vinnytsia. After their parents passed away, their relatives took care of them. When the city was occupied by the Nazis in July 1941, the relatives moved to the countryside, and 16-year-old Tamara and 9-year-old Lidiia decided to stay in their house.

In late July, the first executions of Jews took place in the city. It was then that Tamara's school friend Henia Pysarevska asked her to shelter her and her mother, Etei Stelmakh. When, on September 19, 1941, about 10,000 Jews were killed by the Nazis in Vinnytsia, Henia and Etei had already been hiding in the Belkos' house. Searching for Jews, the Germans and local policemen organized raids in the city. The mother and daughter realized that they were endangering the orphaned girls, and in November they found another shelter.

In April 1942, Etei Stelmakh was killed. Henia, who escaped arrest, returned to the Belko sisters' house. Tamara managed to get forged documents for her friend, which helped her reach Transnistria, from where she was taken to Germany for forced labor.

In 1945, Henia Pysarevska returned to Ukraine. The school friends kept in touch throughout their lives.

In September 2000, Yad Vashem recognized Tamara Savytska (Belko) as a Righteous Among the Nations.

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