Historical calendar: May 13, 1937 – alleged "pogrom" in Brest nad Bug

Historical calendar: anniversary of the execution of a Polish policeman by a Jew, which became the origin of the outbreak of street riots in Brest over Bug.

Today in our calendar we will look at the scenes of this event.

The causes of the events from Brest over Bug were the consequences of the statutory ban on the slaughter of animals without their earlier stunning. The ban entered into force on January 1, 1937. but as a rule, slaughters for spiritual purposes were to be obtained, but then a peculiar licence was to be obtained and meat from specified slaughter was not to be sold. The Jews broke the law massively, not seeking approval or killing animals and consuming better parts of their bodies (carrots, shoulder blades), while the others, especially parts, illegally sold to the goys.

13 May 1937 elder Constable of Brest over Bug Stefan Kędziora, after receiving a tip, searched in the cold store of ritual Ajzyk Szczerbowski. He found 10 calves from illegal (unreported) slaughter. Moreover, they were prepared to sale to the goys.

During the requisition of meat, the police officer was attacked and stabbed in the back with a ritual knife by the boy of the sculptor – Welwel Szczerbowski. Curly, assuming the attacker was Ajzyk, he shot him. They both went to the city hospital, where Kędziora died little than an hr later.

Information that the boy of a judaic butcher murdered a police officer with a ritual knife rapidly ran around the city. The Polish population was agitated, attacks on Jews and judaic shops. A weak reaction from the police led to an increase in riots.

In the late evening, reinforcements arrived in the city from surrounding stations. The pacification of the crowds, which besides crashed and robbed respective Polish shops, continued until 11:00 p.m.

As a consequence of the riots, commercial premises and apartments were looted. 54 people were injured, including 50 Jews. In addition to the Polish policeman, the fatal victim was Boruch Zylberger, working as a watchmaker.

The police arrested 185 people, of which 16 were Jews. 33 persons were sentenced to probation and to prison for 6 to 10 months. There's no evidence of who killed the judaic watchmaker. The murderer of the Polish police officer – Welwel Szczerbowski hid, but was given to the authorities by his own mother. He stood trial and was sentenced to death penalty, which nevertheless was softened to life.

Previous entry from our calendar is available Here..