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Iehezkel AtlasDoctor, one of the commanders of the partisan movement in Poland and Belarus
Date of Birth: 01.01.1913
Country:  Poland |
Content:
- Early Life and Family Tragedy
- Origin of the Partisan Group
- Joining Forces with Soviet Partisans
- Leadership and Notable Missions
- Capture of a German Aircraft
- Tragic Demise and Legacy
Early Life and Family Tragedy
Yehezkel Atlas was born in 1913 in Rawa Mazowiecka, Poland. Upon his family's relocation to the USSR, his parents and 17-year-old sister, Seline, were tragically murdered by the Nazis during their 1939 invasion of Poland. Atlas, however, was spared due to his profession as a doctor and was sent to work as a medical officer in a village.
Origin of the Partisan Group
In 1942, spurred by the horrors he witnessed, Atlas organized a partisan group composed primarily of young Jewish individuals. Under his brilliant leadership, the group managed to escape the Dzyarzhynsk ghetto on the day of its liquidation.
Joining Forces with Soviet Partisans
Atlas's group, numbering approximately 120 Jewish fighters, subsequently joined forces with Soviet partisans. In one daring raid, they stormed and seized a police station, killing over 60 officers and securing much-needed weapons and ammunition.
Leadership and Notable Missions
Atlas's effective leadership and military prowess earned him the trust of the partisan command. He led a sabotage group that carried out several successful attacks against German garrisons, including the explosion of a train on the Lida railway line and the destruction of a strategically important bridge over the Neman River.
Capture of a German Aircraft
On September 15, 1942, Atlas's forces exhibited exceptional bravery when they seized a German aircraft that had been forced to land.
Tragic Demise and Legacy
On October 2, 1942, during a German raid, Yehezkel Atlas was tragically killed. His body was secretly buried in a forest bog in December 1942. In a poignant tribute, the war hero was finally laid to rest in a Jewish cemetery in Dzyarzhynsk in July 2008, 66 years after his untimely demise.
