The Bielski Brothers:

Secret Community in the Forest

Primary Sources:
Area of Operation of the Bielski Family Camp. Digital image. Yad Vashem. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2015.
This image shows the hometown of the Bielski brothers and the nearby city that became the
ghetto where the majority of their family was murdered. This image also pinpoints various
locations where the Bielski otriad set up camp as well as the geography of the surrounding area.
This was very important because it gave me a visual of the area where the Bielskis were active. It
also gave me new awareness of the incredible distance the partisans covered. This image could be
improved if it included a scale.
Female Jewish Partisans. Digital image. Jewish Partisans Film. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.jewishpartisansfilm.com/the-film>.
This image shows female Jewish partisans holding guns. They appear to be happy and healthy.
This showed me that females indeed had a part in the armed missions of the Bielski otriad. I had
previously believed that men only conducted such missions. This image could be improved if more
women were shown.
General Platon. Digital image. Holocaust Education & Archive Research Team. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Jan.
2015.
This image shows General Vasily Chernyshev, aka "Platon". Platon was important to my
research because he worked closely with the Bielskis as the leading Soviet general in the area. His
picture was important because it helped me mentally visualize the man that was so involved with
the Bielskis and their successes. The image could be improved if it were of better quality. In
addition, the picture could be improved if information was included on when it was taken.
Group portrait of Kalinin Jewish partisans. Digital image. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.
N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Jan. 2015.
This image is a group portrait of members of the Kalinin unit of the Bielski partisans. These
members act as guards for the group. A female partisan can be seen in the back row. This image
was important to my research because it showed me that females were important in armed
operations. This picture could be improved if it were clearer.
Holocaust Inmates. Digital image. Virginia Holocaust Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.va-holocaust.com/>.
This image shows Jewish Holocaust camp prisoners behind a barbed fence. The prisoners appear
gaunt and distant, with hollowed eyes. I used this image in my project to give a visual of the kinds
of conditions that the Bielskis tried to protect Jews from. It helped me gain a deeper
understanding of the true impact of the actions of Bielski otriad. It could be improved if it were of
better quality, and a little clearer.
Jewish Partisan Activity in Eastern Europe, 1942-1944. Digital image. United States Holocaust
Memorial Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Jan. 2015.
This image shows a map of areas in Eastern Europe where Jewish partisans were active. It also
showed ghettos and major cities in the area. This was key to my research because it showed me

that while significant in their own right, the Bielski partisans were a relatively small percentage
compared to total Jewish partisans in the area. Before seeing this image I never realized that
there was partisan activity in the majority of Eastern Europe. This image couldve been more
helpful if it were specific to the Bielskis, and pinpointed their own general area.
Plan of Family Camp. Digital image. Courage And Compassion: The Legacy of the Bielski Brothers.
Florida
Holocaust
Museum,
n.d.
Web.
6
Jan.
2015.
<http://www.courageandcompassionexhibit.com/the-story/the-bielski-otriad.aspx>.
This image was a diagram showing the layout of buildings that made of the Bielski family camp.
This image also gave me important information regarding the different occupations of people in
the camp. This was important because it gave me more understanding of how sophisticated the
camp was, considering the circumstances. This image could be improved if it included
information of the location of the camp. It could also be improved if it showed geography of
surrounding land.
The Katzowicz Brothers, Two Jewish Resistance Fighters. N.d. Yad Vashem Photo Archive, Bialystok,
Poland. Yad Vashem. Web. 8 Jan. 2015.
<http://collections.yadvashem.org/photosarchive/en-us/46388.html>.
This image shows two brothers who are Jewish resistance fighters in Poland. One holds a gun,
and they both appear to be in uniform. This picture was important to my research because it
helped me understand partisan groups as being an unofficial "military", with fighters wearing
uniforms. This picture could be improved if it were clearer. This picture would also be improved if
there was a better explanation provided of the photo.
Three Bielski Brothers. Digital image. Geschichtswerkstatt Europa. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.geschichtswerkstatt-europa.org/expired-project-details/items/bielski.html>.
This image shows the three Bielski brothers who originally established the otriad. This was very
important to my research because it gave me a visual idea of what the brothers looked like. This
put a face to the name, and the achievements that I read about in my other research. It also
showed me how young the Bielski brothers really were. This picture could be improved if it
included the younger surviving brother Aron.
Zemlyanka.
Digital
image.
Zapoved.net.
N.p.,
n.d.
Web.
7
Jan.
2015.
<http://www.zapoved.net/index.php/News//_/_/
_/_>.
This image shows a zemlyanka made of tree trunks. It appears to be partially underground, and
it blends into the foliage. This image was important to my project because it gave me a visual
representation of something that was key to the partisans' success. This website could be
improved if it were easier to understand. It seemed disorganized, and much of it was in Russian.

Secondary Sources:
"The Bielski Brothers: Jewish Resistance and the "Otriad"" Holocaust Education & Archive Research
Team. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/revolt/bielski.html>.
This site gave information describing what the camp looked like. This was important because it
helped me mentally imagine what life was like for partisans. The site also provided important
pictures of the Bielski brothers and the partisans. This site would be improved if it had a better
variety of images. This site could also be improved if it were more organized.

"The Bielski Partisans." Fold3. Ancestry.com, n.d. Web. 17 Dec. 2014.

This site gave extensive information about the private lives of the four brothers who originally
established the otriad. This was important because it helped me understand them in greater
detail as individuals. Without this source, I only knew the Bielski brothers as leaders who led the
otriad. This source showed me a more personal side of the brothers. An improvement to this site
would be to add more pictures of the brothers.
"The Bielski Partisans." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust
Memorial Council, 20 June 2014. Web. 15 Dec. 2014.
This site explained in great detail what life was like inside the camp. This was key to my research
because it gave me a better understanding of what the physical camp looked like. This site also
gave a lot of information about how the Bielski otriad worked with other partisan detachments in
the area. This was important because it made me aware of the fact that resistance during the
Holocaust was more than just individual actions. It could have been more valuable if it included
more pictures.
"Bielski Partisans." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2014.
This site gave key information on the activities of the otriad. This was important because it
helped me understand what members did in resistance against the Germans. One improvement
would be the addition of more detailed information. This site also gave information on the Bielski
family before the war. This gave me insight to what kind of life the brothers left behind. Another
improvement would be to add additional pictures.
"Holocaust Resistance: The Bielski Brothers and the Otriad." Jewish Virtual Library. N.p., n.d. Web.
17 Dec. 2014.
This site gave key information on daily life for the Bielski partisans. This was important because
it gave me understanding as to what partisans experienced and how their camp was set up. This
site could be improved if it gave more information on life for the Bielskis before the war. This site
also gave important pictures. This was important because it showed me what the partisans
looked like. This site could be improved if it were more organized.

"The Bielski Brothers: Jewish Resistance and the "Otriad"" Holocaust Education & Archive Research
Team. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2015.
<http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/revolt/bielski.html>.
This site gave information describing what the camp looked like. This was important because it
helped me mentally imagine what life was like for partisans. The site also provided important
pictures of the Bielski brothers and the partisans. This site would be improved if it had a better
variety of images. This site could also be improved if it were more organized.
Reiniger, Franziska. "Solidarity in the Forest - The Bielski Brothers." Yad Vashem. Yad Vashem The
Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority, n.d. Web. 5 Jan. 2015.
This source gave very important information on the challenges that the Bielski otriad faced. This
was important in showing how difficult life as a partisan could be. This source also gave excellent
key quotes from the Bielskis or other otriad members. This was extremely important to my

project because it gave insight into the feelings of the partisans. This site could be improved if it
were more organized.
"The Story." Courage And Compassion: The Legacy of the Bielski Brothers. Florida Holocaust
Museum, n.d. Web. 6 Jan. 2015.
This site gave in depth details about the life before the war and life as a member of the otriad.
This was key to my research because it put my research in perspective of the time period. It also
gave information about the impact of the work of the Bielski otriad. This helped me to understand
the true legacy of the Bielski brothers. This site could be improved if it included more pictures.
"Tuvia Bielski: Rescue Is Resistance." Jewish Partisan Educational Foundation. Jewish Partisan
Educational Foundation, n.d. Web. 8 Jan. 2015.
This source gave information on the individual Bielski brothers and their legacy. It also includes
information on specific missions that the Bielski Otriad accomplished. This source was key to my
research because it provided more in-depth examples of things that the Bielski Otriad did. It was
also extremely helpful in providing additional sites to help me continue my research. It could be
improved if it included more pictures.