Death of Pejsach Kaplan

... bserve and record daily events in the ghetto, including important facts about the establishment and conduct of the Juden- rat. Concerning the notorious ‘“‘February Action” in 1943, which marked the beginning of the Bialystok ghetto’s liquidation, Kaplan wrote as if with blood the following words: ‘“‘How does one describe the destruc- tion of Bialystok as the author of the Book of Lamenta- tions would have adequately done? It 1s possible for me only to record cut and dried facts, indelibly inscribed in my memory, about the recent bleak and bloody days.” The following are excerpts from Kaplan’s diary, found after the war in the ruins of the ghetto, together with other records of the Judenrat. Shortly after completing the diary in March 1943 Kaplan died, no longer able to withstand the pain and suffering of his times. ...