Jewish regiment

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The Jewish regiment was an infantry regiment formed in January 1920 during the Russian Civil War 1917-1922 as a part of forces of ataman Semyonov which acted in Transbaikal region. It was a unique phenomenon in Jewish history when Jews served in a favour of antisemitic cossacks. In addition to that ataman of Transbaikal Cossack Host was not a supporter of national Jewish movements, only after Kolchak's defeat and retreat to Eastern Siberia, Semyonov changed his mind and allowed Jews to participate in his anti-Soviet activities. In other regions Jews joined the anti-Bolshevik actions.

1 Reasons of collaboration
2 Formation
3 Actions and aftermath
4 Reference

[edit] Reasons of collaboration

The staffers and soldiers were Jews from different social strata from craftsmen to traders' sons. Jews were reluctant to accept the Soviet regime because they were eyewitnesses of the Red Terror, instability, and criminal unlimitedness of 1918.

[edit] Formation

The regiment was supplied by Chita Jewish community. Soldiers and staffers celebrated all Jewish holidays and random fought on Saturdays. There were 170 soldiers, 7 sergants, 4 low rank officers, and 2 captains. Most of soldiers were from Chita and Nerchinsk.

[edit] Actions and aftermath

Jewish regiment took part in many actions against local partisans. The most significant achievement of the regiment was defeat and capture of internationalists' partisan group of 150 strong which were former prisoners of war (POW) who were imprisoned and sent to Transbaikal region duringWorld War I. It was one of the last combat units to be self-disbanded in October 1920 after Chita region was lost to ataman Semyonov who fled to China. Part of the Jewish regiment joined him and afterwards Jewish soldiers sunk their roots in Manchuria and Harbin. The rest of the regiment emigrated in 1921-1924 to China. Afterwards the borders were locked by the authorities and about 20 former soldiers in the late 1930s were pursued by the NKVD.