This Piece of Land

This Piece of Land focuses on the annexed and occupied landscapes of Belarus and Ukraine—regions that became chaotic, lawless spaces during the Nazi invasion eastward following the annexation of Poland. These territories were the primary sites of what is now known as the “Holocaust by bullets,” a phase of mass murder that predated Operation Reinhard. In these areas, more Jews were murdered than in any other region during the Holocaust, yet their stories are rarely discussed, frequently omitted from maps, and largely absent from mainstream historical narratives.

This project seeks to document these forgotten landscapes and the stories embedded within them. It will examine the brutality witnessed by local populations, while also highlighting acts of courage, resistance, and survival that demonstrate the resilience of the human spirit. By returning to the physical locations where these events unfolded, the project aims to reconnect memory, testimony, and place.

The Belarus chapter will be developed with the support and guidance of The Together Plan, an organization whose work is uniquely dedicated to preserving Jewish heritage and Holocaust history in Eastern Europe. One of their major projects, the Brest Jewish Cemetery, will be among the sites documented, offering new insight into a region rarely explored in this way.

The Ukraine chapter is informed by the groundbreaking research of Father Patrick Desbois, whose work has fundamentally reshaped understanding of the Holocaust by bullets through the collection of eyewitness testimony. Drawing upon these documented testimonies, This Piece of Land will present voices that have too often gone unheard, making them accessible to a wider audience.

Ultimately, this project aims to expand public understanding of the Holocaust by documenting regions, histories, and human experiences that remain largely unknown, ensuring that these stories are preserved, acknowledged, and remembered.