There Were Actually Jewish Soldiers in the Russian Empire

By Ann Rabinowitz


             Joe Furmanovsky, POW (seated far right)



Tzar Nicholas II in the new Army Kit, 1909




                   Russian POWs in Lithuania






  1. My grandfather was in the sole Jewish cavalry contingent in Pinsk probably before 1900.

  2. Dear JP:

    Do you have a photo of your grandfather in his military uniform? It would be interesting to see.

    For those interested in Jewish military participation in Lithuania, at a later date, there is a new book out by Dorothy Leivers entitled "Road to Victory, Jewish Soliders of the 16th Lithuanian Division, 1942-1945".

  3. I don't have a photo of him in uniform, but years ago I happened to leaf through a volume of photos of Jewish life in Russia dating back before 1900, and there was a photo of the Jewish cavalry--maybe 10 or 12 men, among them one I recognized (and could match with another photo I have) as my grandfather.

  4. My great grandfather served in the czar's army in the early 1890s. In his area of ukraine they were conscripted for three years at the age of 19. I believe my great grandfather was stationed in warsaw for a time.

    As to the mismatched uniforms, one of his stories he passed down was that the jewish soldiers were only given the bare basic uniform, and were told to go get warm clothes from the local jews.

  5. Hello,my granfather was a high ranking officer, possibly a Major, In the Russian army after ww1. I have little information on him and I am hoping that by being able to access his military recors I can learn more. He was Janis Grasis, born 1875, died 1950.
    Does anyone know if it is possible to get these records, or even a photo?
    thanks Margret


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