What is "chervyen'"

Červień or Chervyen’ (, ; Ігумен Igumen till 1923; ; ; ) is a small town in Minsk Voblast, Belarus.

On February 1, 1942 the German forces and local policemen surrounded the Cherven ghetto. At the same time, other Jews living outside the ghetto walls, such as in the local hospital, were gathered together. They were ordered to undress to their undergarments and lie on the ground, where they were shot dead. Witnesses put the number of victims at between 1,500-1,750 people. The murder operation was carried out by the Einsatzkommando 8 unit of Einsatzgruppe B, with the help of local policeman.

On 26 June 1941, the Soviet NKVD mass-executed prisoners from Minsk in the nearby Tsagelnya forest. Wooden statue Mourning Ange, by sculptor Gennady Matusevich, was erected at the location. Commemorative events are held there every year in June.

Olympic light-heavyweight weightlifting champion Valery Shary is from the town. It is also the birthplace of Russian cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy.