Asael Bielski, was the second-in-command of the Bielski partisans during World War II.
Asael was the fourth oldest boy of David and Beila Bielski, two years younger than his brother Tuvia who later commanded the Bielski otriad. The Bielskis were the only Jewish family of Stankiewicze, a small village in pre-war Poland, now Western Belarus located between Lida and Nowogródek (Navahrudak) (both of which later housed Jewish ghettos during World War II). Asael was quieter than his brothers. He was very reserved and content to stay on the farm and around those he knew well. He was good-looking, though, some say not as attractive as his brothers.
With his older brothers leaving home and his father's health deteriorating, Asael was becoming the new head of the household. As the male leader of the family, he had to arrange the marriage of his sister Tajba to an upper-class man named Avremale.
After the Soviet invasion of Poland, Bielski brothers collaborated with the Soviets, which gained them hostility from the local Poles.
After the Operation Barbarossa, Asael and two of his brothers, Tuvia and Zus went into hiding in nearby forests.
Tuvia's group later joined Asael's larger group of thirteen. Before this, however, Zus joined Asael, as did their younger brother Aron. Another addition to the group included Chaja, who became Asael's wife after he saved her life. While in hiding she was very sick and needed medicine badly, so he walked all the way to the nearest pharmacy--which was not very close--in the snow to get her medicine. He stayed with her until he felt she was out of harm's way. Later he bought her a gun for protection, and this served as an engagement gift.
After Soviet liberation of the area, Asael joined the Soviet Red Army and 6 months later was killed in the Battle of Königsberg of 1945. He never lived to see the child he fathered with Chaya.
Asael was the fourth oldest boy of David and Beila Bielski, two years younger than his brother Tuvia who later commanded the Bielski otriad. The Bielskis were the only Jewish family of Stankiewicze, a small village in pre-war Poland, now Western Belarus located between Lida and Nowogródek (Navahrudak) (both of which later housed Jewish ghettos during World War II). Asael was quieter than his brothers. He was very reserved and content to stay on the farm and around those he knew well. He was good-looking, though, some say not as attractive as his brothers.
With his older brothers leaving home and his father's health deteriorating, Asael was becoming the new head of the household. As the male leader of the family, he had to arrange the marriage of his sister Tajba to an upper-class man named Avremale.
After the Soviet invasion of Poland, Bielski brothers collaborated with the Soviets, which gained them hostility from the local Poles.
After the Operation Barbarossa, Asael and two of his brothers, Tuvia and Zus went into hiding in nearby forests.
Tuvia's group later joined Asael's larger group of thirteen. Before this, however, Zus joined Asael, as did their younger brother Aron. Another addition to the group included Chaja, who became Asael's wife after he saved her life. While in hiding she was very sick and needed medicine badly, so he walked all the way to the nearest pharmacy--which was not very close--in the snow to get her medicine. He stayed with her until he felt she was out of harm's way. Later he bought her a gun for protection, and this served as an engagement gift.
After Soviet liberation of the area, Asael joined the Soviet Red Army and 6 months later was killed in the Battle of Königsberg of 1945. He never lived to see the child he fathered with Chaya.
Asael Bielski, was the second-in-command of the Bielski partisans during World War II.
Asael was the fourth oldest boy of David and Beila Bielski, two years younger than his brother Tuvia who later commanded the Bielski otriad. The Bielskis were the only Jewish family of Stankiewicze, a small village in pre-war Poland, now Western Belarus located between Lida and Nowogródek (Navahrudak) (both of which later housed Jewish ghettos during World War II). Asael was quieter than his brothers. He was very reserved and content to stay on the farm and around those he knew well. He was good-looking, though, some say not as attractive as his brothers.
With his older brothers leaving home and his father's health deteriorating, Asael was becoming the new head of the household. As the male leader of the family, he had to arrange the marriage of his sister Tajba to an upper-class man named Avremale.
After the Soviet invasion of Poland, Bielski brothers collaborated with the Soviets, which gained them hostility from the local Poles.
After the Operation Barbarossa, Asael and two of his brothers, Tuvia and Zus went into hiding in nearby forests.
Tuvia's group later joined Asael's larger group of thirteen. Before this, however, Zus joined Asael, as did their younger brother Aron. Another addition to the group included Chaja, who became Asael's wife after he saved her life. While in hiding she was very sick and needed medicine badly, so he walked all the way to the nearest pharmacy--which was not very close--in the snow to get her medicine. He stayed with her until he felt she was out of harm's way. Later he bought her a gun for protection, and this served as an engagement gift.
After Soviet liberation of the area, Asael joined the Soviet Red Army and 6 months later was killed in the Battle of Königsberg of 1945. He never lived to see the child he fathered with Chaya.
Asael was the fourth oldest boy of David and Beila Bielski, two years younger than his brother Tuvia who later commanded the Bielski otriad. The Bielskis were the only Jewish family of Stankiewicze, a small village in pre-war Poland, now Western Belarus located between Lida and Nowogródek (Navahrudak) (both of which later housed Jewish ghettos during World War II). Asael was quieter than his brothers. He was very reserved and content to stay on the farm and around those he knew well. He was good-looking, though, some say not as attractive as his brothers.
With his older brothers leaving home and his father's health deteriorating, Asael was becoming the new head of the household. As the male leader of the family, he had to arrange the marriage of his sister Tajba to an upper-class man named Avremale.
After the Soviet invasion of Poland, Bielski brothers collaborated with the Soviets, which gained them hostility from the local Poles.
After the Operation Barbarossa, Asael and two of his brothers, Tuvia and Zus went into hiding in nearby forests.
Tuvia's group later joined Asael's larger group of thirteen. Before this, however, Zus joined Asael, as did their younger brother Aron. Another addition to the group included Chaja, who became Asael's wife after he saved her life. While in hiding she was very sick and needed medicine badly, so he walked all the way to the nearest pharmacy--which was not very close--in the snow to get her medicine. He stayed with her until he felt she was out of harm's way. Later he bought her a gun for protection, and this served as an engagement gift.
After Soviet liberation of the area, Asael joined the Soviet Red Army and 6 months later was killed in the Battle of Königsberg of 1945. He never lived to see the child he fathered with Chaya.
