Obituaries

Continued from Page 64 then closed and Col. Beleanu ordered the soldiers to fire into the buildings. After the firing stopped, the buildings were set on fire. More than 22,000 corpses were discovered after the War.

Another 35,000 to 40,000 Jews were moved into the ghetto known as Slobodka, where most of the buildings were destroyed and the Jews left outside for 10 days between Oct. 25 and Nov. 3, where many of them froze to death.

By January those Jews that had not died in the Slobodka Ghetto were transported in cattle wagons to concentration camps, where almost all died. Gen. Nicolae Macici was convicted by The People’s Tribunal in Bucharest in May 1945 for the Odessa Massacre and sentenced to die. His death sentence was commuted by the Romanian King. Gen. Macici died in Aiud Prison, in Central Transylvania, in 1950. Twenty-eight other members of the Romanian occupying force received prison sentences ranging from one year to life.

In December 1942, Odessa became the center for the Romanian administration of the area Romania called “Transnistria.” This meant “across the Dniester.” “Transnistria” was bordered on the west by the Dniester River, on the east by the Bug River, on the south by the Black Sea and on the north by Poland. Its population was approximately 2.5 million, of which 57 percent were Ukrainians, 28 percent Russians and 4.5 percent Romanians.

This is the area where the Romanians murdered many Jews — at least 185,000. The behavior of Romanians in “Transnistria” was so bad that the Germans protested!

The Romanian administrator for “Transnistria” was Gheorghe Alexianu. His residence and office were located in the Vorontsov Palace in Odessa. Before the war, he had been a respected law professor at Cernauti University in the city of Cernauti, Northern Bukovina, Romania, now the Ukranian city of Cernivtsi. Romanians working in the Transnistrian administration were paid thrice what they were paid in Romania.

As the Red Army approached, Prof. Alexianu was replaced by Maj.-Gen. Gheorghe Potopeanu on Feb. 1, 1944. The professor would be executed, with the Conduc tor, after a brief trial on June 1,1946. In February, the Red Army crossed the Bug River into “Transnistria.” On March 16, the Germans assumed total control of “Transnistria.” In the meantime, the Romanians were carting off everything they could find.

On May 1, 1945, Stalin recognized Odessa, Leningrad, Stalingrad and Sevastopol as “Hero Cities.” The title was made official on May 8, 1965 by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.

Next week: Gone Fishin’

Mr. Wimbrow writes from Ocean City, Maryland, where he practices law representing those persons accused of criminal and traffic offenses, and those persons who have suffered a personal injury through no fault of their own. He can be contacted at: wimbrowlaw@gmail.com. ARDENE MONTE Ocean Pines

Ardene Monte died peacefully at Catered Living of Ocean Pines on Saturday, July 3, 2021. His goal was to reach 100 years and he was very close at 99.5 years.

He was born on Dec. 3, 1921, in Farmington, Illinois, to Cleto and Nora Monterastelli. Ardene’s wife, Helmi, asked him to shorten his last name to better fit her diminutive size. His adventure with his name lasted his entire life as his nicknames included Dean, Slim, Stretch, Monte, Grandpa Monte, and Chunks.

He was a retired accountant with Hughes Grocery Chain but he much better enjoyed golf, swing dancing, karaoke (signature songs: “My Way” and “Kansas City”), poker, his many friends, and his family.

He is survived by a son, Paul Monte; one granddaughter, Lea Wulfkuhle; and two great-granddaughters, Josephine and Antonia Wulfkuhle.

He is in Heaven now with Helmi and his other son, Alan J. Monte, probably raising a ruckus.

He will be remembered for his honesty, generosity, humor, love of Swiss Steak, and willingness to break into song.

He was an amazing human being, father, grandfather, and friend. We miss him.

A Celebration of this extraordinary man’s life will be held in the fall. Zoom will be offered.

ROBERT POREMSKI Ocean Pines

Robert (Bob) Poremski, 77, of Ocean Pines, Maryland, passed away peacefully on July 26, 2021, at his home surrounded by family after a long and courageous battle with cancer.

Bob was born on March 22, 1944 and was the son of Thomas B. Poremski Sr. and Marie M. (Goralski) Poremski of Baltimore, Maryland. He is survived by his wife, JoAnn, of 56 years, and his two daughters, Christine Kuzmick of Thousand Oaks, California, and Cindy Giannini and her husband, Steve, of Ocean Pines, Maryland.

He has three grandchildren that were the light of his life, Jacob and Ashley Kuzmick and Chase Giannini.

He is preceded in death by his older brother, Bernard Poremski, and survived by his brother, Thomas Poremski, and sister, Joan Coe.

He is survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Bob graduated in 1962 from Polytechnic Institute in Baltimore, and graduated from John Hopkins University with a Bachelor of Engineering Science degree.

He worked for several engineering companies before relocating to the Eastern Shore in 1985. He then started a custom home building business (Poremski Homes), which he enjoyed for over 20 years.

He also had a lifelong career in real estate.

Bob was a devoted family man and loving father and Pop Pop. He lived life to the fullest and was interested in many things including reading and learning, playing tennis, pickleball, platform tennis, kayaking, sailing and watching sports.

He also loved sitting on his back deck enjoying the beautiful views and wildlife, while listening to music. But most of all, he loved his family, grandchildren and his cat, Misty. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. There will be a Celebration of Life at a later date.

Arrangements are in the care of Eastern Shore Cremation and Funeral Service, 504 Franklin Avenue, Berlin, Maryland 21811. To send condolences to the family, please v i s i t www.easternshorecremation.com.

Ardene Monte

Robert Poremski