Ostland. The census counted 1,016 people from 348 families at Kailis. 1942 was the "quiet period" which provided an opportunity to establish some cultural life at the camp. The Jews established a school for children, a small library, sports competitions. The camp had its own Jewish police and clinic. Liquidation In August–September 1943, Vilna Ghetto was liquidated and only the Kailis and HKP 562 forced labor camps and two other small groups remained in the city. The population of Kailis swelled up. Many Jews used the camp as a temporary refuge before finding a better hideout or joining the Jewish partisans in the forests. According to Yitzhak Arad, about 600 Jews passed through the camp. On 15 October, Bruno Kittel conducted a thorough inspection of the camp and executed about 30 Jews who could not account for their presence at the camp. The inspections were carried out a few more times. In November, Kailis received a new commander, SS-man Richter. He instituted a greater control of the camp and compiled a list of its residents. The list contained about 1,350 names, though another 100 or so were too afraid to register. On 27 March 1944, the camp's children under age 16 were rounded up in an operation commanded by Martin Weiss. They were taken to the train station; their further fate is not known. Without a concrete evidence of their fate, various rumors spread. The Black Book published a testimony that the children were taken to Kraków where they were used as blood and skin donors for injured German soldiers. On 20 April, 80 workers from Kailis were taken to Ponary to exhume and burn corpses according to the Sonderaktion 1005. On 3 July 1944, remaining workers of Kailis were rounded up, transported to Ponary, and executed. In total, about 2,000–2,500 Jews from various camps were executed in Ponary that day. Notes References 1941 establishments in Lithuania 1944 disestablishments in Lithuania History of Vilnius Nazi concentration camps in Lithuania Vilna Ghetto