War, the town was captured by the German Army on 23 June 1941. The German occupation lasted until 15 July 1944. During this time, Byaroza was administered as a part of Generalbezirk Wolhynien und Podolien of Reichskommissariat Ukraine. During World War II, a ghetto was created in the town for Jews who fled there from the surrounding areas. Under the Nazi German occupying administration — which had merged Byaroza, along with most of western Polesia, into the Reichskommissariat Ukraine — more than 8,000 people were killed in mass executions or were starved to death. Numerous pro-Soviet and pro-Ukrainian partisan units were active in the area around Byaroza before Red Army troops finally liberated the town on 15 July 1944. Repopulated with Belarusian and Russian peasants, the town was rebuilt after the destruction of World War II. After a minor building materials factory was opened in the town, another period of fast growth followed. During the postwar period a Soviet aviation military base was placed close to Biaroza. In 1958-1967 a hydroelectric power station was built in the Biaroza Raion. In 1991, after the dissolution of the USSR, the town became part of the independent Republic of Belarus. Mayors Berl (Dov) Ribak (1882 - 1915) Naftali Levinson (1915 - 1919 acting, 1919 - 1939?) Heads of Biaroza District Executive Committee Yury Narkevich (2005 - 2016) Leanid Martyniuk (since 2016) Landmarks Although the 17th-century monastery was mostly destroyed in the 19th century, there are some ruins remaining. Among them are: Historical gateway with a decorative façade Parts of fortifications surrounding the monastery with several towers partially preserved Ruins of the octagonal church tower Ruins of the hospital Several buildings later incorporated into the tsarist prison. People from Byaroza Jakob Klatzkin, Jewish philosopher Kadia Molodowsky, Jewish poet and writer Kseniya Koçyiğit, Belarusian-born Azerbaijani professional volleyball player See also Battle of Bereza Kartuska Notes References External links Photos on Radzima.org Biaroza on Googlemaps Kartuz-Bereza, Our Town Memorial Book on JewishGen Kartuz-Bereza cemetery Cities in Belarus Populated places in Brest Region Pruzhansky Uyezd Polesie Voivodeship Holocaust locations in Belarus Byaroza District