Chessboard and pieces carved from hazel wood by Julius Druckman, Transnistria, 1943

Tens of thousands of Jews sought shelter in lofts, cellars, bunkers, sewers, and similar places. Many equipped themselves with forged papers, while children were often concealed with Christian families. The survival ratio was low: most fugitives were discovered and murdered. The number of Jews who survived by going underground is estimated in the thousands.