Biešankovicy
Encyclopedia
Biešankovičy is a town in the Vitebsk Province of Belarus
and a port on the Western Dvina river. It is 51 km (31.69 mi) west of Vitebsk
on the railway line between Orsha
and Lepiel
. The population is 8,200 (2004).
ruled by the Drucki-Sokoliński princes. In 1552 it numbered 34 houses.
In 1630, the village was purchased by Vilnius Voivode
Kazimierz Leon Sapieha
and underwent rapid expansion and was granted Magdeburg rights
in 1634. At that time, new stone houses were built and trade fair
s were held semiannually, frequented by 4 to 5 thousand visitors from Belarus
, Russia
and abroad.
After the first partition of the Rzeczpospolita
in 1772 (see History of Poland (1569–1795)
), control of the village was passed to the Russian Empire
. By the end of the 18th century, Biešankovičy was a township of the Lepel Uyezd
and later became the center of the volost
.
According to a 1897 census, the town's population was 4,423 people, there were 1,099 buildings, a post office, a telegraph, a school, 3 people's schools, 127 shops and a hospital.
Biešankovičy was then a largely Jewish settlement, numbering 3,182 Jewish citizens in 1900. The Jewish Encyclopedia
, published between 1901 and 1906, describes the town's population as four fifths Jewish of whom 576 are artisan
s. The town had a synagogue
, many houses of prayer, three benevolent societies, and numerous religious schools
.
Under Soviet power, Biešankovičy became an urban settlement and was the center of the raion
for several years. It later became part of the Vitebsk oblast
.
During the second world war
, Biešankovičy fell under German control and was almost entirely destroyed. 10,276 persons from Biešankovičy and the raion
were massacred, including the entire Jewish population. The town was recaptured on June 25, 1944 by the 1st Baltic Front
.
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
and a port on the Western Dvina river. It is 51 km (31.69 mi) west of Vitebsk
Vitebsk
Vitebsk, also known as Viciebsk or Vitsyebsk , is a city in Belarus, near the border with Russia. The capital of the Vitebsk Oblast, in 2004 it had 342,381 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth largest city...
on the railway line between Orsha
Orsha
Orsha is a city in Belarus in Vitebsk voblast on the fork of the Dnieper and Arshytsa rivers.-Facts:*Location: *Population: 125,000 *Phone code: +375 216*Postal codes: 211030, 211381–211394, 211396–211398-History:...
and Lepiel
Lepiel
Lepel is a town located in the center of the Lepiel District in the Vitebsk Province of Belarus near Lepiel Lake. Lepiel is situated at about and its population in the 1998 census was 19,400.The coat of arms of Lepel incorporates the Pahonia symbol....
. The population is 8,200 (2004).
History
In the early 16th century, the small village was part of the Grand Duchy of LithuaniaGrand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
ruled by the Drucki-Sokoliński princes. In 1552 it numbered 34 houses.
In 1630, the village was purchased by Vilnius Voivode
Vilnius Voivodeship
The Vilnius Voivodeship was one of voivodeships in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, created in 1413, from the Duchy of Lithuania and neighbouring lands.- Geography and administrative division :...
Kazimierz Leon Sapieha
Kazimierz Leon Sapieha
Kazimierz Leon Sapieha was a nobleman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Royal Secretary and Grand Writer of Lithuania from 1631, Court Marshal of Lithuania from 1637, Deputy Chancellor of Lithuania from 1645.Son of Lew Sapieha. Studied abroad. Sejm...
and underwent rapid expansion and was granted Magdeburg rights
Magdeburg rights
Magdeburg Rights or Magdeburg Law were a set of German town laws regulating the degree of internal autonomy within cities and villages granted by a local ruler. Modelled and named after the laws of the German city of Magdeburg and developed during many centuries of the Holy Roman Empire, it was...
in 1634. At that time, new stone houses were built and trade fair
Trade fair
A trade fair is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities...
s were held semiannually, frequented by 4 to 5 thousand visitors from Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and abroad.
After the first partition of the Rzeczpospolita
Rzeczpospolita
Rzeczpospolita is a traditional name of the Polish State, usually referred to as Rzeczpospolita Polska . It comes from the words: "rzecz" and "pospolita" , literally, a "common thing". It comes from latin word "respublica", meaning simply "republic"...
in 1772 (see History of Poland (1569–1795)
History of Poland (1569–1795)
The Nihil novi act adopted by the Polish Diet in 1505 transferred all legislative power from the king to the Diet. This event marked the beginning of the period known as "Nobles' Democracy" or "Nobles' Commonwealth" when the state was ruled by the "free and equal" Polish nobility...
), control of the village was passed to the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. By the end of the 18th century, Biešankovičy was a township of the Lepel Uyezd
Uyezd
Uyezd or uezd was an administrative subdivision of Rus', Muscovy, Russian Empire, and the early Russian SFSR which was in use from the 13th century. Uyezds for most of the history in Russia were a secondary-level of administrative division...
and later became the center of the volost
Volost
Volost was a traditional administrative subdivision in Eastern Europe.In earlier East Slavic history, volost was a name for the territory ruled by the knyaz, a principality; either as an absolute ruler or with varying degree of autonomy from the Velikiy Knyaz...
.
According to a 1897 census, the town's population was 4,423 people, there were 1,099 buildings, a post office, a telegraph, a school, 3 people's schools, 127 shops and a hospital.
Biešankovičy was then a largely Jewish settlement, numbering 3,182 Jewish citizens in 1900. The Jewish Encyclopedia
Jewish Encyclopedia
The Jewish Encyclopedia is an encyclopedia originally published in New York between 1901 and 1906 by Funk and Wagnalls. It contained over 15,000 articles in 12 volumes on the history and then-current state of Judaism and the Jews as of 1901...
, published between 1901 and 1906, describes the town's population as four fifths Jewish of whom 576 are artisan
Artisan
An artisan is a skilled manual worker who makes items that may be functional or strictly decorative, including furniture, clothing, jewellery, household items, and tools...
s. The town had a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, many houses of prayer, three benevolent societies, and numerous religious schools
Cheder
A Cheder is a traditional elementary school teaching the basics of Judaism and the Hebrew language.-History:...
.
Under Soviet power, Biešankovičy became an urban settlement and was the center of the raion
Raion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
for several years. It later became part of the Vitebsk oblast
Oblast
Oblast is a type of administrative division in Slavic countries, including some countries of the former Soviet Union. The word "oblast" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "zone", "province", or "region"...
.
During the second world war
Eastern Front (World War II)
The Eastern Front of World War II was a theatre of World War II between the European Axis powers and co-belligerent Finland against the Soviet Union, Poland, and some other Allies which encompassed Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe from 22 June 1941 to 9 May 1945...
, Biešankovičy fell under German control and was almost entirely destroyed. 10,276 persons from Biešankovičy and the raion
Raion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
were massacred, including the entire Jewish population. The town was recaptured on June 25, 1944 by the 1st Baltic Front
1st Baltic Front
The First Baltic Front was a Front of the Soviet Army during the Second World War. The commanders of it were Army General Andrey Yeryomenko and succeeded by Army General Bagramyan. It was formed by re-naming the Kalinin Front in October 12, 1943 and took part in several important military...
.
External links
- Beshankovichy. Jewish Cemeteries
- http://www.radzima.org/eng/pub/2445_m/ photos at Radzima.org http://www.belarus.by/en/belarus/territory/vitebsk/beshenkovichi/ - The history of the town Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee - Information about the Beshenkovichy district Belarus Guide - Some historical photographs of Beshenkovichy/ Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee The Road to Beshincovichi - Dr. David L. Frey's search for the Jewish cemetery of Beshenkovichy