Kholm
Encyclopedia
Kholm is a town and the administrative center of Kholmsky District
of Novgorod Oblast
, Russia
, situated at the confluence
of the Lovat
and Kunya River
s, 77 kilometres (47.8 mi) north of Toropets
, 93 kilometres (57.8 mi) southwest of Staraya Russa
, and 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) south of Veliky Novgorod
. Population:
The settlement was first mentioned in 1144 as "Kholmsky Pogost
". During the Middle Ages, the town, then a seat of the Princes Kholmsky, withstood innumerable sieges by Lithuanians, Poles, and Swedes.
In 1777, it was elevated in status to that of an uyezd
town and renamed from "Kholmsky Pogost" to "Kholm".
During World War II
, it was occupied by the Wehrmacht
from 1941 to February 21, 1944, when it was liberated in the aftermath of the Toropets-Kholm Operation
. The town was completely ruined, and its current population is only a third of the pre-war one.
In the dense woods and impracticable swamps to the west from Kholm lies the deserted Rdeysky Monastery.
Kholmsky District, Novgorod Oblast
Kholmsky District, Novgorod Oblast is an administrative district , one of the 21 in Novgorod Oblast, Russia....
of Novgorod Oblast
Novgorod Oblast
Novgorod Oblast is a federal subject of Russia , located between Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Its administrative center is the city of Veliky Novgorod. Some of the oldest Russian cities, including Veliky Novgorod and Staraya Russa, are located there...
, 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...
, situated at the confluence
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of the Lovat
Lovat River
The Lovat River is a river in Belarus and Russia. It flows out of Lovatets Lake in northwestern Belarus, and flows north through Pskov and Novgorod Oblasts of Russia into Lake Ilmen. Its main tributaries are the Kunya, Polist, Redya, and Robya Rivers....
and Kunya River
Kunya River
The Kunya River is a river in Pskov Oblast, Tver Oblast and Novgorod Oblast of Russia, and a tributary of the Lovat River. It flows north out of Vsteselovo Lake in the southern portion of Pskov Oblast, near the town of Velikie Luki, and joins the Lovat in the town of Kholm....
s, 77 kilometres (47.8 mi) north of Toropets
Toropets
Toropets is a town and the administrative center of Toropetsky District of Tver Oblast, Russia, located where the Toropa River enters Lake Solomeno. Population: -History:...
, 93 kilometres (57.8 mi) southwest of Staraya Russa
Staraya Russa
Staraya Russa is a town in Novgorod Oblast, Russia, located south of Veliky Novgorod. It is a wharf on the Polist River in the Lake Ilmen basin. It serves as the administrative center of Starorussky District, although administratively it is not a part of it...
, and 200 kilometres (124.3 mi) south of Veliky Novgorod
Veliky Novgorod
Veliky Novgorod is one of Russia's most historic cities and the administrative center of Novgorod Oblast. It is situated on the M10 federal highway connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg. The city lies along the Volkhov River just below its outflow from Lake Ilmen...
. Population:
The settlement was first mentioned in 1144 as "Kholmsky Pogost
Pogost
Pogost is a historical term with several meanings in the Russian language. It has also been borrowed into Latvian and Finnish , with specific meanings....
". During the Middle Ages, the town, then a seat of the Princes Kholmsky, withstood innumerable sieges by Lithuanians, Poles, and Swedes.
In 1777, it was elevated in status to that of an 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...
town and renamed from "Kholmsky Pogost" to "Kholm".
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it was occupied by the Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
from 1941 to February 21, 1944, when it was liberated in the aftermath of the Toropets-Kholm Operation
Toropets-Kholm Operation
The Toropets–Kholm Offensive was a military operation conducted south of Lake Ilmen by the Red Army during World War II, from 9 January-6 February 1942. The operation contributed to the formation of the Kholm Pocket, the encirclement of the Wehrmachts II...
. The town was completely ruined, and its current population is only a third of the pre-war one.
In the dense woods and impracticable swamps to the west from Kholm lies the deserted Rdeysky Monastery.