Belz

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For other uses, see Belz (disambiguation).

Belz (Ukrainian: Белз, Polish: Bełz, Yiddish: בעלז) is a small town in the Lviv Oblast (province) of western Ukraine, near the border with Poland.

The current estimated population is 2,408 (as of 2004).

Contents

[edit] History

The town has existed since at least the 10th century, as one of the Red Towns (Ruthenian) strongholds under Bohemian and Polish rule. From 981 Belz was a part of Rus'-Ukraine (Duchy of Kiev, Duchy of Halych), except 1018-1030 when it belonged to Poland. In 1366 it became a permanent part of the Kingdom of Poland, until the First Partition of Poland in 1772. It then passed to the Austrian Empire, later the Austro-Hungarian Empire, where it was a part of the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria.

The Jewish (Ashkenazi) Kahal (hebr. קהלה kehilla) in Belz was established in the Late Middle Ages (ca. 14th c.). In 1665 Jews in Belz got equal rights and duties. The town became home to a Hasidic dynasty of Belz in the early 19th century. Shalom Rokeach of Belz (1779 - 1855), also known as the Sar Shalom, was the first Belzer Rebbe from 1817 to 1855. At the beginning of World War I, Belz counted 6,100 inhabitants, including 3,600 Jews, 1,600 Ukrainians, and 900 Poles. [1]

With the collapse of Austria-Hungary following World War I in November 1918, Belz was included in the Western Ukrainian People's Republic, but came under Polish control in 1919, which was confirmed in the Poland–Ukrainian People's Republic agreement in April 1920. From 1919 to 1939 Belz belonged to Poland. Then from 1939 to 1944 it was occupied by Germany as a part of the General Government. Belz is situated on left, north waterside of the Solokiya river (affluent of the Bug river), which was German-Soviet border in 1939-1941. After the war it reverted to Poland until 1951 when, after a minor border readjustment, it passed to the Soviet Union (Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic). Since 1991 it has been part of independent Ukraine.

[edit] Cultural trivia

The Yiddish song “Beltz, Mayn Shtetele” is a moving evocation of a happy childhood spent in a shtetl which bears similarly sounding name in Yiddish (belts), called Bălţi in Moldovan/Romanian, and is located in Bessarabia (presently the Moldova Republic).

Belz is also a very important place for Ukrainian Catholics and Polish Catholics as a place where the Black Madonna of Częstochowa is believed to have resided for several centuries until 1382, when Władysław Opolczyk, prince of Opplen, had taken the icon.[2].

[edit] People

Rabbi Aharon Rokeach of Belz
Rabbi Aharon Rokeach of Belz

[edit] See also

  1. ^ Dr Mieczysław Orłowicz. Ilustrowany Przewodnik po Galicyi. Lwów 1919
  2. ^ http://www.ukraine-observer.com/articles/217/814
  3. ^ http://www.bh.org.il/Names/POW/Spivak.asp


Coat of Arms of Lviv Oblast Administrative divisions of Lviv Oblast, Ukraine Flag of Ukraine

Raions: Brodivskyi | Buskyi | Drohobytskyi | Horodotskyi | Kamianka-Buzkyi | Mostyskyi | Mykolaivskyi | Peremyshlianskyi | Pustomytivskyi | Radekhivskyi | Sambirskyi | Skolivskyi | Sokalskyi | Starosambirskyi | Stryiskyi | Turkivskyi | Yavorivskyi | Zhovkivskyi | Zhydachivskyi | Zolochivskyi

Cities: Belz | Bibrka | Boryslav | Brody | Busk | Chervonohrad | Dobromyl | Drohobych | Dubliany | Hlyniany | Horodok | Kamianka-Buzka | Khodoriv | Khyriv | Komarno | Lviv | Morshyn | Mostyska | Mykolaiv | Novoiavorivske | Novyi Kalyniv | Novyi Rozdil | Peremyshliany | Pustomyty | Radekhiv | Rava-Ruska | Rudky | Sambir | Skole | Sokal | Sosnivka | Staryi Sambir | Stebnyk | Stryi | Sudova Vyshnia | Truskavets | Turka | Uhniv | Velyki Mosty | Vynnyky | Yavoriv | Zhovkva | Zhydachiv | Zolochiv

Urban-type settlements: Slavske | more...

Villages: Hai | Rykhtychi | Sianky | Skelivka | more...


Coordinates: 50°38′N, 24°02′E.

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