Dokshytsy

Dokshytsy
Докшыцы
Dokšycy
—  village  —

Coat of arms
Coordinates:
Country Belarus

Dokshytsy or Dokshitsy (Belarusian: Докшыцы, Russian: До́кшицы, Polish: Dokszyce) is a village in the Vitebsk Region of Belarus with a significant Chassidic history. It is 200 km (124.27 mi) southwest of Vitebsk and a kilometer from the source of the Berezina River. Its population in 2010 was 6,600.

The village is first mentioned in a document of Grand Duke Vytautas dated 1407 which refers to tributaries called "doxyczahe."

After the Second Partition of Poland in 1793, Dokshitsy became part of the Russian Empire, forming part of the Minsk guberniya; in 1795 it was briefly made a city before losing a portion of its territory and reverting to village status two years later. During the War of 1812 it was overrun and destroyed by the French.

During World War II, it was occupied by the Red Army in September 1939 and by Nazi Germany on July 9, 1941; the Germans destroyed the city and set up a military garrison. It was retaken by the Red Army on July 2, 1944.