Beshankovichy

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Бешанко́вічы
Бешенко́вичи
Biešankovičy / Beshenkovichy
Skyline of Бешанко́вічыБешенко́вичиBiešankovičy / Beshenkovichy
Official seal of Бешанко́вічыБешенко́вичиBiešankovičy / Beshenkovichy
Seal
Country
Subdivision		 Belarus
Vitebsk
First mentioned 15th century
Population (2004)
 - Total 8,200
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
 - Summer (DST) EEST (UTC+3)

Biešankovičy also spelled Beshankovichy and Beshenkovichi (Belarusian: Бешанко́вічы; Russian: Бешенко́вичи, Bashenkovichi, Polish: Bieszenkowicze) is a town in the Vitebsk Province of Belarus and a port on the Western Dvina river. It is 51 km west of Vitebsk on the railway line between Orsha and Lepiel. The population is 8,200 (2004).

[edit] History

In the early 16th century, the small village was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ruled by the the Drutskoy-Sokolinsky princes. In 1552 it numbered 34 houses.

In 1630, the village was purchased by Vilnius Voivode K. Sapieha and underwent rapid expansion and was granted Magdeburg rights in 1634. At that time, new stone houses were built and trade fairs 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, Beshenkovichi 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.

Beshenkovichi 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 artisans. The town had a synagogue, many houses of prayer, three benevolent societies, and numerous religious schools.

Under Soviet power, Beshenkovichi became an urban settlement and was the center of the raion for several years. It later became part of the Vitebsk oblast.

During the Great Patriotic War, Beshenkovichi fell under German control and was almost entirely destroyed. 10,276 persons from Beshenkovichi and the raion were massacred, including the entire Jewish population. The town was liberated on June 25, 1944 by the 1st Baltic Front.

[edit] External links

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Coordinates: 55°2′N, 29°27′E