Regional Features and the Socio-Demographic Development of the Jews of Podilia

ABSTRACT

This article examines how the Jewish national minority of Podilia – a historical-geographical region mainly in the central part of Ukraine – formed. Considerable attention is given to the demographic processes within the Jewish environment of the region and features of formation of the social characteristics of the Jewish population that manifested themselves in its resettlement, formation of localities, self-government, and professional employment. This article shows that one of the biggest Eastern European Jewish communities was formed in Podilia before the beginning of World War II. This community was represented by the largest Jewish subethnic group – Ashkenazim. The social features of the Jews of the region were determined by the fact that the Jewish population lived in small towns of the primarily agrarian region. In addition, during this period, its social structure and professional employment were determined by both national customs and traditions and the power policy.

This study shows that after the 1940s, the Jewish community in Podilia changed. The Jews suffered from the Holocaust, which forever changed the social characteristics of the Jewish population of Podilia.

Active anti-Jewish policy during the postwar totalitarian regime, latent antisemitism during the “thaw,” and the authoritarian conservative regime in the USSR from 1964 to the mid 1980s, caused significant changes in the demographic processes of the Jewish population of the region. From the 1940s to the 1980s, the Jewish population of Podilia steadily decreased. The Jewish community before the end of the 1980s noticeably lost its influence in the region, but remained the largest ethnic community there, after Russians.

KEYWORDS:

• Jews
• demographic processes
• social development
• Podilia
• Ukraine

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on contributors

Valerii Kononenko - Doctor of History, Associate Professor, lecturer of the Mykhailo Kotsiubynskyi State Pedagogical University. Investigates the problems of social history of Ukraine, the history of national minorities of Ukraine, issues of national policy. He is the author of a number of studies on the history of the Jewish community of Ukraine, Podilia. In particular, he is the author of the monograph “The Jewish population of Podilia (40s of the 20th century - the beginning of the 21st century)”.

Oleksandr Danylenko - Doctor of History, Associate Professor, Professor of Department of history of Ukrainians of the World (Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv). Scientific interests: history of Ukraine; international relations; history of foreign Ukrainians; intercultural communication; inter-ethnic relations; urban history; historical biography; history of culture, science and education. Danylenko O. is the author of over 80 scientific and research publications.

ORCID

Valerii Kononenko http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5177-2885

Oleksandr Danylenko http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9246-6574

Notes

1. Here and throughout the text, the authors submit toponyms in accordance with pronunciation and spelling in Ukrainian.

2. See. Polyakov, Vsesoyuznaya perepis naseleniya 1939 goda: Osnovnyie itogi.

3. Bazhenov, “Do problemy zaselennia yevreiamy Podillia (XI–XVIII st.),” 26–7.

4. Magdeburg Law, as a variant of German law, guaranteed urban communities the right to self-government and autonomy, and promoted the emergence of representatives of other peoples who were engaged in craft and trade, for example, Armenians in Podilia. The first city in Podilia, which received the Magdeburg right, was Kamianets-Podilskyi (1374, during the Middle Ages it was called Kamianets).

5. Entsyklopediia istorii Ukrainy: T. 3: E-Y. Smolii V.A. (holova) ta in. “Ievrei v Ukraini.”

6. Klier, Rossiya sobiraet svoih evreev, 8.

7. Shchur “Zistorii yevreiskykh poselen na Podilli,” 169.

8. Stanislavskyi, “Natsionalnyi sklad naselennia mist i mistechok Podilskoho voievodstva v druhii polovyni XVI – pershii polovyni XVII st.,” 229.

9. Ibid.

10. Karbovska, “Etnonatsionalna struktura naselennia mista Kamianets-Podilskoho XIX-XX stolittiakh,” 52.

11. Zavalniuk and Komarnitskyi, Kamianets-Podilskyi: istoriia i suchasnist, 23.

12. Stanislavskyi, 229.

13. Shchus, “Shtetl Krasne,” 4.

14. Entsyklopediia istorii Ukrainy: T. 3: E-Y. Smolii V.A. (holova) ta in. “Ievrei v Ukraini.”

15. Klier, Rossiya sobiraet svoih evreev, 12.

16. Vinnytsia: Istorychnyi narys, 26.

17. Arad, Katastrofa evreev na okkupirovannyih territoriyah Sovetskogo Soyuza (1941–1945), 9.

18. Lutai, “Do istorii yevreiskykh poselen v Ukraini i na Volyni,” 266.

19. Finberh and Liubchenko, Narysy z istorii ta kultury yevreiv Ukrainy. Vydannia druhe, 55.

20. 100 evreyskih mestechek Ukrainyi. Istoricheskiy putevoditel. Vyipusk 2. Podoliya, 137, 182, 199, 334, 432.

21. 100 evreyskih mestechek Ukrainyi. Vyipusk 1. Podoliya: istoricheskiy putevoditel (St. Petersburg, 1998), 80, 106, 183, 217.

22. Shchus, 4.

23. Dotsenko, Obiednatysia, shchob vyzhyty, 57.

24. Dashkevych, Uchy nelozhnymy ustamy skazaty pravdu, 639.

25. Vinnytsia: Istorychnyi narys, 49.

26. Faina Braverman- Horbach, “Shtetl prostranstvo y vremia s evreiskym lytsom,” 7.

27. Lutai, 266.

28. Vinnytsia: Istorychnyi narys, 55.

29. Polnyiy hronologicheskiy sbornik zakonov i polozheniy, kasayuschihsya evreev, ot Ulozheniya tsarya Alekseya Mihaylovicha do nastoyaschego vremeni, ot 1649–1873 g. Izvlechenie iz Polnyih Sobraniy Zakonov Rossiyskoy Imperii, sost. V. O. Levanda, 1013.

30. Ibid., 1013.

31. Ibid.

32. Ibid., 1039.

33. Pervaya vseobschaya perepis naseleniya Rossiyskoy imperii, 1897 g. Izdanie tsentralnogo statisticheskogo komiteta Ministerstva vnutrennih del. ХХХІІ. Podolskaya guberniya, 3.

34. Ibid.

35. Ibid.

36. Pervaya vseobschaya perepis naseleniya Rossiyskoy imperii, 1897 g. Izdanie tsentralnogo statisticheskago komiteta Ministerstva vnutrennih del. XVI. Kievskaya guberniya, 2–3.

37. Pervaya vseobschaya perepis naseleniya Rossiyskoy imperii. ХХХІІ, 100.

38. Ibid., 124–5.

39. Ibid., 176–7.

40. Ibid.

41. Ibid., 166, 177.

42. Zavalniuk and Komarnitskyi, “Ukrainska vlada i podilski yevrei (1919-1920 rr.),” 73.

43. Pliasovytsa, “Dety Yakova y Rakhyl v Vynnytse,” 36.

44. Pamyatnaya knizhka Podolskoy gubernii na 1911 god, sostavitel V. V. Filimonov, 142–216.

45. Kushnir, “Ponad shist stolit spilnoi istorii (Korotkyi narys istorii yevreiv Podillia),” 13.

46. Dashkevych, Uchy nelozhnymy ustamy skazaty pravdu: istorychna eseistyka, 639.

47. Ibid.

48. Entsyklopediia istorii Ukrainy: T. 3: E-Y. Smolii V.A. (holova) ta in. “Ievrei v Ukraini.”

49. Itshak, Katastrofa evreev na okkupyrovannykh terrytoryiakh Sovetskoho Soiuza, 29.

50. Dotsenko, “Stanovyshche yevreiskoi liudnosti Ukrainy ta Krymskoi ARSR na pochatku 20-kh rokiv XX stolittia,” 18.

51. Vsesoyuznaya perepis naseleniya 1926 goda. Tom XII. Ukrainskaya Sovetskaya Sotsialisticheskaya respublika. Provoberezhnyiy podrayon. Levoberezhnyiy podrayon, pod redaktsiey I. V. Yarovogo i V. I. Nikitina, 39–42.

52. Ibid., 21–36.

53. Ibid., 204–10.

54. Ibid., 52–4.

55. Ibid., 19.

56. Konstantinov, Evreyskoe naselenie byivshego SSSR v XX veke, 24, 33.

57. Ibid., 36.

58. Polyakov, Vsesoyuznaya perepis naseleniya 1939 goda, 68–9.

59. Ibid., 41, 83.

60. Konstantinov, Evreyskoe naselenie byivshego SSSR v XX veke, 23.

61. Romantsov, Naselennia Ukrainy i yoho ridna mova za chasiv radianskoi vlady ta nezalezhnosti (XXh – pochatok XXI stolittia), 13.

62. Ibid., 14.

63. Konstantinov, Evreyskoe naselenie byivshego SSSR v XX veke, 23.

64. Polish colonists (retired soldiers, officers of the Polish Army, members of their families, as well as civilian volunteers from the Poles), who after the end of the Soviet-Polish war of 1920 lived or received land plots in the territories of Western Ukraine.

65. Bugay, “20-50-e godyi: Pereseleniya i deportatsii evreyskogo naseleniya v SSSR,” 179.

66. Vynokurova, “Z istorii yevreiskoi hromady Podilia,” 4.

67. Ibid.

68. Antonishena, “Ievreiske zemlerobstvo na Podili u 20-kh rr. XX st.”

69. Hutsalo, “Ievreiske naselennia USRR v systemi sotsialno-ekonomichnykh eksperymentiv,” 95.

70. Vynokurova, “Z istorii yevreiskoi hromady Podilia,” 4.

71. Misinkevych, “Ekonomichne stanovyshche natsionalnykh menshyn Podillia u 20-ti rr. XX stolittia,” 186.

72. Ibid., 184.

73. Natsionalni menshyny Ukrainy u XX stolitti: polityko-pravovyi aspekt, 219.

74. Misinkevych, Yevreiska i polska natsionalni menshyny Podillia (20-30-ti rr. XX st.), 43.

75. Konstantinov, Evreyskoe naselenie byivshego SSSR v XX veke, 219.

76. Nesladkova, “The Professional and Social Characteristics of the Jewish Population in the First Czechoslovak Republic,” 95.

77. Entsyklopediia istorii Ukrainy: T. 3: E-Y. Smolii V.A. (holova) ta in. “Ievrei v Ukraini.”

78. Arad, Katastrofa evreev na okkupirovannyih territoriyah Sovetskogo Soyuza (1941–1945), 328.

79. Vynokurova, “Natsionalne zhyttia yevreiskoi spilnoty na okupovanii terytorii Vinnytskoi oblasti, shcho vkhodyla do skladu Transnistrii. Ohliad arkhivnykh dzherel,” 158.

80. Kruglov, Khronika Kholokosta v Ukraine, 11, 14.

81. Ibid., 153–70.

82. Kruhlov, “1.4. Vynyshchennia yevreiskoho naselennia.”

83. Kruglov, Khronika Kholokosta v Ukraine, 20, 22.

84. Vasilyev, Podkur, and Galchak, Zhizn v okkupatsii. Vinnitskaya oblast. 1941–1944, 41.

85. Ibid., 41, 42.

86. Ibid., 41.

87. Kruglov, Khronika Kholokosta v Ukraine, 172.

88. Zhizn v okkupatsii. Vinnitskaya oblast. 1941–1944 gg., 9.

89. Ibid., 42.

90. Kruglov, Khronika Kholokosta v Ukraine, 181.

91. Baidych, Zavalniuk, Oliinyk, Halatyr, Podoliany v roky Velykoi Vitchyznianoi viiny (1941–1945 rr.): zbirnyk dokumentiv, materialiv ta svitlyn, 9.

92. Filiniuk, “Nimetsko-fashystskyi okupatsiinyi rezhym na Kamianechchyni ta yoho naslidky (1941–1944 roky),” 85.

93. Zhizn v okkupatsii. Vinnitskaya oblast. 1941–1944 gg., 9.

94. Kruglov, Khronika Kholokosta v Ukraine, 181.

95. Vinokurova, Evrei Vinnichiny v period Vtoroy mirovoy voyny: Maloizvestnyye dokumenty i novyye interpretatsii. T. 3. Uchastniki boyevykh deystviy na frontakh voyny s natsizmom i truzheniki tyla, 13, 16.

96. Kupchyshyn and Mychak, Sharhorodshchyna. Storinky istorii, 281.

97. Vinokurova, Evrei Vinnichiny v period Vtoroy mirovoy voyny: Maloizvestnyye dokumenty i novyye interpretatsii, 16.

98. Orekhov, Itogi Vsesoyuznoy perepisi naseleniya 1959 goda. Ukrainskaya SSR, 170, 172.

99. Naulko, “Yevrei u konteksti suchasnykh etnichnykh protsesiv v Ukraini,” 5.

100. Itogi Vsesoyuznoy perepisi naseleniya 1959 goda. Ukrainskaya SSR, 170–9.

101. Ibid.

102. Ibid., 180, 186.

103. Naulko, “Yevrei u konteksti suchasnykh etnichnykh protsesiv v Ukraini,” 5.

104. “Soobshcheniye oblasnogo statisticheskogo upravleniya o raspredelenii naseleniya oblasti po natsionalnosti,” fond P–136, opys 48, sprava 212, s. 1–4, State Archives of Vinnytsia Oblast (SAVO).

105. Itogi Vsesoyuznoy perepisi naseleniya 1959 goda. Ukrainskaya SSR, 184, 190.

106. “Informatsii rayispolkomov o prokhozhdenii religioznykh prazdnikov,” fond R–338, opys 9, sprava 32, s. 31, 35, SAKO.

107. “Informatsii ray(gor)ispolkomov o prokhozhdenii religioznykh prazdnikov. perepiska s ray(gor)ispolkomami o priyezde v zaregistrirovannyye kostely sluzhiteley kultov,” fond R–338, opys 9, sprava 26, s.47, SAKO.

108. Itogi Vsesoyuznoy perepisi naseleniya 1959 goda. Ukrainskaya SSR, 168–73.

109. Ibid., 180, 186.

110. Ibid., 178.

111. Ibid., 287.

112. Itogi Vsesoyuznoy perepisi naseleniya 1970 goda (v 7 t.) T. 4: Natsionalnyy sostav naseleniya SSSR. soyuznykh i avtonomnykh respublik, krayev, oblastey i natsionalnykh okrugov, 9, 10, 12.

113. Ibid., 158, 164.

114. Ibid., 171, 189.

115. Ibid., 9, 20, 152.

116. Ibid., 189.

117. Naseleniye SSSR: Po dannym Vsesoyuznoy perepisi naseleniya 1979 g., 24, 27, 28.

118. Konstantinov, Evreyskoe naselenie byivshego SSSR v XX veke, 38.

119. Bohuslavska, “Dynamika chyselnosti yevreiskoho naselennia Odeskoi oblasti u druhii polovyni XX st.,” 85, 86.

120. Ibid., 87.

121. Boldyrev, Naseleniye SSSR: Po dannym Vsesoyuznoy perepisi naseleniya 1989 g., 37, 38.

122. Konstantinov, Evreyskoe naselenie byivshego SSSR v XX veke, 37, 38.

123. Bohuslavska, “Dynamika chyselnosti yevreiskoho naselennia Odeskoi oblasti u druhii polovyni XX st.,” 85, 86.

124. Sotsialni transformatsii v Ukraini: piznii stalinizm i khrushchovska doba: Kolektyvna monohrafiia, 83.

125. Konstantinov, Evreyskoe naselenie byivshego SSSR v XX veke, 34.

126. Skliar, Etnichnyi sklad naselennia Ukrainy 1959–1989 rr.: etnomovni naslidky rosiishchennia , 229, 374.

127. “Spiski professorsko-prepodavatelskogo sostava vuzov i tekhnikumov,” fond P–136, opys 47, sprava 334, s. 7., SAKO.

128. Ibid., 7–15.

129. Ibid., 26–7.

130. “Dokladnyye zapiski i spravki upolnomochennykh obkoma KP Ukrainy ob itogakh proverki nabora. rasstanovki i vospitaniya meditsinskikh kadrov v oblasti,” fond P–136, opys 49, sprava 147, s. 17, 74., SAKO.

131. “Spiski professorsko-prepodavatelskogo sostava vuzov i tekhnikumov,” 29–37.

132. Koliaska, Osvita v Radianskii Ukraini / Pereklad z anhliiskoi movy z dopovnenniam i dodatkamy, 192.

133. Itogi Vsesoyuznoy perepisi naseleniya 1959 goda. Ukrainskaya SSR, 170, 176.

134. “Svodnyye otchety o chislennosti i sostave spetsialistov imeyushchikh vyssheye obrazovaniye po otraslyam narodnogo khozyaystva oblasti na 16 noyabrya 1970 g.,” fond R–2355, opys 18, sprava 138, s. 10, SAKO.

135. Ibid., 94.

136. “Dokladnyye zapiski i spravki rabotnikov i upolnomochennykh obkoma KPU o proverke finansovo-khozyaystvennogo sostava. rasstanovki i vospitaniya v sisteme Vinnitskogo oblpotrebsoyuza,” fond P–136, opys 47, sprava 401, s. 56., SAKO.

137. Ibid., 70, 81, 127, 199.

138. Ibid., 208.

139. Hoffman, Red Shtetl, ix.