|
The Development of Jewish Agricultural Colonies
Podolsk, Bessarabia, Kherson and Ekaterinoslav
Guberniyas |
|
Bessarabia |
Bessarabia
Region bordered by the Black Sea, Dniester, Danube and Prut rivers.
The name Bessarabia is derived from that of Prince Bessarab, a prince
of the Walachian family of the same name, who extended his rule into
the area. By the end of the 15th century, the Turks conquered
Bessarabia and ruled until 1812. Jews were settled
in this area from the 16th c. |
| 1787 |
Colonization
Movement |
 | Series of
resettlement programs |
| 39 foreign colonies were established along the
Lower Dnieper River |
|
| 1804 |
"The Status of
Jews" |
A new class of
farmers was created for Russian Jews |
| 1807 |
Colonization |
The
first settlements were founded in
Novorussiya (New Russia)
|
| 1810 |
Colonization |
Temporarily
suspended |
| 1811 |
Revision Lists |
Novorusski Krai=New Russia
Documents 834 (2152
men) families from Chernigov and Mogilev living in Jewish Colonies |
| 1812 |
Bessarabia |
In Russian
Empire 1812-1856, |
| 1818 |
Bessarabian
Oblast |
Was formed |
| 11 April 1823 |
Publication of
an Edict |
Forcing
Belarussian Jews to relinquish leases on taverns, inns and stores by
1824 and to re-settle in cities or towns or to turn to farming by 1825 |
| 1823 |
Ekaterinoslav |
Settlement
began |
| 1827 |
"Status of
Jews" |
|
| 1829 |
"Status of
Jews" |
Imperial
approval of rules for military recruiting of Jewish farmers settled
according to directive of the government of State lands in Kherson
gubernia. |
|
Kherson |
Leading
province before 1830’s. 28 colonies in Alexandrovsk; Elizabetgrad,
Kherson; Tiraspol: 6 on private land, 22 on public land. |
| 1830-1831 |
Districts of
Western Russia including Letichev (Podalia). |
| As a result of
the Polish-Uprising and subsequent defeat by the Russians, land was
taken from the Polish landowners. |
| In 1830: 52 Jews were farming but no colonies
established until 1844. |
|
| 13 April 1835 |
"Status of
Jews" |
Jews could
cross over into the farming class without restrictions. They could
settle on crown, purchased or leased land. |
| 1836 |
Kherson
District |
Emperor
Nicholas issued a manifesto offering inducements to those of his
Jewish subjects who should settle in the agricultural colonies of
South Russia. |
| 1836 |
Courland |
The first
families to avail themselves of this offer were seventy from
Courland led by Meyer Mendelssohn and Elijah Mitauer. Another
group from Courland, consisting of 117
families, applied for permission to settle in the provinces of
Siberia. |
| 1837 |
Alexandrovsk
District |
Land set aside
for future colonists |
| 1840 |
Kherson
District |
In 1840,
341, families, consisting of 2,530 persons from
Courland, joined the agricultural colonies in the government
of Kherson. |
| 1844-1864 |
Districts of Western Russia |
Jewish
Agricultural Colonies were founded. Between 1844-1852, 19 colonies
were established. |
| 26
December1844 |
"Status of
Jewish Farmers" |
A proposal
known as Razbor: 'to declare Jews as useful". 10,000 Jews applied for
status as colonists. Colonies in Volhynia, Podalia and Kiev
established. Transfer to Alexandrovsk began |
| 1844 |
Bessarabia |
Jewish
population about 49,000 |
| 1844 |
Black Sea area |
Black Sea area
Jewish population of Jews: over 40,000 |
| 1845 |
Ekterinoslav
|
Pukha, I.
States that Jewish colonists from Grodno, Kovno, Mogilev and Vitebsk
gurberniyas settled in Zaporozhye region.
Establishment of the colonies of
Krasnoselelovka, Mezhirich and Veseloye |
| 1848 |
Ekterinoslav
|
Establishment
of the colonies of Grafskaya, Nechayevka ad Novozlatopol
Priyutnaya |
| 1850 |
Ekterinoslav
|
Establishment
of the colony of Gorkaya |
| 1853 |
Ekterinoslav
|
Establishment
of the colonies of Zelenopol, Sladkovodnoooye |
| 1855 |
Ekterinoslav
|
Establishment
of the colonies of Bogodarovka, Nadeshnaya, Roshkosnoye,
Trudliubovka and Zatrishye |
| 1849 |
|
Jewish
Colonies with more than 200 men |
| 1856 |
Bessarabia |
Part of
Romania 1856-1878 |
| 1858 |
Kherson and
Ekaterinoslav |
HaMagid
reported a total Jewish population of 17,153 in the Jewish Agricultural Colonies*
of Kherson and Ekaterinoslav
Guberniyas. |
| 30 May 1866 |
All provinces |
Alexander II
canceled legislation ordering the transformation of Jews into farmers.
Therefore, the settlement of Jews on public was lands discontinued |
| 1866 |
Alexandrovsk |
17 settlements |
| After 1866 |
All Provinces |
Conversion of
colonies into farm trade settlements |
| 1873 |
Bessarabian
Oblast |
Became a
Province. The total number of Jewish Colonies were 16. 1082 homesteads
with 10,589 inhabitants. In Russian Empire 1878-1918. |
| May 1881 |
Ekaterinoslav |
Pogroms: mutilation and destruction acted
upon the Jews |
| 1894 |
|
|
| 1897 |
All Empire
Census |
Ekaterinoslav:
747 Jewish farms with 5,142 inhabitants
Kherson had 19,419 Jewish
inhabitants. |
| 1918 |
Bessarabia |
Part of
Romania 1918-1940 |
| 1924 |
Russia |
The formation
of the Agro-Joint (American Jewish Joint Agricultural Corporation
organized by the Joint Distribution Committee (J.D.C.): to bring into
productive occupation the unfortunate masses of the Jews of Russia
(2,700,000.The "declassed" ("lishenetz") deprived of all rights of
citizenship, because neither peasant, Government employee, industrial
or productive worker. Beginning of efforts of large-scale resettlement
on the land as farmers. Of the previous colonies, there remained only
about 15,000 Jewish farmers settled on the land in Russia. By 1937,
there were new Colonies in Ukraine and Crimea due to the efforts of
the Agro-Joint. |
| 1940 |
Bessarabia |
In USSR
(Moldavian SSR) 1940-1991 |