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Articles dedicated to Belarus history, Belarus politics, Belarus economy, Belarus culture and other issues and Belarus tourist destinations.Pruzhany - named after Prussians?..
Today Pruzhany is a city and a center of a district located upon the Mukhavets river. Located 89 km away from Brest, it is crossed by motor roads leading to Shereshevo, Bereza, Slonim and Kobrin.
Prushany area was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1433. The city of Pruzhany had been known as Dobuchin since 1487 and until 1589 when the current name was adopted. Several legends explain the name origin. According to one, Pruzhany comes from proso (millet) – staple crop of the region at the time. Other sources suggest that the area of the present-day city was once populated by Prussians – Baltic tribes evicted by the Crusaders at the turn of the 14 century. Hence the names: Prussy, Prussany, Pruzhany.
Alas, Pruzhany doesn't offer much of sightseeing these days...
In the 16th century Pruzhany belonged to Bona Sforza, the Queen of Rech Pospolita, and later were passed on to her daughter Anna. In 1589 the new owner granted Magdeburg right to Pruzhany along with the status of a city, seal and coat of arms. Interestingly enough, Pruzhany coat of arms looks similar to that of Milan. On a silver shield a snake carries a baby in his mouth.
Pruzhany hosted four fairs a year. According to the inventory of 1563, Pruzhany was home to 1250 residents, had 7 streets, 278 households. In the 16 century Pruzhany royal court existed – a wooden palace, two outbuildings, stables, a shed, a stokehold, a bakery, four barns, a wooden mill and an orchard.
Tracing family roots in Pruzhany (Pruzana), Western Belarus
Posted by Minsk Guide on Saturday, 13 June 2015
The wars of the mid 17 – early 18 centuries inflicted heavy damage on the city – the number of buildings dropped five times. In 1776 it was stripped of Magdeburg right which, however, was restored in a couple of decades. At that point the city numbered 2094 residents.
Since 1795 Pruzhany was a part of the Russian Empire: the city was an area center of Slonim, later Lithunian, Later Grodno gubernia (region). In 1866 in the center of Pruzhany St. Alexander Nevsky church was built, followed by the Church of the Holy Transfiguration in 1878.
In 1857 the city had 5665 residents. Serfdom abolition in 1861 triggered economic development of Pruzhany. During the national uprising of 1863-1864 the city was occupied by the units of rebels.
1897 Russian Empire census revealed 7633 residents in Pruzhany (43 per cent were literate), 14 small enterprises, a district and a church school, 6 hospitals. In the 19 and the first half of the 20 century Pruzhany got the reputation of the pottery capital. 1905-1907 revolution in Pruzhany saw strikes of the employees of the tobacco factory and the brewery.
Since August 1915 Pruzhany was occupied by the German troops, from January 1919 to July 1920 – by the Polish army. The Soviets only held in the city for two months in 1920.
Pruzhany market square - shopping rows
According to Riga Peace Treaty in 1921 Pruzhany was taken over by Poland. The forbidden Communist party of Western Belarus was in charge of the underground movement of the workers.
In 1939 Pruzhany became a part of Belarus Soviet Socialist Republic and a few moments later – a district center. On 23.6.1941 Pruzhany was occupied by the Nazi. During the war 4 000 people were destroyed in the Nazi camps in Pruzhany, 70 per cent of the city was flattened. The army units of the first Belarusian Front liberated Pruzhany in July 1944.
In 1959 the new city layout was designed for Pruzhany. It was divided into 3 districts: southern, western and eastern. The main streets are Sovetskaya, Lenina and Komsomolskaya.
A section of Sovetskaya Street can be called the Old Town. In the past it was called Kobrinskaya and at its intersection with Slonimskaya Street there was the town hall and shopping streets, churches and the marketplace. The shopping streets are arranged into a long rectangle with sections of shops surrounded by columns. It is a monument of Baroque architecture whose few examples can still be found across Belarus today.
Other historic buildings in Sovetskaya Street are the music school building (former treasury), secondary school, pharmacy, two-floor buildings that give one an impression about the history of Pruzhany.
A chapel built in 1852 can be seen at the cemetery. The manor of the Shvikovsky family built in the late of the 19 century is a combination of multi-floor parts and a tower. The design of the building and the park in front of it fits into the Romanticist style of estate building of the 19 century.
Pruzhany city museum
The Church of Alexander Nevsky is a monument of architecture of 1860s. It is a classic design for a Russian Orthodox temple of the time – its all elements are well-done. The belfry towers over the church entrance and serves as a beacon for those looking for the old town area of Pruzhany.
Most industries of Pruzhany are located in the south – tin fruit factory, linen factory, construction materials factory and others. A thriving city today, Pruzhany has several schools and kindergartens, two libraries, a hospital and other amenities.
Jews of Pruzhany
In 1766 Pruzhany was home to 641 Jew and two decades later – just over 300 (one third of the population). In 1797 – already 1285 Jews and right after the First World war – 4152 (65 per cent). While in 1931 4208 Jews made 55 per cent of the town’s population, in 2000 there were only 10 of them.
The Jews had lived in Pruzhany since the 15 century. In the middle of the 15 century they ran their hevre-kaddisha. The synagogue built in 1463 burnt down in 1863. After the 1495 eviction the Jews returned in less than a decade. Since 1623 the Pruzhany community reported to Brest kagal. In the late 16 century Yoel Syrkes was the rabbi. In 1628 Pruzhany hosted the session of the Vaad of the Four Lands.
In 1644 the Jews of Pruzhany were granted special benefits from the King: they could build synagogues and buy real estate, run breweries and trade. These privileges were confirmed by King Jan Kazimir who nevertheless prohibited the purchase of new land lots to build synagogues. The privileges were confirmed later several times.
In 1873 four synagogues and a free Jewish hospital existed in Pruzhany. In the 1860s a state-run Jewish school worked in Pruzhany. In 1899 a charity to help homeless Jews was established.
In the 1890 Zionist movements were expanding their influence in Pruzhany and in 1905 a self-defense unit was created. In 1910 state rabbi was Berko Yoselevich Kantorshik. 9 synagogues worked, a Talmud-Thora, a Jewish school and a cemetery.
Pruzhany Jewish cemetery needs attention
In 1913 the Jews ran all the 4 pharmacy warehouses, the city’s only bank office and restaurant, the tavern, and 166 shops. The only jeweler was also Jewish, five Jews rented their premises to tenants. In 1915 Yiddish speaking school was opened but only a year later was converted into a German-speaking Jewish school. 1917 saw the Yiddish school reopened and a house for the elderly established.
In 1919 Joint sponsored the construction of an orphanage. In 1929 a yeshiva was unveiled.
On 23 June 1941 Pruzhany was occupied by the Wehrmacht. Judenrat was established and on 20 October 1941 – the ghetto that accommodated 12 000 Jews, half of them from Belostok. An underground movement led by Yitshak Friedberg, Yitshak Shereshevsky and Shmariyagu Elman was established. In January 1943 the liquidation of the ghetto left 10 000 dead. Several hundred young prisoners joined the partisan teams in the local forests. In the 1950-1960s the Pruzhany Jewish cemetery was closed and converted into a public park. An enterprise is now located in a synagogue building.
If you are thinking to take a tour to Pruzhany, specifically as a part of your genealogy tour to Belarus, consider me as your guide)
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