Aboltsy (Belarusian: Абольцы, romanized: Aboĺcy;[2] Russian: Обольцы, romanized: Oboltsy) is an agrotown in Talachyn District, Vitebsk Region, Belarus.[2] It is located 40 kilometres (25 mi) west-northwest of Orsha.[3] It serves as the administrative center of Aboltsy selsoviet.[2] In 1994, it had a population of 450.[1]
Aboltsy
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  Aboltsy | |
| Coordinates: 54°35′40″N 29°49′44″E / 54.59444°N 29.82889°E | |
| Country | Belarus |
| Region | Minsk Region |
| District | Talachyn District |
| First mentioned | 1385 |
| Population (1994)[1] | |
| • Total | 450 |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (MSK) |
History
editAboltsy is first mentioned in 1385 under the name Obolchi (Оболчи) as belonging to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the List of Russian Cities, Far and Near.[1] In the 15th and early 16th century, it was the center of a powiat within the land of Vitebsk.[1] Following the administrative reforms of 1565–1566, it belonged to the county of Orsha within Vitebsk Voivodeship.[1]
Following its incorporation into the Russian Empire, Aboltsy had a population of 265 in 1885.[1]
In 1923, there were 353 Jews living there out of a total population of 382.[3]
World War II
editDuring World War II, it was under German military occupation from early July 1941 until June 1944.[4]
The Germans established a ghetto on 14 August 1941 and about 150 people or 25 families were placed in two single-story buildings of a local school.[3] On 5 March 1942, news of the mass murder of Jews in Smalyany reached the ghetto, and at midnight, 60 Jews escaped from the school according to survivors' accounts.[3] The number of escapees may be an exaggeration, but it is known that a number of young Jews from the village later fought for partisan units such as the Zaslonov brigade.[3] The ghetto was liquated on 4 June and approximately 100 Jews were shot.[3]
Geography
editAboltsy is situated 36 kilometres (22 mi) from Talachyn, 116 kilometres (72 mi) from Vitebsk, and nine kilometres (5.6 mi) from the station Lyemnitsa.[1]
References
editSources
edit- Беларуская энцыклапедыя: У 18 т. Т. 1: А — Аршын. Minsk: Беларуская энцыклапедыя. 1996. p. 32. ISBN 985-11-0036-6.
- Megargee, Geoffrey P.; Dean, Martin (2012). The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos 1933–1945. Volume II. Indiana University Press, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. p. 1709. ISBN 978-0-253-35599-7.