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A Belorussian Border Shtetl In The 1920s And 1930s

Smilovitsky, Leonid. “A Belorussian Border Shtetl in the 1920s and 1930s: The Case of Turov.” Jews in Russia and Eastern Europe Summer, 1 (50) 2003: Pages 109-137.

Available from:

http://www.jewishgen.org/belarus/newsletter/TurovShtetl.htm

Notes

These notes relate to the border town of Turov, unless otherwise.

History

Jewish community in Turov starts in 16th century
Regime changes
- WWI, Revolution, Civil War
- Germans, Bolsheviks, Germans, Bolsheviks, Poles, Balak-Balakhvich
- Accompanied by requisitions, pogroms, killings, rape, looting.
Restrictions on entry, nighttime curfews, customs inspections existed until the outbreak of WWII
- atmosphere of suspicions
- youth and children take part in identifying suspicius people

Commerce

1897: trade and crafts
Until WWII, restrictions on imports and movement
- hampered economic development
- hampered importing of goods
NEP of 1921 improves economic situation
- steam-powered mill
- increase in stores and meat shops
- semi-annual fairs with turnover of 10,000s roubles
- crafts workshops with machinery for wool, tanning leather, hulling grain, producing wax, cheese making, other agricultural items
- sawmill, brick factories, flour mill and fulling mill
1925, cooperative associations account for 50% of consumption
- offering lower prices by 25%-35% for manufactured goods and services
- 5-10% lower prices for other goods
1925: heavy taxation on retailers and craftsmen, leaving many “destitute”
- authorities encourage Jews to join coops (artels)
- craftsmen with family/friends create a coop in order to receive credit or discount on raw materials, but then divide benefits and continue to work independently
1927: 112 jews working in Turov cooperatives: shoe-makers, tailers, sock makers, sheepskin, garden and smiths.

Population

First Jews in 16th century
1897: 2,52 Jews (52.3% of population).
Village was divided between Jewish and non-Jewish parts, until 1923
Number of jews drops steadily from 1897 to 1939; non-jewish population increases
- Jews emigrating between 1928 and 1931
- migration mainly to Leningrad and moscow; then to Kharkov, Kiev and other cities in Belorussia.
  - Moving rquired leaving property behind
  - jews most mobile group of population, able to adapt to new life
1925: “destitute craftsmen” were significant segment of jewish population
- unable to pay taxes