Proyecto Tempus – Bielorrusia?
Founded by a Radimichi tribe many centuries ago, the settlement that would later bear the name Gomel appeared on the right bank of the river Sozh. Abounding in water, the winding river surrounded the settlement on three sides. In the nearby areas, primeval forests, full of deep lakes and boggy swamps, spread for hundreds of kilometers. Countless flocks of birds and a great variety of wild animals inhabited the dense woods. Among them were boars, elks, goats, deer, bears, wolves, lynxes, foxes, and badgers. Lakes and rivers, adorned with reed, were home to an abundant variety of fish, wild geese, ducks, and swans. On the banks, beavers hustled restlessly around the fallen trees... According to ancient chronicles, this is how Gomel and its surroundings appeared several centuries ago.
In those times, the tribe of Radimichi occupied the entire basin of the river Sozh along with the bed of the river Iput'. A tribe of Severyane was located to the East, along the river Desna, Dregovichi lived to the west along rivers Berezina and Pripyat', and Krivichi occupied the northern territory towards the upper portions of the rivers Dnieper and Volga. Historians characterize these and other Slavic tribes as strong, enduring, courageous, tough, and brave peoples. Being stern and fearless warriors, they were also known as kind-hearted, hospitable, cheerful, and generous. Agriculture served as one of their main activities and occupations. They tilled the land and harvested wheat, rye, barley, oats, and peas, developed cattle breeding. Hunting, fishing and collecting honey from the wild bees, as well as crafts and trading, were also popular among Radimichi. Gomel's geographic location was very favorable for the development of trade because the settlement was connected by water with northwestern and southeastern parts of Europe.
Although the exact date of Gomel's founding and the precise origin of the city's name have not been identified, Gomel was first mentioned in the chronicles around the first half of 12th century. As such, Gomel is one of the oldest towns in modern day Belarus. In accordance with recent research that suggests that Gomel was in fact founded in 1142, the city celebrated its 855th anniversary in 1997 with various festivities and special commemorative events.
Gomel's Railroad Station (Zheleznodorozhniy Vokzal)
In the ancient chronicles, Gomel is often mentioned by the names Gomiy, Gom'e, Gom. In the writings of northern Slavs Gomel can be encountered under the names of Gomen, Gomen', Gomin. Some researchers believe that the name Gomiy comes from the words gom', gom, gomon, all of which mean noise, noisy, noise-making in Russian, Belarusian, or Ukranian. The noise is believed to have come from the sounds created by the dense pine forest and a river running beneath it. Other historians suggest that the word gomiy is derived from the name of the first generation of the settlement's inhabitants. Also worthy of notice is the fact that the common root gom is found in many last names of native Gomel residents, for e.g. Gomolka, Gomulka, Gomonyuk, Gomarka, etc. Also, a small river that once ran across today's Lunacharskiy Park, of which only a large ravine and a pond remain, used to be called Gomeyuk. There also exists another version of the name's origin, according to which merchants who came to trade on the banks of Sozh used to loudly call from their ships, announcing the approaching land: “Go-go-go, rebyata, mel'" («Hey-hey-hey, fellows, shoal”).
Icon of St. Nicholas. Early 19th century. From the stocks of the Vetka Museum of folk art.
After being accepted by Kievan Rus' in 988 under Prince Vladimir, Christianity gradually penetrated into the lands of Radimichi as well. Prior to this, Radimichi held pagan beliefs. They prayed and made sacrifices to wooden and stone idols, trees, and birds which they believed had godly qualities. They also deified such natural forces and occurrences as sun, wind, and thunder. Perun, the god of thunder and lightning, was their main god. To this day Gomel and the surrounding areas carry signs of these old pagan beliefs in the names of different locations and villages. In this manner, a small island near the village Kuzminichi is called Perunovskiy. Similarly, the village Volosovichi is believed to have received its name from the name of a pagan god Volos, patron of cattle.
The 11th century was a time of flourishing and greatness for Kievan Russians and for Radimichi, among them, as well. However, it was also a time that marked the beginning of feudalism and decentralization, marked by fierce feudal warfare. As a result of this unrest and Polovtsyan invasions, the areas around the basins of Sozh and Iput' which included Gomel were severely ravaged. Local lords attacked each other, killing peasants, burning their dwellings, and taking away their livestock. As a result, the situation in Gomel decayed and the population witnessed a considerable decrease in size due either to deaths caused by warfare or those taken into captivity. Many inhabitants also chose to relocate to safer places.
The period of feudal warfare was followed by the Tatar Yoke and the crusades of German feudal lords. In the first half of the 14th century, Olgerd, the son of the Lithuanian ruler, Prince Gedymin (who has been called the true founder of the Lithuanian state), subjugated the land of the Chernigiv-Seversk territory which at the moment included Gomel. Soon thereafter, other southwestern Russian lands were also annexed to Lithuania. The following years marked an increasing threat of invasion from German Teutonic knights, and in 1385 Jagiello (Yagailo), Olgerd's son, signed an agreement that would unite Lithuania and Poland. In the decades that followed, as part of the Lithuanian-Polish state, Gomel was passed from the ownership of one prince to another on numerous occasions. Gomel did not experience significant economic development from 14th to 16th centuries, but nevertheless played an important military role, serving as a fortified frontier unit.
After the death of Polish King Casimir (1492), the Polish-Lithuanian state disintegrated into two independent states. Muscovite Prince Ivan III took advantage of this separation to conquer a part of the lands he considered to belong to Russia. At the end of the 15th century, some Belarusian and Ukranian landlords along with their lands and property decided to substitute their service to the Lithunian monarchs for service to Muscovite autocracy. The lands neighboring the basins of rivers Desna and Sozh, which included those of Prince Ivan Mozhaisky along with Gomel, passed to the Russian state. A war began between Lithuania and Russia which lasted from 1500 to 1503. Lithuania was defeated and had to surrender the lands it previously owned, including Gomel, to the Muscovite state. In the mean time, Lithuanian magnates strengthened their ties with Poland, and the nations were united once again. During the years that followed, Gomel was often subjected to various invasions and claims of ownership from Lithuania and the Muscovy state, interchangeably. Unsurprisingly, these factors unfavorably affected the already poor economic condition of Gomel. The town's residents and peasants from neighboring villages sought rescue from raids and attacks by retreating to the forests or leaving for other places. Trade, commerce and crafts suffered as a result as well.
Bazarnaya Street, late 19th – early 20th c.
Only after many years had passed, towards late 16th and early 17th centuries did Gomel begin a period of economic revival. It once again attracted merchants and craftsmen. A number of surrounding villages and settlements in Gomel's vicinity were now considered part of Gomel's district. Among them were Dobrush, Romanovichi, Danilovichi, Demyankovichi, Lagunovichi, Pribytkovichi, Larkovichi, Teremkovichi, Dyatlovichi, Nosovichi, Ust'e, Yurkovichi, Ozarichi, Rylovichi, Sevryuki, Bobovichi, Teleshi, Terenichi, Gubichi, Boduny, Morozovichi, Pereyevichi, Koshelevo, Uvarovichi, Novoselki, and Volotovo.
However, a new war between Poland and Russia ignited in 1654, and its repercussions set back Gomel's development and flourishing one more time. Per an agreement reached in 1667, Gomel again passed under the administration of the Lithuanian-Polish state at that time already called Rzecz Pospolita. The inhabitants of Gomel and the surrounding areas are said to have participated in Cossack insurrections of Bogdan Hmelnitsky and to have joined Peter the Great's efforts in fighting Sweden in the Northern War.
The first break-down of Rzecz Pospolita (which encompassed Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, and parts of Ukraine) occurred in 1772, resulting yet again in Gomel's annexation by Russia. Prior to the annexation (since 1730), Gomel belonged to one of the most powerful Polish magnates – Prince Mikhal Frederic Chartoriski. He collected the profits from his estate but visited it rarely as he occupied a demanding position of the Chancellor of the Great Lithuanian Princedom. His disposition toward Russia was unfavorable, and he was one of the first to recognize the advent of Russification that had begun to spread through Rzecz Pospolita. In his patriotic fervor he urged for the need to exercise caution and to recognize the dooming threat from the East. After Gomel became part of Russia, Chartoriski remained its owner, but not for very long. Naturally, Catherine II did not approve of such anti-Russian attitudes on the part of those who oversaw parts of her empire. She demanded an oath of allegiance from the land governors, and Chartoriski apparently chose not to take one. Gomel soon passed into the hands of the state. Shortly thereafter Catherine presented Gomel to Count Petr Aleksandrovich Rumiantsev in reward for the triumphant role he played in victory over the Turks. Rumiantsev, named Peter in honor of Peter the Great, was among the elite of that age. Known for his military valor and skills, Rumiantsev was recognized as a national hero. Among other gifts the empress generously showered Rumiantsev with were medals, emerald-adorned staff and sword, expensive silverware, paintings, 100,000 roubles to build a mansion in Gomel, and 5,000 serfs.
The building of the new palace to replace the old wooden castle transpired between 1777 and 1782. Rumiantsev was only marginally involved in the process and rarely visited the estate as he had other matters to attend to in the capital and elsewhere. In 1772 Gomel's territory along with other parts of eastern Belarus were annexed by Russia. Three years later, Catherine II handed Gomel with its 5,000 population to field marshal Rumyantsev-Zadunaisky and his estate. Rumyantsev founded Novobelitsa in 1777 across the river from Gomel and moved all state offices and town's court there. In the beginning of 19th century Rumyantsev replaced what was formerly a castle of Polish magnate Prince Mikhal Frederic Chartorisky with a stone palace designed after a plan by architect Rastrelli who authored the plan for the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg, among other notorious buildings. The field marshal's older son, count Nikolay Rumyantsev, opened a seminary in Gomel in 1815. His younger son, Sergey Rumyantsev having inherited Gomel from Nikolay, was later forced to sell it to the state treasury in order to get out of debt. At the same time the palace was sold to duke Paskevich-Erivansky. It was newly redone and adorned. A four-cornered tower was added to the main structure and was connected to it by a gallery. The park in which the palace was located was also extensively reconstructed.
The Rumyantsev-Paskevich Palace. 1777–1856, architects Ya. Alekseev, K. Blank, J. Clark, A. Idzikovsky, designer V. Vintsenti.
Gomel's appearance changed significantly in late 18th-early 19th century. In place of medieval-style, wooden houses that were susceptible to fires (the occurrence of which was very frequent), stone buildings were erected. The streets were straightened out, educational facilities and a theater were built. In the decades that followed Gomel was rebuilt and restructured many times, and very little remains of the of Classicism-influenced architecture and the overall majestic look Gomel must have exhibited at the turn of the 19th century
The late 18th and early 19th centuries also marked births of several small factories and plants in Gomel. They were founded prior to the abolition of serfdom in Russia (1861) and their owners were likely to have exploited serfs, forcing them to work in very poor conditions while keeping them in full dependence on the owner. The number of various industries continued to grow in subsequent years.
As Gomel and the surrounding regions were part of the Pale of Settlement and some sources indicate that Gomel had a very large Jewish population – as many as twenty thousand people (or 56% of the total population) in the 19th century.
In 1850 Gomel was placed on the route of a high road between Saint Petersburg and Kiev, and was also made part of the telegraph line between Saint Petersburg and Sevastopol.
A massive fire occurred in Gomel in 1856, burning 540 houses and causing other destructive effects.
(While many decisive events took place in Gomel and in Belarus, in general, in the twentieth century, I will stop my narrative here and resume it whenever I obtain objective trustworthy information on true development of Gomel's and Belarus' fate in this century. However, I believe it would be helpful to provide the following several important historical dates.)
In 1917 the Russian tsarist government was overthrown and Lenin's Bolsheviks seized power. Belarus among other territories which would later form the Soviet Union of Socialist Republics was affected.
During the period of World War II the German occupation of Belarus resulted in the deaths of 2.2 million people, the destruction of 209 cities and townships, and 9,200 villages, and immense material losses.
The Jewish population of Gomel comprised about fifty thousand (a third of total population) on the eve of WWII. Some Jewish residents escaped in the early months of the war but those who remained were later confined to ghettos and eventually executed by the Nazis, sufferring the fate of millions of Jews who perished in the Holocaust. (For more information on Gomel's Jewish population and related genealogical research a visit to the corresponding section of Jewish Gen.Org? is a must.)
Due to its proximity to the site of April 26, 1986 nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, Ukraine, Gomel was one of the places most affected by its devastating repercussions.
In 1991 after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Belarus declared its independence. Recently by an agreement between Russia's Boris Yeltsin and Belarus' Aleksandr Lukashenka, the countries were united.