Early history of the Jews of Vitebsk

1021

first mention of Vitebsk

1320

Vitebsk becomes part of the Kingdom of Lithuania

1514

Vitebsk becomes the administrative centre of the Vitebsk district (`voevodstvo') in the united Polish-Lithuanian kingdom

1772

as part of the First Division of Poland, Vitebsk becomes part of the Russian Empire, within Pskov gubernia

1777

after a rearrangement of gubernia boundaries, Vitebsk is part of the Polotsk gubernia

1796

Vitebsk becomes the administrative centre of the Belorussian gubernia

1802

Belorussian gubernia is divided into Mogilev and Vitebsk gubernia; both gubernias are referred to as Belorussian gubernias until 1840, when both become gubernias of the Russian Empire

Jews in Vitebsk are first mentioned in 1551, during the reign of the Polish king Zigmund August. In a Sejm speech on November 27, `peasants and jews' are freed from the taxes. 15 cities with jewish population are mentioned, including Vitebsk<sup>1.1</sup>. A decision of the Royal Tribunal dated September 15, 1712, on the complaint of the jewish community about a pogrom earlier that year, mentions privileges obtained by the Jews of Vitebsk from the Lithuanian Governor in 1569<sup>1.2</sup>. On November 27, 1627, Vitebsk governor (`voevoda') issues a permit to the jewish community to contruct a sinagogue, emphasising that this decision is based on the privileges granted by his parents^1.3. On March 9, 1633, Vladislav IV issues to Shmuel and Lazar, two brothers from Vilna, a permission for the Vitebsk Jews to buy plots and houses in Vitebsk^1.4. By 1689 there are jewish settlements on both shores of Dvina^1.5.