Tuesday, January 8, 2013

19th Century Volhynian administration


After being totally absorbed by the Russian Empire as a result of the 3 Partitions of Poland during the late 18th Century, Volhynia (Volyn Guberniya - Волинська Губернія) was divided into counties (powiati - повітів or okruga - округов) by the Tsar’s government.  Each powiat (повіт) had an administrative center or county town (Губернскаго городовъ or Повітовий центр) which was the namesake for the powiat.  Immediately after the establishment of the province within the Russian government, the Volhynian capital was Zaslaw (Iziaslav).  It was soon moved to Novograd Volyn, and soon moved again to Zhytomyr, where it remained for the duration of the 19th Century.

This map (from Wikipedia) shows the 12 Volhynian Powiati during the 19th Century, listed alphabetically according to the Russian alphabet.  Ostrog Powiat is number 10:


This accompanying chart shows some statistical data for the 12 Volhynian Powiati, c.1897:


Each powiat was divided into parishes or townships (volosti - волостей).  Powiati had between 16 and 25 volosti.  Each volost (волость) had its administrative center located in an important village and each parish took its name from this village.  The Mennonite villages of Karlswalde, Antonovka, Leeleva and the rest, fell administratively into Ostrog Powiat (Powiat Ostrozhsky – Острозький Повіт).  Antonovka was in Kunivska Volost (Волость Кунівська) with its center at Kuniv, and Leeleva was in Pluzhanska Volost (Волость Плужанська) with its center at Pluzhno.

This chart shows some further information regarding Powiat Ostrozhsky, c.1897:


For an excellent map of 19th Century Volhynia, look here.


Information is taken from the 1897 Russian census:

and the 1890 edition of the Brokgauz and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary

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