Rechke

Rechke Рэчкі (Belarusian) רעטשקי (Yiddish)
Village
New Church of the Holy Spirit on the site of the burned Church of the Holy Spirit
Rechke Location in Belarus
Coordinates: 54°34′59″N 27°5′36″E
Country	Belarus
Region	Minsk Region
District	Vilyeyka District
Rural Council	Kryvaselski Rural Council
Population  (2008)
• Total	118

Rechke (Belarusian: Рэчкі, Yiddish: רעטשקי) is a village in Belarus, located on the Zhuchka River. It is part of the Krivoselsky Village Council (Krivoselsky Selsoviet) in the Vilyeyka District of the Minsk Region. As of 2008, the population was 118 people.

Rechke is an old shtetl of the historical Ashmyany region (part of the Vilna Governorate). Among the local attractions, the Church of the Holy Spirit (Rechke) stood out, a monument of traditional Belarusian wooden architecture of the 18th century, which was initially damaged by Russian reconstruction and burned down in 2007.

History

Grand Duchy of Lithuania

Rechke was first mentioned in the 16th century. In 1520, it was owned by the Narushkevich family, who donated land to the village's Kavalevskaya Church.

Following the administrative-territorial reform of 1565–1566, Rechke became part of the Ashmyany District of the Vilna Governorate. In 1664, Rechke had the status of a town and was owned by V. Shmeling, the starosta of Vilkomir. In 1765, the town was part of the Gubska Starostvo and had 5 households.

Russian Empire

In 1859, Rechke had 21 households. In 1864, Russian authorities opened a public school here. By 1866, the town had 24 households. In 1886, Rechke was part of the Rabun volost and had 26 households, a church, a synagogue, a school, a windmill, and 2 taverns.

Modern Period

On March 25, 1918, according to the Third Constituent Charter, Rechke was declared part of the Belarusian People's Republic. On January 1, 1919, according to the decision of the First Congress of the CP(b) of Belarus, it became part of the Byelorussian SSR. According to the Riga Peace Treaty (1921), Rechke became part of interwar Poland and was the center of a gmina in the Vileika County of the Vilna Voivodeship. By 1923, it had 50 households. In 1938, the town was part of the Kuranets gmina and had 60 households.

Nachum Alperovich recounted his memories of Rechke in the mid-20th century, describing it as a tiny town famous for its hills, which they called the "Ratzkelberg". During the winter, locals would go to Rechke to sled on these hills, which they viewed as mountains.

In 1939, Rechke became part of the BSSR, in the Kuranets District of the Vilyeyka District, from 1944 in the Molodechno Region, and since 1960 in the Minsk Region. On October 12, 1940, Rechke became the center of the Rechke Rural Council (Vileika District), and at this time it had 60 households, a mill, lime and brick factories, pottery and fishing industries. The settlement's status was downgraded to a village. During World War II, from June 25, 1941, to July 3, 1944, the village was under Nazi Germany occupation.

In 1988, Rechke had 82 households, and there was an 8-year school, a cultural center, a library, a tile shop, a complex reception point, a post office, and a store. On July 24, 1995, the village was transferred to the Kurenets Rural Council, and on May 28, 2013, to the Kryvaselski Rural Council. As of 2008, there were 50 households.

Climate

Rechke has a moderately continental climate influenced by Atlantic cyclones. Winters are mild, and summers are warm. The climate conditions are favorable for agriculture, especially for growing cereals, potatoes, and vegetables.