Volhynia Governorate

Volhynia Governorate

Волынская губерния
Volhynia Governorate Волынская губерния
Governorate
	Coat of arms
	Location in the Russian Empire
Country	Russian Empire
Krai	Southwestern
Established	1795
Abolished	1925
Capital	Novograd-Volynsky (until 1804); Zhitomir (from 1804);
Area
• Total	71,736 km2 (27,697 sq mi)
Population (1897)
• Total	2,989,482
• Density	42/km2 (110/sq mi)
• Urban	7.82%
• Rural	92.18%

Volhynia Governorate, also known as Volyn Governorate,^[a] was an administrative-territorial unit (guberniya) of the Southwestern Krai of the Russian Empire. It consisted of an area of 71,736 square kilometres (27,697 sq mi) and a population of 2,989,482 inhabitants. The governorate bordered Grodno and Minsk Governorates to the north, Kiev Governorate to the east, Podolia Governorate to the south, Lublin and Siedlce Governorates, and after 1912, Kholm Governorate and Austria to the west. Its capital was in Novograd-Volynsky until 1804, and then Zhitomir. It corresponded to most of modern-day Volyn, Rivne and Zhytomyr Oblasts of Ukraine and some parts of Brest and Gomel Regions of Belarus.

It was created at the end of 1796 after the Third Partition of Poland from the territory of the short-lived Volhynian Vice-royalty and Wołyń Voivodeship. After the Peace of Riga, part of the governorate became the new Wołyń Voivodeship in the Second Polish Republic,^[1] while the other part stayed as a part of the Ukrainian SSR until 1925 when it was abolished on resolution of the All-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee and Counsel of People's Commissars.^[2]

History

Until 1796, the guberniya was administered as a Viceroyalty (namestnichestvo). It was initially centred in Izyaslav and was called the Izyaslav Viceroyalty. It was primarily created from the Kiev Voivodeship and the eastern part of the Wolyn Voivodeship.

On 24 October 1795, the Third Partition of Poland was imposed by Prussia, the Habsburg monarchy, and the Russian Empire.

Then, on 12 December 1796, Volhynia Governorate was established, encompassing the remaining territory of the Wolyn Voivodeship and the Kowel Voivodeship.

In 1796, the administration moved to Novograd-Volynsky. However, due to the lack of suitable buildings for administrative purposes, the capital was moved once again to Zhitomir (Zhytomyr).

In 1802, Zhitomir was purchased the properties of Prince Ilyinsky, and in 1804, it officially became the seat of Volhynia Governorate.

From 1832 to 1915, Volhynia Governorate, along with Kiev Governorate and Podolia Governorate, formed part of the Southwestern Krai General-Governorate–a militarized administrative-territorial unit.

In the 1880s, the general-governorate was extended to include other governorates.

In 1897, the population of the guberniya was 2,989,482 and by 1905, it had grown to 3,920,400. The majority of the population in the governorate spoke the Ukrainian language with slight variety of dialects.

During the Ukrainian–Soviet War Zhitomir served as the provisional capital of Ukraine in 1918.

After the Polish-Soviet war in 1920, and according to the Peace of Riga (1921) most of the territory became part of the Second Polish Republic and transformed into the Wołyń Voivodeship, with the capital in Łuck (Lutsk). The eastern portion existed until 1925 and was later split into three okruhas: Shepetivka Okruha, Zhytomyr Okruha, and Korosten Okruha.

Heads of Guberniya

Revkom

1919 Mikhail Kruchinskiy (concurrently the head of Volyn Cheka)

Volyn Executive Committee

1920 Oleksandr Shumsky
1920 Vasiliy Averin
– 1921 Danylevych
1921–1922 Ivan Nikolayenko

Head of Security Services

Cheka

1919 Vasyl Viliavko
1919 M.Shuf
1919 Mikhail Kruchinskiy
November 1919 – December 1919 Vsevolod Balytsky
December 1919 Vasyl Levotsky (acting)
– 2 November 1921 Semen Kesselman (Zapadny)
January 1922 – 2 June 1922 Janis Biksons

GPU

-1923 Pavel Ivonin
March 1923 – October 1923 Foma Leoniuk
1 July 1923 – 1 September 1924 Symon Dukelsky
1924 – 1925 Aleksandr Safes (Grozny)

Principal cities

Russian Census of 1897

Zhytomir – 65 895 (Jewish – 30 572, Russian – 16 944, Ukrainian – 9 152)
Rovno – 24 573 (Jewish – 13 704, Russian – 4 278, Ukrainian – 4 071)
Kremenets – 17 704 (Ukrainian – 8 322, Jewish – 6 476, Russian – 1 863)
Kovel – 17 697 (Jewish – 8 502, Russian – 4 828, Ukrainian – 2 093)
Novograd-Volynsky – 16 904 (Jewish – 9 363, Russian – 2 939, Ukrainian – 2 662)
Starokonstantinov – 16 377 (Jewish – 9 164, Ukrainian – 4 886, Russian – 1 402)
Lutsk – 15 804 (Jewish – 9 396, Russian – 2 830, Ukrainian – 1 478)
Ostrog – 14 749 (Jewish – 9 185, Ukrainian – 2 446, Russian – 2 199)
Dubno – 14 257 (Jewish – 7 096, Russian – 2 962, Ukrainian – 2 474)
Zaslavl – 12 611 (Jewish – 5 991, Ukrainian – 3 990, Russian – 1 722)

Administrative division

County		Capital	Arms of capital	Area	Population (1897 census)
Transliteration name	Russian Cyrillic	Capital	Arms of capital	Area	Population (1897 census)
Vladimir-Volynsky	Владиміро-Волынскій	Vladimir-Volynsky		6,482.1 km² (2,502.8 sq mi)	198,688
Dubensky	Дубенскій	Dubno		3,963.8 km² (1,530.4 sq mi)	158,734
Zhitomirsky	Житомірскій	Zhitomir		7,670.5 km² (2,961.6 sq mi)	281,387
Zaslavsky	Заславскій	Zaslavl		3,476.7 km² (1,342.4 sq mi)	93,381
Kovelsky	Ковельскій	Kovel		7,656.8 km² (2,956.3 sq mi)	121,326
Kremenetsky	Кременецкій	Kremenets		3,460.8 km² (1,336.2 sq mi)	196,751
Lutsky	Луцкій	Lutsk		7,540.8 km² (2,911.5 sq mi)	203,761
Novograd-Volynsky	Новоградъ-Волынскій	Novograd-Volynsky		7,205 km² (2,782 sq mi)	273,123
Ovruchsky	Овручскій	Ovruch		10,616.9 km² (4,099.2 sq mi)	194,796
Ostrozhsky	Острожскій	Ostrog		3,065.9 km² (1,183.8 sq mi)	166,882
Rovensky	Ровенскій	Rovno		8,568.4 km² (3,308.3 sq mi)	275,119
Starokonstantinovsky	Староконстантиновскій	Starokostiantinov		2,560.4 km² (988.6 sq mi)	211,768

Demographics

Language

According to the Russian Empire Census on 28 January [O.S. 1897] 15 January, the Volhynian Governorate had a population of 2,982,482, including 1,502,803 men and 1,486,679 women. The majority of the population indicated Ukrainian^[b] to be their mother tongue, with significant Jewish, Polish, German, and Russian speaking minorities.^[5]

Linguistic composition of the Volhynian Governorate in 1897^[5]
Language	Native speakers	Percentage
Ukrainian^[b]	2,095,537	70.26
Jewish	394,774	13.24
Polish	184,161	6.17
German	171,331	5.74
Russian^[b]	104,889	3.52
Czech	27,670	0.93
Tatar	3,817	0.13
Belarusian^[b]	3,794	0.13
Bashkir	983	0.03
Mordovian	375	0.01
Romanian	314	0.01
Chuvash	308	0.01
Gypsi	286	0.01
French	154	0.00
Cheremis	143	0.00
Latvian	113	0.00
Lithuanian	103	0.00
Votyak	102	0.00
Not-specified	97	0.00
Others	531	0.01
Total	2,982,482	100.00

Religion

By the Imperial census of 1897.^[6] In bold are religions with more members than the Eastern Orthodox.


Religion	Number	percentage (%)
Eastern Orthodox	2,106,521	70.46
Judaism	395,782	13.24
Roman Catholics	298,110	9.97
Lutherans	163,990	5.49
Baptists	10 375	0.35
Other^[7] (Old Believers, Magometians)	14 704	0.49

Notes

^
- Russian: Волы́нская губе́рния, pre-1918: Волы́нская губе́рнія, romanized: Volýnskaya gubérniya
- Ukrainian: Воли́нська губе́рнія, romanized: Volýnsʼka hubérniia
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Prior to 1918, the Imperial Russian government classified Russians as the Great Russians, Ukrainians as the Little Russians, and Belarusians as the White Russians.^[3] Also, the Belarusian Democratic Republic which the White Russians identified themselves as "Belarusian".^[4]

References

^ Eberhardt, Piotr; Jan Owsinski (2003). Ethnic Groups and Population Changes in Twentieth-Century Central-Eastern Europe: History, Data, Analysis. M.E. Sharpe. p. 260. ISBN 0-7656-0665-8.
^ Vermenych, Ya Volhynian Governorate (Волинська губернія). Encyclopedia of History of Ukraine.
^ Hamm, Michael F. (2014). Kiev: A Portrait, 1800–1917. Princeton University Press. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-4008-5151-5.
^ Fortson IV, Benjamin W. (2011). Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction. John Wiley & Sons. p. 429. ISBN 978-1-4443-5968-8.
^ ^a ^b Первая всеобщая перепись населения Российской Империи 1897 г. [The first general census of the population of the Russian Empire in 1897]. www.demoscope.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 1 May 2023.
^ Religion Statistics of 1897 (in Russian)
^ Religions, number of believers which in all gubernia were less than 10000

50°15′16″N 28°39′28″E / 50.2544°N 28.6578°E / 50.2544; 28.6578

[1] 
Russian: Волы́нская губе́рния, pre-1918: Волы́нская губе́рнія, romanized: Volýnskaya gubérniya
Ukrainian: Воли́нська губе́рнія, romanized: Volýnsʼka hubérniia

[2] Russian: Волы́нская губе́рния, pre-1918: Волы́нская губе́рнія, romanized: Volýnskaya gubérniya

[3] Ukrainian: Воли́нська губе́рнія, romanized: Volýnsʼka hubérniia

[Russians-6] Prior to 1918, the Imperial Russian government classified Russians as the Great Russians, Ukrainians as the Little Russians, and Belarusians as the White Russians.^[3] Also, the Belarusian Democratic Republic which the White Russians identified themselves as "Belarusian".^[4]

[2] Eberhardt, Piotr; Jan Owsinski (2003). Ethnic Groups and Population Changes in Twentieth-Century Central-Eastern Europe: History, Data, Analysis. M.E. Sharpe. p. 260. ISBN 0-7656-0665-8.

[eoh-3] Vermenych, Ya Volhynian Governorate (Волинська губернія). Encyclopedia of History of Ukraine.

[4] Hamm, Michael F. (2014). Kiev: A Portrait, 1800–1917. Princeton University Press. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-4008-5151-5.

[5] Fortson IV, Benjamin W. (2011). Indo-European Language and Culture: An Introduction. John Wiley & Sons. p. 429. ISBN 978-1-4443-5968-8.

[demoscope-7] Первая всеобщая перепись населения Российской Империи 1897 г. [The first general census of the population of the Russian Empire in 1897]. www.demoscope.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 1 May 2023.

[8] Religion Statistics of 1897 (in Russian)

[9] Religions, number of believers which in all gubernia were less than 10000

[a]

[1]

[2]

[b]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[3]

[4]

v t e Governorates of Ukraine (1918–1925)
1918–1921	Volyn Podillia Kyiv Poltava Chernihiv Kharkiv Tavria Taurida Katerynoslav Kherson Kholm Polissia
1921–1925	Volyn Podillia Kyiv Poltava Chernihiv Kharkiv Zaporizhzhia Donetsk Katerynoslav Kremenchuk Odesa

v t e Historical regions in present-day Ukraine
Geographical regions	Central Ukraine / Dnieper Ukraine Left-bank Ukraine Right-bank Ukraine Polissia Siveria Kryvbas Eastern Ukraine Donbas Pryazovia Sloboda Ukraine Zaporizhzhia Southern Ukraine Budjak Yedisan Crimea Novorossiya Western Ukraine Chełm Land Carpathian Ruthenia Halychyna Hertsa region Lodomeria Naddnistrianshchyna Northern Bukovina Northern Maramorshchyna Podolia Pokuttia Prykarpattia Volhynia
States and tribes of classical antiquity and the Early Middle Ages	Cimmeria Sarmatia Dacia Taurica Scythia Khazaria Onoğurs Kazarig Avar Khaganate Old Great Bulgaria Ruthenia
Principalities of Kyivan Rus'	Chernigov Halych Novhorod-Seversk Kyiv Terebovlia Turov Pereyaslav Volhynia
Post-Mongol era regions	Golden Horde Crimean Khanate Principality of Theodoro Red Ruthenia Cherven Cities Carpathian Ruthenia Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia
Polish–Lithuanian regions	Belz Voivodeship Bracław Voivodeship Chernihiv Voivodeship Kyiv Voivodeship Podolian Voivodeship Ruthenian Voivodeship Volhynian Voivodeship Wild Fields
Ottoman provinces	Ottoman Ukraine Danube Vilayet Kefe Eyalet Podolia Eyalet Silistra Eyalet Yedisan
Cossack regions	Cossack Hetmanate Right-bank Ukraine Left-bank Ukraine Sloboda Ukraine Zaporozhian Sich Little Russia
Imperial Russian regions	Black Sea Cossack Host Southwestern Krai / Kyiv Military District Kyiv Governorate Volhynian Governorate Podolia Governorate Bessarabia Governorate Kharkov Governorate Kyiv Governorate (1708–64) New Serbia Slavo-Serbia Little Russia Governorate (1764–1781) Little Russia Governorate (1796–1802) Volhynian Viceroyalty Poltava Governorate Chernihiv Governorate Kholm Governorate Kharkov Governorate Taurida Governorate Novorossiya Governorate Yekaterinoslav Governorate Kherson Governorate Nikolayev War Governorate Gradonachalstvo Odessa Izmail Nikolayev Sevastopol Feodosia Kerch-Yenikale Yalta Taganrog
Austro-Hungarian provinces	Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria Duchy of Bukovina
20th-century regions and states	Ukrainian People's Republic West Ukrainian People's Republic Ukrainian State Lemko Republic Hutsul Republic Makhnovshchina Ukrainian SSR Moldavian ASSR Drohobych Oblast Izmail Oblast Crimean Oblast Lviv Voivodeship Ternopil Voivodeship Volyn Voivodeship Stanyslaviv Voivodeship Carpatho-Ukraine Governorate of Subcarpathia Kharkiv Governorate Reichskommissariat Ukraine Distrikt Galizien
Ethno-Ukrainian regions abroad	Green Ukraine Grey Ukraine Kholm Kuban Lemko Region Southern Maramorshchyna Priashiv Sian River Yellow Ukraine

v t e Okruhas of the Ukrainian SSR
Volhynian Governorate	Zhytomyr Korosten Shepetivka
Yekaterinoslav Governorate	Berdyansk† Zaporizhia Katerynoslav Kryvyi Rih Melitopol Oleksandriia† Pavlohrad
Poltava Governorate	Zolotonosha† Kremenchuk Krasnohrad† Lubny Poltava Pryluky Romny
Podolia Governorate	Vinnytsia Kamianets Haisyn† Mohyliv Proskuriv Tulchyn
Odesa Governorate	Zinovievsk Mykolaiv Balta† Odesa Pershomaisk Kherson
Kiev Governorate	Berdychiv Bila Tserkva Malyn† Kiev Uman Shevchenkivska Shevchenkivska (Korsun)†
Kharkov Governorate	Izyum Kupiansk Okhtyrka† Sumy Kharkiv
Donetsk Governorate	Artemivsk Luhansk Mariupil Starobilsk Staline Taganrog† Shakhty†
Chernigov Governorate	Konotop Hlukhiv Nizhyn Chernihiv Snovsk†
† denoted okruhas which were abolished, merged, or transferred over to different Soviet republics in 1924-25

v t e Subdivisions of the Russian Empire
Governorates (List)	Azov¹ +Altai² Arkhangelsk Archangelgorod Astrakhan Belgorod Bessarabia Bratslav Belarus Caucasus Chernigov Grodno Finland Iziaslav Ingermanland Irkutsk Kazan Kaluga Kiev (1708) Kiev Kharkov Kherson Kholm Kovno Kolyvan Kostroma Kursk Lithuania Little Russia (1764) Little Russia (1796) Minsk Mogilev Moscow Nikolayev Nizhny Novgorod Novgorod-Seversky Novgorod Novorossiya Olonets Orenburg Oryol Penza Perm Petrograd² Podolia Polotsk* Poltava Pskov Ryazan Samara Saint Petersburg Saratov Siberia Simbirsk Sloboda Ukraine Slonim Smolensk Stavropol Taurida Tambov Tver Tobolsk Tomsk Tula Ufa Vilna Vitebsk Vladimir Voznesensk Vologda Volhynia Voronezh Vyatka Vyborg Yaroslavl Yekaterinoslav Yeniseysk
Oblasts	Amur Belostok Bessarabia Don Host Transbaikal Kamchatka Caspian Kwantung Orenburg Kirghiz Omsk Primorskaya Sakhalin Taurida Tarnopol Turgay Ural Yakutsk
Oblasts of Stepnoy Krai	Akmolinsk Siberian Kirghiz Semipalatinsk
Oblasts of Turkestan Krai	Transcaspian Samarkand Semirechye Oblast Syr-Darya Oblast Turkestan Fergana
Caucasus Viceroyalty	Baku (Governorate) Black Sea Derbent Elizavetpol Erivan Georgia-Imeretia Georgia Kutaisi Shemakha Tiflis Armenian Batum Dagestan Imeretia Kars Kuban Terek Sukhumi Zakatal Baku (Gradonachalstvo)
Baltic Governorates³	Courland Livonia Reval Riga Estonia
Governorates of Finland	Abo-Byorneborg Vaza Vyborg Kuopio Nyuland Sankt-Mikhel Tavastgus Uleaborg
Governorates of Poland	Avgustov Warsaw Kalish Keltsy Krakov Lomzha Lyublin Mazovia Petrokov Plotsk Podlyashye Radom Sandomir Sedlets Suvalki
Governorates of Galicia and Bukovina	Lvov Peremyshl Tarnopol Chernovtsy
Dependencies	Bukey Horde Emirate of Bukhara Khanate of Kokand Russian America Uryankhay Krai² Khanate of Khiva Zeravshan Okrug*
¹ Italics indicates renamed or abolished governorates, oblasts, etc on 1 January 1914. ² An asterisk (+) indicates governorates formed or created with renaming after 1 January 1914. ³ Ostsee or Baltic general-governorship was abolished in 1876.