Village of Osipovichi

by Oleg Perzashkevich

Osipovichi before 1917

History

Before 1793 - Osipovichi was a small private village in Rechitsa District of Minsk Province of Great Lithuanian Princedom.

1793-1917 - Osipovichi was a village in Russian Empire.

Since 1801 - Osipovichi was a private small village in Bobruisk District of Minsk Empire.

1880s - after Libava - Romny rail road was constructed, Jewish population appeared in Osipovichi.

1900 - Osipovichi became a town in Bobruisk District of Minsk Province.

Vital Statistics

Date Jews Non-Jews Comments % Total Pop.
1880s Jewish population appeared
1909 1066 Total population about 40%
1914 1695 Total population No info

Jewish Life

In 1870s, after obtaining permission to live in rural area and Libava - Romny rail road was constructed, some Jewish families moved their business to Osipovichi.

In 1910s there were 2 praying houses in Osipovichi.

Economic Review

Traditional activities of local population were agriculture and chopping and river transport of wood. Since early times small local rivers were main roads and trade ways for local habitants.

During Russian principality the authorities did a lot to develop the region because of military and fiscal reasons mostly. First of all, old communications were reconstructed there:

In XIX, because of development of the All-Russian Market, new types of communications appeared in the area in 1873.

Construction of the railroad and highways provoked new rapid increase of development of Osipovichi, because it became a big and important rail station.

In 1884 there were 18 wooden houses in Osipovichi.

In 1900 the annual turnover of Osipovichi rail station was 64 000 tons of wood (> 90%) and other goods (<10%). (Over 16 000 tons were loaded in Osipovichi and other were transit cargo.) Local Jews (had obtained permission to live in rural area in the early 1830s-40s) moved their businesses (mainly taverns and trinket stores), mostly from Svisloch, Bobruisk and Kholuy, to Osipovichi.

We know two big business enterprises in Osipovichi and its locality in 1902: DARAGAN Ivan son of Feder (Orthodox) owned wood processing factory (10 workers) in the Town and ELPERIN Uriy son of Azriel & KOPELEVICH Khonon son of Leyb was timber trader in Protasevichi village.

In 1909 there were 246 wooden houses in Osipovichi.

General cultural information

In the beg. XX century in Osipovichi there were: