Novohrad-Volynskyi


Novohrad-Volynskyi is a city in the Zhytomyr Oblast of northern Ukraine. Originally known as Zvyahel, the city was renamed in 1795 after annexation of territories of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth by the Russian Empire soon after the third Partition of Poland.
It serves as the administrative center of Novohrad-Volynskyi Raion, though administratively it does not belong to the raion and is incorporated separately as a city of oblast significance. Population:
The city is located on the main route to Kiev near its crossing at the Sluch River.

Name

The city has previously been known as: Возвягель Vozvyahel’, Звяголь Zvyahol’, Звягель Zvyahel, Звягаль Zvyahal’, Dzwihel.

History

The city was mentioned in the Galician-Volhynian Chronicle under the year of 1256 as the town of Zvyahel. The original settlement was an Old Russian town of Bolokhiv Land located on the right bank of Sluch. In 1257 it was razed by Daniel of Galicia.
The next mentioning of the settlement is found in 1432 as a rebuilt one on the left bank upstream from the original site. Since 14th century it belonged to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania owned by Zvyahelski princely family. In 1501 to 1554 the town belonged to Ostrogski princely family. In 1507 Konstanty Ostrogski built here a castle. After formation of Volhynian Voivodeship, it was located in Lutsk County. Following the 1569 Union of Lublin it was passed on to the Crown of Poland.
During the Khmelnytskyi Uprising, Cossacks destroyed portion of the city's fortification and burnt down the Catholic church. In September 1648 in the city was formed an insurgency group of local peasants led by Mykhalo Tysha. In 1650s in Zvyahel existed Zvyahel Regiment.
In 18th century the city belonged to Lubomirski princely family.
The city had an important Jewish community. In the late 19th century it was home to 9,378 Jews, more than half the population of the town. Pogroms killed approximately 1,000 Jews in 1919. After the Treaty of Riga, Novohrad-Volynskyi became part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union. By the start of World War II only 6,840 Jews remained,. Hundreds of Jews were murdered in mass executions perpetrated by an Einsatzgruppen in 1941. Many Survivors were imprisoned in harsh conditions in a ghetto and murdered in November 1942, and an important part of the town was destroyed during the war.

Notable people

Novohrad-Volynskyi is twinned with: