Eastern European Provinces and Regions
[World renown writer, researcher and lecturer Warren Blatt provided us with this excellent lesson in Eastern European history/geography. I hope you find it informative, Art]
Definitions:
- Gubernia -- province of the Russian Empire. There were 60 gubernias in 1914, including 15 in the Pale of Settlement and 10 in the Kingdom of Poland. Each gubernia was divided into several uyezds (districts).
- Pale of Settlement (Russian: Cherta osedlosti) = The 15 gubernias on the western edge of the Russian Empire to which Jewish residence was restricted, 1794 to 1917.
Bessarabia -- Region bordered by Black Sea, Dniester, Danube and Prut rivers. In Ottoman Empire until 1812. Russian gubernia after 1873, in Pale. In Russian Empire 1812-1856, 1878-1918; Part of Romania 1856-1878, 1918-1940; In USSR (Moldavian SSR) 1940-1991. Today, mostly in Moldova (northernmost part in Ukraine).
Bohemia (Ger. Bohmen) -- Province of Austrian Empire until WWI. Province of Czechoslovakia 1918-1992. Today, in westernmost Czech Republic. Chief city: Prague.
Bukovina -- Region in foothills of eastern Carpathian mountains. Ruled by Ottoman Turks until 1769, when occupied by Russia. Taken by Austria in 1775, it formed part of Galicia until 1849, when it became a separate province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until the end of WWI. Province of Romania 1917-1944. After WWII, northern area became part of USSR, southern area in Romania Today, northeastern Romania and southwestern Ukraine. Chief city: Chernivtsi (Ger. Czernowitz, Rom. Cernauti).
Chernigov -- Russian gubernia, 1796-1917, in Pale of Settlement. Today, northern Ukraine.
Congress Poland = Kingdom of Poland. Courland (Kurland) -- Russian gubernia, 1795-1917, outside of the Pale. In Latvia 1918-1940, in USSR until 1989. Today, southern Latvia.
Crimea (Krim) -- Peninsula and oblast in southeast Ukraine,southern part of Taurida gubernia. Capital: Simferopol.
Czechoslovakia -- Nation formed in 1918 from parts of Austro-Hungary (Czech-speaking Bohemia and Moravia from Austria, and Slovak-speaking northern counties of Hungary). Split into Slovakia and Czech Republic in 1991.
Dobruja -- Region on the Black Sea south of the Danube. Today, SE Romania and NE Bulgaria.
Ekaterinoslav -- Russian gubernia, 1802-1917, in Pale. Today, eastern Ukraine.
Estland -- Russian gubernia, 1795-1917, outside of Pale. In Estonia 1918-1940, in USSR until 1989. Today, northern Estonia.
Galicia -- Province of Austro-Hungarian Empire 1772 until 1917; Belonged to Poland between the two world wars (Polish provinces of Krakow, Lvov, Tarnopol and Stanislawow). Last three became part of Ukrainian SSR in 1945. Today, southeastern Poland and western Ukraine.
Grodno -- Russian gubernia, 1802-1917, in Pale. In Poland between the two world wars (parts of Polish provinces of Wilno, Nowogrodek, Polesie and Bialystok). Eastern 2/3rds became part of Belorussian SSR in 1939, Bialystok area remained in Poland. Today, western Belarus, some northeastern Poland.
Kalisz -- Gubernia of Russian Poland, 1867-1917. Today, west-central Poland
Kherson -- Russian gubernia, 1803-1917, in Pale. Today, south-central Ukraine.
Kielce (Keltz) -- Gubernia of Russian Poland, 1867-1917. Today, south-central Poland.
Kiev -- Russian gubernia, in Pale. Today, central Ukraine.
Kingdom of Poland (Krolestwa Polska) = Congress Poland = "Russian Poland" = part of Poland occupied by the Russian Empire, 1815-1918. The 10 gubernias (1867-1917):
Suwalki, Lomza, Plock, Warszawa, Siedlce, Lublin, Radom, Kielce, Piotrkow and Kalisz. Today, all in east-central Poland (except north Suwalki).
Kovno -- Russian gubernia, 1842-1917, in Pale. Formed from Vilna gubernia in 1842. Part of independent Lithuania, 1920-1940. Belonged to Lithuanian SSR 1944-1991. Today, northern Lithuania. Chief city: Kaunas.
Livonia (Livland) -- Russian gubernia, 1795-1917, outside Pale. Today, northern Latvia, southern Estonia. Capital: Riga.
Lomza -- Gubernia of Russian Poland, 1867-1917. Today, northeastern Poland.
Lublin -- Gubernia of Russian Poland, 1844-1917. Today, southeastern Poland.
Maramaros -- Province of Austro-Hungarian Empire until 1917. Today, in northwest Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine.
Memel -- Northeasternmost area of East Prussia, on Baltic coast, which became part of Lithuania in 1918.
Minsk -- Russian gubernia, 1795-1917, in Pale. Today, south-central Belarus.
Mogilev -- Russian gubernia, 1802-1917, in Pale. Today, eastern Belarus.
Moldavia -- Former principality under Turkish domination, which included Bessarabia and Bukovina. Moldavia and Wallachia merged to form Romania in 1859. Republic of USSR 1924-1991. Today, in northeastern Romania and Moldova. Chief city: Kishinev (Chisinau).
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