Moravia (Ger. Mahren) -- Province of Austrian Empire until WWI. In central Czechoslovakia 1918-1992. Today, in eastern Czech Republic. Chief city: Brno.
Piotrkow -- Gubernia of Russian Poland, 1867-1917. Today, south-central Poland.
Plock (Plotsk) -- Gubernia of Russian Poland, 1844-1917. Today, north-central Poland.
Podolia (Podolsk) -- Russian gubernia, 1796-1917, in Pale. Today, southwestern Ukraine. Capital: Kamenetz-Podolsk.
Polesie -- a large region of southern Belarus, including parts of Minsk, Grodno, Mogilev, Kiev and Volhynia gubernias. A province of Poland between the wars.
Poltava -- Russian gubernia, 1802-1917, in Pale. Today, eastern Ukraine.
Pomerania (Ger. Pommern) -- Province of Prussia since 1815, on Baltic Sea. Formerly in Germany; since WWII, mostly in northwest Poland.
Posen (Pol. Poznan) -- Region now in western Poland. Ruled by Prussia 1793-1807, and 1815 until WWI. Grand Duchy of Posen (1815-1850), part of Prussia. Polish province of Poznan after 1919.
Prussia -- Former kingdom (1701-1871), largest state in German Empire (1871-1918). After WWI, parts of West Prussia ceded to Poland. After WWII, remainder of West Prussia to Poland; East Prussia divided: northern half to USSR (Kalinigrad oblast, now Russia), southern half to Poland. Radom -- Gubernia of Russian Poland, 1844-1917. Today, south-central Poland. Russian Polandd = Kingdom of Poland
Ruthenia -- Region south of the Carpathian mountains. Part of Hungary before WWI and 1939-1945; a province of Czechoslovakia 1918-1938. To USSR in 1945. Today, in western Ukraine (Zakarpatska Oblast). Also, Ruthenia is another word for Ukraine.
Siedlce (Shedlitz) -- Gubernia of Russian Poland, 1867-1917. Today, east-central Poland.
Silesia (Ger. Schlesien, Pol. Slask) -- Region in valley of the upper Oder bordering on Sudeten mountains. Ruled by Austrian Empire until 1742, when most of it annexed by Prussia. After WWII, ceded to Poland. Today, in southwestern Poland and some in northern Czech Republic (North Moravia).
Suwalki (Suvalk) -- Gubernia of Russian Poland, 1867-1917. After WWI northern half in Lithuania, southern in Poland. Today, northeastern Poland, southwest Lithuania.
Taurida -- Russian gubernia, 1802-1917, in Pale. Today, southeastern Ukraine. Capital: Simferopol.
Transylvania -- Region bounded by Carpathians and Transylvanian Alps. Under Austrian rule since 1765, province of Austro-Hungarian Empire 1867-1918. Became part of Romania following WWI. Today, in western Romania. Chief city: Cluj (Klausenburg).
Vilna -- Russian gubernia, 1802-1917, in Pale. Polish province of Wilno between the wars. Today, southeastern Lithuania and northwest Belarus.
Vitebsk -- Russian gubernia, 1802-1917, in Pale of Settlement. Today, southeastern Latvia, northeastern Belarus; some northeastern parts now in Russia.
Volhynia -- Russian gubernia, until 1917, in Pale. Polish province of Wolyn between the wars. Today, northwestern Ukraine. Chief city: Zhitomer.
Wallachia -- Region between Transylvanian Alps and the Danube . Former principality under Turkish domination. Wallachia and Moldavia merged to form Romania in 1859. Today, in southern Romania. Chief city: Bucharest.
Warszawa (Warsaw) -- Gubernia of Russian Poland, 1844-1917. Today, central Poland.
White Russia -- another name for Byelorussia = Belarus.
Suggestions, additions and corrections to this document are encouraged. E-mail to
Copyright (C) 1994, 1997 by Warren Blatt. All Rights Reserved.
Thanks to Warren Blatt for his permission to share this history with the Mayoff Family Descendant readers. Periodical updates of this article can be found on-line at:<http://www.jewishgen.org/infofiles/eefaq.txt>
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