Dvorets (in Belarussian - Dvarets), today a center of selsovet in Diatlovo (in Belarussian - Dziatlava)  region  is situated on the river Mouchadz` . Dvarets in about 160 km form Grodno (in Belarussian - Grodna).  In 1993 Dvarets had about 850 inhabitants.
From  the beginning of  XV century  Dvarets  was a possession of duke Fedar Daugoldavich, later - of the Grand Lithuanian duke Svidrygaila and ( from 1451)  -  the  of Lithuanian chancellor Mikhail Kezhgayla. Since 1516 Dvarets  was a maistechka (Yiddish-shtetl)  in the squad of  Slonim povet in Novogrudok (Navagrudak)  voevodstvo. In 1554-55  - a possession of  Ivan Garnastay, since 1555 - the end of  XVI century - of Zof`ya Kezhgaylauna,  later - of  famous belarussian Zavisha family.
Jews lived in Dvarets since the second part of XVI century. In 1721 Dvarets kagal (jewish community) had a debt of 220 polish zlotiya (the name of polish money). More then 383 jews were in this shtetl in 1766.
In 1795 Russian troops occupied Dvarets. It became a center of volost in  Slonim uezd of Grodna gubernuia. In 1804 this shtetl had more then  59 houses,  seventy years later - more then 77 houses, about 547 inhabitants, 9 stores, 3 pubs (in Belarussian - shynok) and 2 fairs. Jews played a main  role in Dvarets trade  and, espescially, in shtetl`s  fairs. Also, of course, they took an active part in Dvarets handicraft.
The jeewish community of Dvarets ghad  317  members  in  1847. The results of  the famous Russian census of  1897  for Dvorets were: 1.366 inhabitants - 868 jews.
During the  World War I, German troops occupied a shtetl in 1915. After the February and Bolshevik revolution in 1919 Polish army occupied Dvarets. According to the Riga treaty of March, 1921, Dvarets was a part of Slonim povet in independence Polish state. On the 17th of  September, 1939 Red Army invaded Poland. Dvarets became a part of the Belarussian Soviet Socialist Republic and of the USSR.
On the 22nd of June, 1941, Nazi Germany invaded Soviet Union.  After the occupation they destroyed Dvarets jewish community. It was the end of this shtetl almost 400 years  jewish history.

 

to Index...