Belarus

This web site is dedicated to the study of Jewish family history in the village of Golynka or Hołynka, now in Belarus. The village is located 12 miles NW of Grodno and 5 miles SW of Sopotskin near the Poland and Lithuania borders. Hołynka will be the spelling used on this website.

During the 19th century the village was part of the Suwałki province (gubernia), Augustów district (uyezd) in the Russian Empire. Historical documentation shows that the gubernia at different times was both part of Lithuania and Poland prior to World War I.

In the 20th century, between WWI and WWII, Hołynka  was placed in the Białystok province (gubernia) in Poland. After WWII the boundaries were drawn and Hołynka was placed under the rule of the Soviet Union. In 1991,
Belarus obtained national independence and Hołynka now resides in Grodno county, just meters away from Poland.

The 1897 census for the Russian Empire indicates the Jewish population of the Hołynka community was about 500 souls.  Other nearby Jewish communities included Sopotskin (4 mi); Lipsk, Poland (8 mi); Nowy Dwór, Poland (10 mi); Hrodna (12 mi); Dąbrowa Białostocka, Poland (12 mi); Kapčiamiestis, Lithuania (15 mi).

In 1897 the Jewish population within 30 miles of Hołynka was 48,944 persons. A sizable Jewish population for that immediate area.

Most of the former Jewish communities have now  disappeared, including this one known in Yiddish as Holinka - האלינקע and הולינקה in Hebrew. 

   Golynka Locality Information
 Map 53°47'26" N 23°34'24" E

Alternate names: Golynka Голынка [Rus],
Hołynka [Pol], Holinka האלינקע [Yid],
Hałynka or Galynka Галынка [Bel]
 

There are 8 villages in various provinces and
districts of Belarus with the name Golynka.
Click this Golynka (Галынка) link to view 
more information on the other villages.

 

  Copyright © Ralph Remick