History of Belarus & the Bielski Family

Belarus is a geographical area that is situated between Poland, Russia, Lithuania and the Ukraine, and had been occupied by its stronger neighbors for centuries.  Because of this, Belarus was home to a diverse population, including Poles, Lithuanians, Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians and Jews.  Understanding the unique geography and demographics of Belarus, as well as the constant political changes, is critical to following the story of the Bielski Jewish partisan unit during World War II. 

David and Beyle Bielski and their children were one of twelve families in the small village of Stankevich and the only Jews.  The couple operated a water-powered mill that ground flour for cereal.   Their eleven children were made up of nine sons and two daughters.  While the Bielski's were practicing Jews, they lived in isolation from  others, so the family celebrated the Sabbath and Jewish holidays with another family, the Dziencielski's, who lived in a nearby village.  A population of thousands of Jews lived fifteen kilometers away in Novogrudok, but it was difficult for the Bielski's to attend the synagogues there on a regular basis.

 Because of the diverse population and the family business the Bielski children were exposed to people of different ethnic and linguistic backgrounds.  Furthermore, when Germany occupied the area during World War I, young Tuvia visited the soldiers.  As a result, Tuvia and his brothers became fluent in Polish, Belarusian, Russian and German, among other languages.

The Bielski children did not have extensive educations.  Sometimes, David would hire a teacher to come to the family hut and at other times, children were sent to live with relatives in nearby cities to attend school.