Swiniuchy

Świniuchy (also known as Podhajce or Privetnoye) is a small village in the Volyn district of western Ukraine. It is located approximately 75 miles northeast of the city of Lviv, Ukraine.Privetnoye [Ukrainian] , Świniuchy [Polish] , Svinyukhi [Russian] , Svinech [Yiddish]

History

Judaism in Swiniuchy

Jews first settled here in the 16th century. By the year 1897, 629 Jews lived here out of a total of 1,780 people. During World War I, many Jews left the shtetl because of nearby fighting. In 1921, only 173 Jews were living here.

Due to a high birth rate, as most of the Jewish citizens of Świniuchy were belonging to the orthodox sects of Olyka and Tuczyn Hasidism, the Jewish population grew to 498 by 1936. In July of 1941, the Ukrainian local government police persecuted the Jews of Świniuchy after being orderd to by the Germans. During October of that year, they were sent to the Lokacze ghetto where they were executed on September 13, 1942.

There are known descendents of the Jews of Świniuchy living in the United States.

Life in Pre-War Swiniuchy

Swiniuchy was a old town with a laid-back feel. As typical of the region, homes were decaying rustic whitewashed clay huts lit by kerosene lamps. The village was, of course, centered around trade. Poles, Ukrainians, and Jews alike shared the small shtetl, living together, though with suspicions. Food was cheap, most of the Jews were observant, and basically all of them were below the poverty line. Also, there was no generation gap, as it was such a small, close-knitted community. Homes were worn, white clay, with thatched roofs.

source: http://www.kimel.net/podhajce.html