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Constantinov, Volhynia

The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia

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City in the government of Volhynia, Russia. Jews seem to have settled in this city soon after it was founded, for during the great uprising of the Cossacks under Chmielnicki (1648-58) it had a considerable Jewish community. In 1648-49 the wild Cossacks and Tatars killed the greater part of the Jewish inhabitants, although the latter were very bravely defended by the Polish general Wishnevetzki. Three years later (1651), according to the testimony of Prince Semen Prozorovski, the murderous hordes, on their way to Sborowo, captured Starokonstantinov anew, murdering the greater part of the inhabitants and applying the torch to the city itself. In 1659 the city was besieged by the hetman Vygovski, but the inhabitants successfully defended themselves. In 1793 Starokonstantinov, together with the rest of the Ukraine, was annexed to Russia. At present (1905) the city has about 17,000 inhabitants, of whom the Jews constitute approximately 60 per cent. The inhabitants carry on a considerable trade with Austria and Prussia, as well as with the surrounding towns and villages. The city has two synagogues, five prayer-houses, a city school for Jewish children, and the usual Jewish benevolent institutions.