Kirill Ravkovich
In October 2010, a census was conducted in the Russian Federation. Naturally, Smolensk Oblast participated in it. However, the results of the census may surprise those familiar with the history of this region – the vast majority of the population identifies as Russian (94.6%). “But wait!”, some might say, and I am among them – “has this figure ever been different? Didn’t previous censuses show similar percentages?” Indeed, in 2002, 1989, and 1959, the percentage of Belarusians in Smolensk was low: from 0.8% to 1.94% of the total population of the region. The surprise at this information is even greater, raising more questions for those who associate Smolensk as inextricably with Belarus as with Russia.
To address this contentious issue, attention is usually drawn to the results of the “First General Census of the Population” of 1897, “Smolensk: Russian Language Group: Great Russian Language – 1,397,875, Belarusian Language – 100,757…”. However, it is important to remember that this refers specifically to the “language group”; there was no question of nationality on the forms.
For clarification, let us turn to contemporary census sources from Smolensk, particularly the book “Brief Economic and Statistical Data on Smolensk Province. 1912.” – it first presents data from the aforementioned census – “Great Russians – 91.65%, Belarusians – 6.61%, Little Russians – 0.09%, Jews – 0.72%, Poles – 0.48%, Latvians and Estonians – 0.27%, Germans – 0.11%, Lithuanians – 0.02%, Others – 0.07%.”, but researchers from the Smolensk Provincial Zemstvo Administration make a caveat – “The census established that Smolensk Province, by its ethnic composition, belongs to the Great Russian provinces, as only 6.61% of Belarusians were recorded. However, this is not accurate. In the 1860s, the number of the Belarusian population was estimated at 46.6%, and the relative decrease of this population group by almost seven times over three to four decades is explained solely by the rapid spread of the Russian language among the younger generation of Belarusians, who registered it as their native language during the census, although the speech of the majority of the population in the districts adjacent to the western border bears clear traces of the Belarusian dialect.
I. Orlovsky estimates the number of Belarusians in Smolensk Province to be around 65%, thus classifying it as part of Belarus and considers the language of Smolensk Belarusians to be purer than that of Mogilev or Vitebsk. (p.32)*
It is important to note that the percentage of “migrant population” from other districts and provinces is not large among the rural population, but in Smolensk itself, it reaches 3/5 of the total number of urban residents – mainly due to government officials, military garrisons, and migrant workers from other provinces (p.33).
Smolensk in the 18th Century
It is clear that many authors and scholars, relying on census data, transformed the Russian-speaking population, among whom, in addition to Belarusians, there were representatives of other nationalities of the empire, into “Great Russians.” Therefore, it is valuable to refer to documents that show the ethnic situation before the census. For example, the book by Staff Captain M.M. Tsebrykov “Materials for the Geography and Statistics of Russia, Collected by Officers of the General Staff – Smolensk Province, Vol. 21. 1862.” – “Before the beginning of the 18th century, there are no positive records of the gradual settlement of the described region, as the first population census dates only to this time. (p.125)”* The authors propose a division of provincial districts into two groups – “Belarusian: Smolensk, Krasninsky, Dukhovshchinsky, Dorogobuzhsky, Yelninsky, Porechsky (now Demidovsky), Roslavl.” and “Great Russian: Vyazemsky, Yukhnovsky, Gzhatsky (Gaganinsky), Sychevsky, Belsky.” The final population figures are – “Great Russians: 254,566 men and 266,390 women = 520,956; Belarusians: 303,721 men and 297,157 women = 600,878; in total – 1,121,834 residents of the province.” In percentage terms – 46% Russians and 54% Belarusians.
We obtain approximately the same data in “Agricultural Statistics of Smolensk Province 1855” (pp.92-93) – the same uneven division into “Belarusian and Great Russian” parts, with the exact figures being – “Great Russians: 245,835 men, 261,804 women = 507,639; Belarusians: 284,536 men, 291,074 women = 575,610; total number – 1,083,249.” And “Historical and Statistical Description of the Smolensk Diocese, 1864.” agrees with this (p.33) – “The direct connection with the ancient population of the Smolensk Diocese is currently held by the inhabitants of ancient localities, permanently belonging to Smolensk Province: Smolensk, Roslavl, Krasnoe, Dorogobuzh, Belye, Porechye, Yelnya, and Dukhovshchina with their surroundings.” The total number of Belarusians in the province is estimated at about 600,500 people.
One cannot overlook such a valuable source as “Lists of Settled Places in the Russian Empire: Smolensk Province. 1868.”, which provides data on the population of the districts for the year 1866: Porechsky District – Great Russians 2,202, Belarusians – 68,995, a mix of Great Russians and Belarusians – 11,713, others – 306 = 83,216; Smolensky – Great Russians 7,611, Belarusians 82,636, Poles 1,077 = 91,324; Belsky – Great Russians 69,642, Belarusians 37,984, Poles 263 = 107,889; Vyazemsky – Great Russians 71,256, Belarusians 11,181, Poles 176 = 82,613; Gzhatsky – Great Russians 117,196, Poles 241 = 117,437; Dorogobuzhsky – Great Russians 3,419, Belarusians 47,855, Poles 21,055, others 175 = 72,514; Dukhovshchinsky – Great Russians 4,238, Belarusians 67,106, Poles 13,558, others 354 = 85,256; Yelninsky – Great Russians 4,307, Belarusians 89,304, Poles 11,290, others 481 = 105,382; Krasninsky – Great Russians 3,047, Belarusians 72,977, Poles 497 = 76,521; Roslavlsky – Great Russians 5,806, Belarusians 108,266, Poles 256 = 114,328; Sychevsky – Great Russians 95,159, Poles 119 = 95,278; Yukhnovsky – Great Russians 104,047, Belarusians 14,626, Poles 110 = 118,783. In total, the population is divided into Great Russians – 487,930 (42.42% of the total number of residents), Belarusians – 537,149 (46.68%), a mix of Great Russians and Belarusians – 121,407 (10.55%), others 4,055 (0.35%), total number of residents – 1,150,541 people (p.50).
Note: In the fifth volume of “Districts and Important Settlements of European Russia”, divisions are made by “provinces of the Lithuanian region” – Vilna, Kovno, and Grodno, and “provinces of the Belarusian region” – Minsk, Vitebsk, Mogilev, and Smolensk.
Map of Smolensk Province
Separately, one can cite the opinions from the “Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron”: – “In ethnographic terms, Smolensk Province represents two unequal parts: the eastern, smaller part, which includes the districts of Gzhatsky, Sychevsky, Yukhnovsky, almost the entire Vyazemsky, and a large part of Belsky – populated by Great Russians, who make up 42.3% of the total population of the province; the western part of the province, which includes the remaining districts, is populated by Belarusians, who constitute 46.7% of the population; the remaining 11.0% is a mixed population.” It is also noted that – “Recently, there has been a noticeable influx of foreign populations, especially Jews in urban areas and Latvians in the districts; however, overall, emigration, although not significant, predominated over immigration.”
A similar opinion is held by the Polish-language “Geographic Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and Other Slavic Countries. Volume 10. 1889.” – according to it, the number of Belarusians in the province reaches 90% of the total population (p.901).
However, for determining ethnic affiliation, statistics alone are insufficient; it is also important to know as much as possible about the culture, everyday life, and language of the inhabitants of Smolensk. This can be aided by the local historical books published at that time. For example, “Smolensk Ethnographic Collection” by Vladimir Nikolaevich Dobrovolsky, who meticulously recorded and systematized not only the peculiarities of the speech and language of Smolensk residents but also gathered a wide collection of local songs/proverbs/tales. Works by Pavel Andreyevich Rastorguev, particularly “Dialects in the Territory of Smolensk” published in 1960, can also be recommended.
Especially valuable sources on Belarusian culture in general and Smolensk culture and language in particular are the books by Professor Yefim Fedorovich Karsky – particularly the work “Belarusians. Volume 1: Introduction to the Study of Language and Folk Literature. 1903.” – “In Smolensk Province, the border of the Belarusian tribe runs along the boundary between the Dorogobuzhsky and Belsky districts on one side and the Yukhnovsky, Vyazemsky, and Sychevsky districts on the other; with the majority of the province populated by the Belarusian tribe, and only four eastern districts (Yukhnovsky, Vyazemsky, Sychevsky, and Gzhatsky) belonging to the southern Great Russian dialect. In general, to the east of Smolensk along the railroads (of which there are many here), the Belarusian speech gives way to Great Russian, as I have personally observed. (p.16)”
By the way, regarding the number of the Belarusian population, he writes: “The number of the Belarusian population in Smolensk Province is quite accurately determined in the “Overview of Smolensk Province for 1901” (the most humble report of the governor). Here, in the Belarusian districts, excluding the urban population, 920,042 people are recorded. If we add to this the population growth over two years (1.51%) – 27,784, we get 947,826 Belarusians in Smolensk Province. This number is quite close to reality, as there are also Belarusians in the cities, but on the other hand, there are also Great Russians in the villages of the Belarusian district, especially near the railroads. This figure will not be far from the number of Belarusians in Smolensk Province in 1860 (1,122,000). The number of Belarusians in Smolensk Province is certainly gradually decreasing. (pp.187-188)”
Thus, the author concludes the number of Belarusian Smolensk residents at 947,826 (out of a total of 8,317,961 in the empire). In his works, Yefim Fedorovich argues his opinion on the “Belarusian-ness” of the inhabitants of adjacent regions with convincing linguistic and ethnological data.
Vladimir Benediktovich Stankevich openly disputes Karsky’s opinion. In his book, published in 1921, “Fates of the Peoples of Russia”, the writer presents the percentage of the population in the Russian Empire: “Out of a total of 129 million, Great Russians make up – 55,673 thousand (that is, 43.3% of the population of the empire), Ukrainians: 22,415 (17.4%), Poles 7,931 (6.2%), Belarusians 5,886 (4.5%), Jews 5,063 (3.9%)… (p.4)”, by 1918, the population of the empire was supposed to be around 180 million, and accordingly, the number of each nationality increased. The author also notes “the catastrophic decline of culture in Russified areas: Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine… (p.5)”, describes the details of “Stolypin’s nationalism,” attempts to identify the causes that led to the collapse of the empire and the bloody slaughter (the so-called Civil War in Russia) and sees them in World War I, which forced people to look at themselves and the surrounding world anew, to ask the question – “what is my country and my people, actually?”
However, speaking of our immediate goal of reading his work – Vladimir Benediktovich, relying on the statistics of 1897, confirms that “the Belarusian population constituted the majority… in the Surazh District of Chernigov Province and in the Krasninsky District of Smolensk Province (p.20)” but criticizes Karsky, asserting that “With the zeal of a scholar, everywhere seeking the object of his research, Professor Karsky, based on phonetic peculiarities of speech, includes the Mglinsky, Starodubsky, Novozybkovsky, parts of Novgorod-Seversky, Sosninsky, and Gorodoksky districts of Chernigov Province, Belsky, Porechsky, Dukhovshchinsky, Smolensky, Roslavlsky, and parts of Yelninsky and Dorogobuzhsky districts of Smolensk Province, etc. to Belarusian territory.”
Stankevich also accuses the author of the work “Belarusians” of “inflating the number of Belarusians” from 8,272,156 (the approximate number of Belarusians calculated from the 1897 statistics) to 9,300,000 (in Karsky’s work) – “especially shamelessly done with Smolensk Province, where Karsky increases the number of Belarusians from 140,000 to 842,000, seeking support and basis for this in the population accounting data conducted in 1866!”
However, an explanation for the discrepancies between census data and Karsky’s figures has already been provided, so Vladimir Benediktovich’s indignation is understandable but, fortunately, erroneous. The figures cited by some Belarusian figures of that time of 12 million and more are clearly pulled from thin air.
No less important for the unity and self-determination of the people is religion. In this regard, the faith of the Smolensk people is quite familiar to modernity – Orthodox Christians make up 88.10% of the population in cities and 97.04% overall in the province, followed by Old Believers – 0.55% in cities, 1.36% overall, however, there is also a high percentage of believing Jews (6.07% and 0.73% in the province) and Catholics (4.22% in the city, 0.56% in the province). For comparison, the religious affiliations of neighboring Russian provinces – Tver, Oryol, Chernigov, and Kaluga have an absolute predominance of Orthodox population (99.64%, 99.39%, 94.58%, 99.54%), while in the Belarusian Mogilev Province, alongside Orthodox (84.53%), there is also a large Jewish diaspora (11.92%). In the neighboring Vitebsk Province, the figures vary even more – Orthodox 61.01%, Catholics – 23.99%, and Jews – 11.80%. From this, one can conclude that in religious terms, the Smolensk people were closer than other Belarusian provinces to their Russian Orthodox neighbors.
Boundaries of the Ethnic Territory of Belarusians
The fourth, and probably the most important, indicator of national belonging is self-identification. Did the Smolensk people consider themselves, as they do now, to be Russian people, or did they distance themselves from them?
It is important to understand that in the 19th century, there was still an active confrontation between Poles and Russians over the lands of Belarus and Ukraine. On one side stood the idea of a “single Russian people in which the main people, the Great Russians, liberated their younger brothers – the Belarusians and Little Russians,” on the other side were assurances that these lands were Polish, and Poland itself was a shield that separated Europe “from the invasion of Tatar barbarism.” In such a situation, the inhabitants of these regions constantly had to fear being “drowned in the Russian sea or the Polish puddle,” forgetting their kin and the history of their ancestors, which they certainly did not want.
Regarding Belarusians – for a long time, the educated public of Warsaw and St. Petersburg had a rather vague idea of this territory as a whole, and active interest in Belarus awakened after the uprising of 1863. On one hand, there were several centuries of active Polonization. On the other hand, under the pressure of propaganda that sought to declare these lands Russian, active studies of this region began – and as a consequence, the finding of its obvious distinctiveness and difference from other Russian lands.
The belonging of Smolensk residents to Belarusians was confirmed by many scholars, but this topic was most thoroughly examined by Alexander Nikolayevich Pypin in his work “History of Russian Ethnography. Volume 4.” Studying this topic, one can arrive at what Karsky described in his understanding of the local population’s perception of the term “Belarusian” – “Currently, the common people in Belarus do not know this name. When asked: who are you? the commoner replies – Russian, and if he is Catholic, he calls himself either a Catholic or a Pole; sometimes he names his homeland Lithuania, or simply says that he is “tuteishiy” (tutejszy) – local, of course contrasting himself with someone speaking Great Russian, as a newcomer in the western region.”
If we speak specifically about the Smolensk people, they did separate themselves from “Muscovites”:
“…The Poles and Muscovites conspired to fight
They sat behind the forests, took position behind the bushes
The Muscovites tried hard, all the chubiks were taken away”
However, they still thought of Russia as inseparable (a circumstance that is often forgotten by the overly zealous so-called “nationalists,” who are only nationalists by self-designation), as can be seen from this folk song:
“As in the twelfth year;
the French declared war;
on mother Moscow;
on all of Russia…”
The same thought is expressed in the collection “Picturesque Russia: Lithuanian and Belarusian Polesie,” – “In a word – in these outskirts, the appearance of the Belarusian tribe could not finally and entirely manifest, and the neighbors, so to speak, have not yet sorted themselves out among themselves. Moreover, they have not yet identified themselves as an independent tribal group…
The name “Belarus” is artificial, bookish, and official. The descendants of the Krivichs do not know themselves by this name, although essentially no epithet can be found more typical…
… under the name of White Russia, the local people mean Great Russia, and during the recent national excitement, which was a consequence of the last Polish uprising, the local intelligentsia began to consider the name “Belarus” even offensive, recognizing themselves unequivocally as pure “Russians,” of a more ancient and pure origin.” (pp. 438-439).
Overall, the information I have presented vividly demonstrates the uniqueness and complementarity of Russian and Belarusian cultures in the history and everyday life of Smolensk land. It can be called “the most Belarusian of Russian cities” or the most “Russified Belarusian city,” and I see in it a symbol of the unity and closeness of two peoples, their shared great and dramatic history.
I hope to have awakened an interest in the history of Smolensk among readers, and among Smolensk Belarusians – a sense of kinship with this “capital of the ancient Krivichs” and our native city.