Zolochiv is a city of 24 000 people located in western Ukraine. It has quite a storied and violent history:
- It was occupied from 1180 under the name of Radeche until the end of the 13th century. This fort there was burned to the ground during the invasion of the Crimean Tatars.
- In 1442, the city was founded as Złoczów, by John of Sienna, a Polish nobleman.
- The Polish king, Sigismund I the Old incorporated the town on 15 September 1523.
- From 1772 - 1918, it was a part of Austrian monarchy.
- From 1923 to 1939, it was a part of Poland.
- The Soviet Union occupied Zolochiv from 1939 to 1941. Ukrainian nationalists were tortured and the Zolichiv prison.
- In July 1941, the Germans began to occupy Zolochiv. As the Soviets fled, they killed about 700 Ukrainians. In retaliation, the Germans rounded up between 1800 - 2000 Jews and shot them. Jews who remained were forced to work as slave labourers. About 2000 Jews were sent to Belzec and were killed. Remaining Jews were confined to a ghetto.
- From July 1944 - August 1945, the Soviet Union occupied the town again.
- From 1945 to 1991, Zolochiv was made a part of the Ukrainian Socialist Republic of the Soviet Union.
- In 1991, Ukraine declared its independence and Zolochiv was now Ukrainian; not Soviet.
- In 2022, Zolochiv was hit by a Russian missile attack. The missile was shot down by air defense, but the debris destroyed a brick making company and nearby houses. Six people were injured.
Слава Україні! Slava Ukraini!
Героям слава! Heroiam slava!,
Comments
Post a Comment