Bohdanow
Encyclopedia
Bohdanow was before WW2 a property in Belarus
. It was seated on the way from Vilnius
to Wolozyn, through Ashmyany, some 80 km (50 mi) from Vilnius.
The property included the Bohdanow area with two manor houses, one old, made of wood, from 1690 and the other in classic 17th century stile with column outside holding the roof of the building. Bohnadow included also the land of Goreckowszczyzna, Holoblewszczyzna with another manor house and Rymowicze, in total about 10000 hectares (24,711 acre). It was formerly a part of Prince Bohdan Sapieha's property and was named after its owner.
of Ostoja coat of arms. In 1742, Franciszek Danielewicz sold all the Bohdanow properties to his clan brother (Clan of Ostoja
) Tomasz Lachowiecki-Czechowicz of Ostoja coat of arms and his wife Barbara Sulistrowska. Bohdanow was owned by the Czechowicz family until 1836 when part of the Bohdanow property, mainly Bohdanow with the Manor houses, was sold to Ferdynand Ruszczyc of Lis coat of arms. During that time Czechowicz raised several buildings on the property, created a park, and raised beavers.
Ferdynand Ruszczyc and his wife Anna Czechowicz developed the property further. They tended the property well, and conserved the wooden church on the property built during its ownership by the Pac family. The grandson of Ferdinand Ruszczyc was also given the name Ferdynand and he was the one to continue managing the property doing conservation work on the property.
The last owner of the Bohdanow was the son of Ferdiand, Edward Ruszczyc and was managing the property together with his wife Krystyna Czechowicz.
(1870–1936) was a well known artist and he made several drawings and paintings of the Bohdanow landscape, the old Manor house and of the interior inside both manor houses. Paintings and drawing are now in the possession of the National Museum in Warsaw. Ruszczyc was also professor of Stefan Batory University in Vilnius
.
and after the war the Belarus administration razed the remaining park and cut down all the trees around the property making open field.
What is left of the Bohdanow property are a few paintings and drawings by Ferdinand Ruszczyc, some photos and written stories about the Bohdanow to be found in the epic work of Roman Aftanazy, Dzieje Rezydencji na dawnych kresach Rzeczpospolitej where old properties, castles and manor houses in Lithuania
, Belarus and Volyn (today southeast of Ukraine) that have not survived the WWII have been documented.
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. It was seated on the way from Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
to Wolozyn, through Ashmyany, some 80 km (50 mi) from Vilnius.
The property included the Bohdanow area with two manor houses, one old, made of wood, from 1690 and the other in classic 17th century stile with column outside holding the roof of the building. Bohnadow included also the land of Goreckowszczyzna, Holoblewszczyzna with another manor house and Rymowicze, in total about 10000 hectares (24,711 acre). It was formerly a part of Prince Bohdan Sapieha's property and was named after its owner.
Shifting ownership of the manor
In the 16th century, the manor was passed from the Sapieha family to the Pac family, then to DanielewiczDanielewicz
Danielewicz vel Danilewicz of Ostoja coat of arms was a noble family name in Lithuania and in the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth. On the political scen Danielewicz supported the Clan of Ostoja expansion in 14th century and in Lithuania was one of the closest families related to the Pac family...
of Ostoja coat of arms. In 1742, Franciszek Danielewicz sold all the Bohdanow properties to his clan brother (Clan of Ostoja
Clan of Ostoja
The Clan of Ostoja was a powerful group of Knights and Lords in late medieval Europe. The clan encompassed several families in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Upper Hungary , Hungary, Transylvania, Belorus, Ukraine and Prussia....
) Tomasz Lachowiecki-Czechowicz of Ostoja coat of arms and his wife Barbara Sulistrowska. Bohdanow was owned by the Czechowicz family until 1836 when part of the Bohdanow property, mainly Bohdanow with the Manor houses, was sold to Ferdynand Ruszczyc of Lis coat of arms. During that time Czechowicz raised several buildings on the property, created a park, and raised beavers.
Ferdynand Ruszczyc and his wife Anna Czechowicz developed the property further. They tended the property well, and conserved the wooden church on the property built during its ownership by the Pac family. The grandson of Ferdinand Ruszczyc was also given the name Ferdynand and he was the one to continue managing the property doing conservation work on the property.
The last owner of the Bohdanow was the son of Ferdiand, Edward Ruszczyc and was managing the property together with his wife Krystyna Czechowicz.
Ruszczyc paintings
The younger Ferdynand RuszczycFerdynand Ruszczyc
Ferdynand Ruszczyc was a Polish painter, printmaker, and stage designer.Born in the surroundings of Valozhyn of Belarus, Ruszczyc originally studied law at the University of St. Petersburg, but then switched majors and began taking painting classes at the Academy of Fine Art. He was a student of...
(1870–1936) was a well known artist and he made several drawings and paintings of the Bohdanow landscape, the old Manor house and of the interior inside both manor houses. Paintings and drawing are now in the possession of the National Museum in Warsaw. Ruszczyc was also professor of Stefan Batory University in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
.
Current
Bohdanow was totally destroyed during the World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and after the war the Belarus administration razed the remaining park and cut down all the trees around the property making open field.
What is left of the Bohdanow property are a few paintings and drawings by Ferdinand Ruszczyc, some photos and written stories about the Bohdanow to be found in the epic work of Roman Aftanazy, Dzieje Rezydencji na dawnych kresach Rzeczpospolitej where old properties, castles and manor houses in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, Belarus and Volyn (today southeast of Ukraine) that have not survived the WWII have been documented.
See also
- DanielewiczDanielewiczDanielewicz vel Danilewicz of Ostoja coat of arms was a noble family name in Lithuania and in the Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth. On the political scen Danielewicz supported the Clan of Ostoja expansion in 14th century and in Lithuania was one of the closest families related to the Pac family...
- CzechowiczCzechowiczCzechowicz is Polish surname:* Szymon Czechowicz , Polish painter of the Baroque* Gabriel Czechowicz , Polish lawyer, economist and politician* Mieczysław Czechowicz , Polish actor...
- Clan of OstojaClan of OstojaThe Clan of Ostoja was a powerful group of Knights and Lords in late medieval Europe. The clan encompassed several families in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, Upper Hungary , Hungary, Transylvania, Belorus, Ukraine and Prussia....
- Ostoja coat of arms
- Pac family
- Sapieha family