Massacre of Uman
Encyclopedia
The Massacre of Uman was the 1768 massacre
of the Jews, Poles
and Ukrainian
Uniates at Uman
in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
by the Ukrainian rebel Haidamak army.
Uman was a well-fortified town that held a large garrison
part of Polish troops. This fact made Uman one of the primary targets of Koliyivschyna
movement, and, probably, the siege of Uman was planned well in advance. Ivan Gonta
, an officer in the private militia of Count Franciszek Salezy Potocki
(composed of Registered Cossacks
) was accused of connections with haidamaka
s by local Jewish community three months before the siege; however, due to the lack of hard evidence and the sudden death of a star witness on his road to Uman no formal charges were made. Although Ivan Gonta
was de-facto the commander of Uman cossacks he was not the most senior in their ranks.
In early June of 1768 the Ukrainian rebels under the command of Maksym Zalizniak
marched on Uman after capturing Cherkasy
, Korsun
and Kaniv
. As Zalizniak openly encouraged the slaughter of Jews and Poles, the town was filled with refugees. A large camp filled with Polish nobility and their private militia, regular soldiers and Jewish refugees was stationed outside the city walls. Polish troops outnumbered the forces of rebels, and therefore it was decided that some of the forces should guard the ramparts while Gonta with his cossack unit would meet the Haidamakas in open battle. However, when Gonta met Zalizniak's units he openly declared that he is going to join Koliyivschyna. Some sources claim that the formal commanders of the unit were sent back to Uman, although the authenticity of the story is highly disputed.
The united troops razed the encampment on June 14th and tried to penetrate the ramparts by concealing the rebels behind the backs of Gonta's Registered Cossacks. However, the attempt failed, and so the siege started on June 17th. The very first day large number of Ukrainians deserted the ranks of Polish forces and joined the rebels when the city was surrounded.
After three days of the siege the city fell to Zalizniak in spite of a courageous defense in which the Jews also played an active role. The tragic event occurred after the betrayal of commandant Mladanovitch, who wanted to buy the lives of Poles betraying Jews to Zaliznak and Gonta. This evolved into the violent and bloody massacre (where Mladanovitch was himself killed). The Jews then gathered in the synagogue
s, where they were led by Leib Shargorodski and Moses Menaker in an attempt to defend themselves, but they were destroyed by cannon fire. Most of the remaining Jews in the city were subsequently killed. According to Breslov the number of Poles and Jews massacred was 33,000. The same estimate is given by Gonta during his trial. These numbers are considered exaggerated by the modern historyography, with numbers of Poles and Jews who were killed in the “massacre of Uman” ranging between 2,000 (modern historiographic estimate) and 20,000 (earlier).
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
of the Jews, Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
and Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
Uniates at Uman
Uman
Uman is a city located in the Cherkasy Oblast in central Ukraine, to the east of Vinnytsia. The city rests on the banks of the Umanka River at around , and serves as the self-governing administrative center of the Umanskyi Raion ....
in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
by the Ukrainian rebel Haidamak army.
Uman was a well-fortified town that held a large garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
part of Polish troops. This fact made Uman one of the primary targets of Koliyivschyna
Koliyivschyna
Koliyivshchyna 1768-1769 was a Ukrainian Cossack and peasant rebellion against Poland, which was responsible for the murder of noblemen , Jews, Uniates, and Catholic priests across the part of the country west of the Dnieper river...
movement, and, probably, the siege of Uman was planned well in advance. Ivan Gonta
Ivan Gonta
Ivan Gonta was one of the leaders of the Koliyivschyna, an armed rebellion of Cossacks against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth....
, an officer in the private militia of Count Franciszek Salezy Potocki
Franciszek Salezy Potocki
Franciszek Salezy Potocki was a Polish-Lithuanian noble . Knight of the Order of the White Eagle, awarded on August 3, 1750 in Warsaw....
(composed of Registered Cossacks
Registered Cossacks
Registered Cossacks is the term used for Cossacks formations of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth armies.-Establishing:The registered cossacks were created on the King's edict of Sigismund II Augustus on June 5, 1572 confirming the orders of the Crown Hetman Jerzy Jazłowiecki. The first senior ...
) was accused of connections with haidamaka
Haidamaka
The haidamakas, also haidamaky or haidamaks , were paramilitary bands in 18th-century Ukraine. The haidamak movement was formed mostly of local Cossacks and peasantry , against the Polish nobility in right-bank Ukraine...
s by local Jewish community three months before the siege; however, due to the lack of hard evidence and the sudden death of a star witness on his road to Uman no formal charges were made. Although Ivan Gonta
Ivan Gonta
Ivan Gonta was one of the leaders of the Koliyivschyna, an armed rebellion of Cossacks against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth....
was de-facto the commander of Uman cossacks he was not the most senior in their ranks.
In early June of 1768 the Ukrainian rebels under the command of Maksym Zalizniak
Maksym Zalizniak
Maksym Zaliznyak - Zaporizhian Cossack, leader of the Koliivshchyna rebellion.-History:Zaliznyak was born in a poor peasant family...
marched on Uman after capturing Cherkasy
Cherkasy
Cherkasy or Cherkassy , is a city in central Ukraine. It is the capital of the Cherkasy Oblast , as well as the administrative center of the surrounding Cherkasky Raion within the oblast...
, Korsun
Korsun
Korsun may refer to:People*Nikolai Georgiyevich Korsun , a Soviet military historian*Nikolai Nesterovich Korsun , a Soviet army officer and Hero of the Soviet Union...
and Kaniv
Kaniv
Kaniv is a city located in the Cherkasy Oblast in central Ukraine. The city rests on the Dnieper River, and is also one of the main inland river ports on the Dnieper...
. As Zalizniak openly encouraged the slaughter of Jews and Poles, the town was filled with refugees. A large camp filled with Polish nobility and their private militia, regular soldiers and Jewish refugees was stationed outside the city walls. Polish troops outnumbered the forces of rebels, and therefore it was decided that some of the forces should guard the ramparts while Gonta with his cossack unit would meet the Haidamakas in open battle. However, when Gonta met Zalizniak's units he openly declared that he is going to join Koliyivschyna. Some sources claim that the formal commanders of the unit were sent back to Uman, although the authenticity of the story is highly disputed.
The united troops razed the encampment on June 14th and tried to penetrate the ramparts by concealing the rebels behind the backs of Gonta's Registered Cossacks. However, the attempt failed, and so the siege started on June 17th. The very first day large number of Ukrainians deserted the ranks of Polish forces and joined the rebels when the city was surrounded.
After three days of the siege the city fell to Zalizniak in spite of a courageous defense in which the Jews also played an active role. The tragic event occurred after the betrayal of commandant Mladanovitch, who wanted to buy the lives of Poles betraying Jews to Zaliznak and Gonta. This evolved into the violent and bloody massacre (where Mladanovitch was himself killed). The Jews then gathered in the synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s, where they were led by Leib Shargorodski and Moses Menaker in an attempt to defend themselves, but they were destroyed by cannon fire. Most of the remaining Jews in the city were subsequently killed. According to Breslov the number of Poles and Jews massacred was 33,000. The same estimate is given by Gonta during his trial. These numbers are considered exaggerated by the modern historyography, with numbers of Poles and Jews who were killed in the “massacre of Uman” ranging between 2,000 (modern historiographic estimate) and 20,000 (earlier).