Orikhiv
Encyclopedia
Orikhiv is a city in Zaporizhia Oblast
, Ukraine
. Population is 17,955 (2001).
; it was incorporated in 1801. It is situated about 50 km (31.07 mi) southeast of Aleksandrovsk (today Zaporizhya), and almost the same distance north of the Molochna Kolonia (Milk Colony). In 1818 Orikhiv appeared to be a place where military personnel of the Czar was stationed; an officer from Orikhiv came out to finalize arrangements for the Czar's visit to Lindenau
in May of that year. As early as 1836 a "Salt Road" (Tschumakemveg) connected Orikhiv with Perekop
to the south, the road running through the Molochna Kolonia. This road was still shown on maps of 1852. In 1850 Orikhiv was within the boundaries of Taurida, near the northeast border of that province. When the railway was built connecting Aleksandrovsk to Berdyansk it went through Orikhiv, presumably helping the development of the city and giving an easy access to the port at Berdyansk.
The first Mennonite
s likely settled in Orikhiv as early as the 1830s. By 1852 there were two windmill
s in Orikhiv owned by Mennonites (Kornelius Ediger and Kornelius Heinrichs) as well as a treadmill and oil press operated by Aaron Wiens. In the 1860s a number of families moved from Schoenwiese of the Khortytsia Colony to Orikhiv. Among these was Johann Heinrich (Ivan Andreievitch) Janzen, who built two large steam-powered flour mills and encouraged other Mennonite businessmen to follow his example.
By 1874 the small Mennonite community, in cooperation with the equally small Lutheran
group, had built a church and a school. Apparently the Mennonites and Lutherans had joint services in the church, but for major festivals the Mennonites tended to go to their home churches, for many this being Schoenwiese in the Chortitza Colony. They also went back to their home churches to allow the young people to meet prospective marriage partners.
In 1874 Johann Heinrich (Ivan Andreievich) Janzen was elected mayor
of Orikhiv. Despite some opposition from the business community because Janzen was German, the governor of the province encouraged him to continue in his position, Orihiv being one of the few cities with a positive balance sheet despite an aggressive school building program. Janzen retired in 1899.
At the end of the nineteenth century, of a population of 10,000, there were only about 200 "Germans" in total (called niemsty), which included approximately equal numbers of Mennonites and Lutherans.
Only one Mennonite estate, Rosenheim (Epp) was listed as being close to Orihiv, while Wintergruen Estate was 14 verst east-southeast of the city. These estates no longer exist.
Peter Kondratyevitch Pavlenko was principal of the Halbstadt Zentralschule in 1909 and 1910, also teaching in the areas of mathematics and pedagogy; before that he had been on the faculty of the secondary school in Orikhiv.
In 1918-1919 Orikhiv was in the centre of the area controlled by the anarchist-bandit Nestor Makhno
, so it likely suffered the usual consequences of being occupied by his army. During the subsequent Civil War
it was over-run a number of times as the vicissitudes of war caused frequent changes in the struggles between the Whites and the Reds
. Orikhiv was the base from which the Red Army
surged southward to finally defeat the Mennonite Selbstschutz -eventually leading to the capitulation in Gnadenfeld, Molotschna.
Orikhiv attained city status in 1938. In 1972 it was the capital of the Orikhiv Region of Zaporizhia Oblast. In 1990 the population was 21,200. Main industries produced clothing, machinery and building supplies. There is a metallurgy plant, "Orikhiv Quarry of Molding Materials," which deals with refractory materials, and a sugar refinery. The city also has a regional museum.
There are no obvious traces of the Mennonite past remaining.
Zaporizhia Oblast
Zaporizhia Oblast is an oblast of southern Ukraine. Its capital is Zaporizhia.This oblast is an important part of Ukraine's industry and agriculture.-Geography:...
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. Population is 17,955 (2001).
History of Orikhiv
Orikhiv was originally founded on about 1793 near the Konka RiverKonka River
Konka is a tributary of Dnieper River, flowing through the Kherson Oblast. The city of Hola Prystan, a small town founded by Catherine II of Russia, is located on the river....
; it was incorporated in 1801. It is situated about 50 km (31.07 mi) southeast of Aleksandrovsk (today Zaporizhya), and almost the same distance north of the Molochna Kolonia (Milk Colony). In 1818 Orikhiv appeared to be a place where military personnel of the Czar was stationed; an officer from Orikhiv came out to finalize arrangements for the Czar's visit to Lindenau
Lindenau
Lindenau is a municipality in the Oberspreewald-Lausitz district, in southern Brandenburg, Germany. Since 1992, it is part of the Amt of Ortrand....
in May of that year. As early as 1836 a "Salt Road" (Tschumakemveg) connected Orikhiv with Perekop
Perekop
Perekop is a village located at the Perekop Isthmus connecting Crimean peninsula to the Ukrainian mainland. It is known for the Fortress Or Qapi that served as the gateway to Crimea...
to the south, the road running through the Molochna Kolonia. This road was still shown on maps of 1852. In 1850 Orikhiv was within the boundaries of Taurida, near the northeast border of that province. When the railway was built connecting Aleksandrovsk to Berdyansk it went through Orikhiv, presumably helping the development of the city and giving an easy access to the port at Berdyansk.
The first Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
s likely settled in Orikhiv as early as the 1830s. By 1852 there were two windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
s in Orikhiv owned by Mennonites (Kornelius Ediger and Kornelius Heinrichs) as well as a treadmill and oil press operated by Aaron Wiens. In the 1860s a number of families moved from Schoenwiese of the Khortytsia Colony to Orikhiv. Among these was Johann Heinrich (Ivan Andreievitch) Janzen, who built two large steam-powered flour mills and encouraged other Mennonite businessmen to follow his example.
By 1874 the small Mennonite community, in cooperation with the equally small Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
group, had built a church and a school. Apparently the Mennonites and Lutherans had joint services in the church, but for major festivals the Mennonites tended to go to their home churches, for many this being Schoenwiese in the Chortitza Colony. They also went back to their home churches to allow the young people to meet prospective marriage partners.
In 1874 Johann Heinrich (Ivan Andreievich) Janzen was elected mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Orikhiv. Despite some opposition from the business community because Janzen was German, the governor of the province encouraged him to continue in his position, Orihiv being one of the few cities with a positive balance sheet despite an aggressive school building program. Janzen retired in 1899.
At the end of the nineteenth century, of a population of 10,000, there were only about 200 "Germans" in total (called niemsty), which included approximately equal numbers of Mennonites and Lutherans.
Only one Mennonite estate, Rosenheim (Epp) was listed as being close to Orihiv, while Wintergruen Estate was 14 verst east-southeast of the city. These estates no longer exist.
Peter Kondratyevitch Pavlenko was principal of the Halbstadt Zentralschule in 1909 and 1910, also teaching in the areas of mathematics and pedagogy; before that he had been on the faculty of the secondary school in Orikhiv.
In 1918-1919 Orikhiv was in the centre of the area controlled by the anarchist-bandit Nestor Makhno
Nestor Makhno
Nestor Ivanovych Makhno or simply Daddy Makhno was a Ukrainian anarcho-communist guerrilla leader turned army commander who led an independent anarchist army in Ukraine during the Russian Civil War....
, so it likely suffered the usual consequences of being occupied by his army. During the subsequent Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
it was over-run a number of times as the vicissitudes of war caused frequent changes in the struggles between the Whites and the Reds
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
. Orikhiv was the base from which the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
surged southward to finally defeat the Mennonite Selbstschutz -eventually leading to the capitulation in Gnadenfeld, Molotschna.
Orikhiv attained city status in 1938. In 1972 it was the capital of the Orikhiv Region of Zaporizhia Oblast. In 1990 the population was 21,200. Main industries produced clothing, machinery and building supplies. There is a metallurgy plant, "Orikhiv Quarry of Molding Materials," which deals with refractory materials, and a sugar refinery. The city also has a regional museum.
There are no obvious traces of the Mennonite past remaining.