Baran ( be, Бара́нь; russian: Барань; pl, Barań; lt, Baranis) is a town in Vitebsk Region, eastern

Belarus Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by R ...

. It is located in the southeast of the region. Administratively, Baran is subordinate to the city of

Orsha Orsha ( be, О́рша, Во́рша, Orša, Vorša; russian: О́рша ; lt, Orša, pl, Orsza) is a city in Belarus in the Vitebsk Region, on the fork of the Dnieper and Arshytsa rivers. History Orsha was first mentioned in 1067 as Rsha ...

. As of 2009, its population was 11,662.

History

Baran was first mentioned in 1470 and chartered in 1598 by Krzysztof Radziwiłł. At the time, the area belonged to Poland. In 1772, during the First Partition of Poland, Baran was transferred to Russia and became a selo, a center of Baranskaya Volost of Orshansky Province of

Mogilev Governorate The Mogilev Governorate () or Government of Mogilev was a governorate () of the Russian Empire in the territory of the present day Belarus. Its capital was in Mogilev, referred to as Mogilev-on-the-Dnieper, or Mogilev Gubernskiy. The area of the ...

. In 1777, the provinces were abolished, and Baran became a selo in

Orshansky Uyezd Orshansky Uyezd (''Оршанский уезд'') was one of the subdivisions of the Mogilev Governorate of the Russian Empire. It was situated in the northern part of the governorate. Its administrative centre was Orsha. Demographics At the time ...

. In 1919, Mogilev Governorate was abolished, and Baran was transferred to

Gomel Governorate Gomel Governorate was an administrative division (a '' guberniya'') of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic from 1919 to 1926. Its capital was Gomel.http://www.jewishgen.org/belarus/borders_timeline.htm It was formed from nine uyezds ...

. In 1920, Orshansky Uyezd with Baran was transferred to

Vitebsk Governorate Vitebsk Governorate (russian: Витебская губерния, ) was an administrative unit ( guberniya) of the Russian Empire, with the seat of governorship in Vitebsk. It was established in 1802 by splitting the Byelorussia Governorate and ...

, and in 1924, the governorate was abolished. From 1924, Baran was a part of Orsha Raion, which belonged to Vitebsk Okrug of

Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR, or Byelorussian SSR; be, Беларуская Савецкая Сацыялістычная Рэспубліка, Bielaruskaja Savieckaja Sacyjalistyčnaja Respublika; russian: Белор� ...

. In 1935, Baran became an urban-type settlement. On January 15, 1938 Vitebsk Region was established, and Orsha Raion with Baran was transferred to the oblast. During the

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Baran was occupied by the German troops, the Jewish population was executed. A witness to a mass shooting of the Jews of Baran stated, "The perpetrators were put together in a special unit of 6 persons. They had a black uniform and machine guns. The policemen threw the Jews in front of the grave, they were then shot by families." In 1960,

was made a city of oblast significance, and Baran was transferred from Orshansky District and became subordinate to the city of Orsha. In 1972, Baran obtained a town status.

Economy

Industry

In 1873 Mehzhinsky, an estate owner, founded in Baran a mechanical plant, which was producing nails. During the World War II, the plant was evacuated to the east, and after the war it was restored and started production of radio stations.

Transportation

Baran is located on a highway connecting Orsha with

Shkloŭ Shklow ( be, Шклоў, ; Škłoŭ; russian: link=no, Шклов, ''Shklov''; yi, שקלאָוו, ''Shklov'', lt, Šklovas, pl, Szkłów) is a town in Mogilev Region, Belarus, located north of Mogilev on the Dnieper river. It has a railway s ...

and further with

Mogilev Mogilev (russian: Могилёв, Mogilyov, ; yi, מאָלעוו, Molev, ) or Mahilyow ( be, Магілёў, Mahilioŭ, ) is a city in eastern Belarus, on the Dnieper River, about from the border with Russia's Smolensk Oblast and from the bor ...

. The closest railway station, also on the railway connecting Orsha and Mogilev, is Khorobrovo, just outside the town.

Culture and recreation

Almost no traces of the old town survived. The only two notable pre-1917 buildings are a poorhouse and a mechanical workshop.

References

{{Vitsebsk Voblast Towns in Belarus Populated places in Vitebsk Region Orsha District Vitebsk Voivodeship Orshansky Uyezd Holocaust locations in Belarus Populated places on the Dnieper in Belarus