- This article is about a town in Ukraine. For the Hasidic dynasty, see Belz (Hasidic dynasty). For other meanings, see Belz (disambiguation).
Belz (Ukrainian Белз, Polish Bełz, Yiddish בעלז) is a small town in western Ukraine, near the border with Poland. It has 2,408 inhabitants (2004). Geo-coordinates in degrees (decimal): 50.38°N, 24.02°E.
The town existed at least since the 11th century, when it was part of Rus. In 1366 it became a part of Poland, to which it belonged until 1793. It then passed to the Austrian Empire, later Austro-Hungarian Empire, where it was a part of the region Galicia. During that time, the town became home to a Hasidic dynasty, which was named Belz after the town.
In the years 1918-1939 it again belonged to Poland. In years 1939-1941 it was occupied by the Soviet Union, then it was occupied by Germany in years 1941-1944. After the war it belonged again to Poland until 1951, when after a minor border readjustment it passed to the Soviet Union and its Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. After 1991 it belongs to independent Ukraine.
|
