The History of Tulchin District

Tulchin was first mentioned in documents in 1697 as: Nestervar: the fortress against the Tartars. The Cossack formations under Ivan Hanzha, Colonel Maxim Kryvonis and later by Semen Paliy fought heroically against the Polish invaders in the Nestervar Fortress during the liberation war of 1648.

            The Turkish janissaries kept the Tulchin land under their control until 1699, and then it was invaded by the Polish magnates again.

            From 1793 Tulchin belonged to the Bratslav district. The great Russian general Al. Suvorov lived in Tulchin from march 1796 to March 1797. He taught his soldiers to fight the enemy. In the village of Timanovka, you can still find the wells which were made by Suvorov’s soldiers. In September, 1947 the amateur Suvorov Museum was opened in Timanovka because Suvorov wrote his great work “The Science of Victory there.

            Another famous personality – the founder of the classical literature I.P. Kotliarevsky lived in Tulchin in 1806. He became famous in the history of Ukraine as the poet and playwright, the author of “Eneida” and “Natalka Poltavka.”

            Tulchin is connected with the names of the Russian officer-decembrist P. Pestel, Russian poet O.S. Pushkin, painters U. Soshenko, P. Reikhel, A. Sokyrynsky; writers Yakov Seleznia, Petro Marunia, Polish poet-democrat Yuliush Slovatsky. The village of Mankivka is the native village of the noted Ukrainian writer-democrat A. Svidnitsky 1834-1871). The great Ukrainian composer M. Leontovich lived in the villages of Tulchin district from 1908 to 1921. He also worked at the Eparchy woman’s school as the teacher of music. During the Civil War (1918-1921) military units of division 45 under Yakir and cavalry unties under Y. Kotovsky fought against the White Armies.

            The district of Tulchin was formed on July 30th 1930.

            During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945) the citizens of Tulchin district fought at the fronts of the war in the military units of different fighting arms near Moscow, Stalingrad, on the Dnieper and on the Oder. At war times about eight thousand civil citizens were killed by the fascists, four thousand were sent to the concentration camps in the village of Pechora. More than eight thousand people from the district were killed in action.

            For courage and heroism six citizens of the Tulchin land were posthumously given the highest award – the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union. Among them were Bondarchuk Phillip Yakovich from Zarichne, Gnaternko Grigoriy Ivanovich from Kirnasovka, Gryb Olexiy Fedorovich from Kholodovka, Zharchynsky Fedir Ivanovich from Shpikov, Klymenko Kindrat Gavryilovich from Shura – Kopiyevka, Kucheryaviy Mykola Olexiyovich from Mazurovka.

            The district of Tulchin was liberated from the Germans in March 1944.

The Geography and Climate of the district

            Tulchin district is situated in the south west of Vinnytsa region, and belongs to the forest-steppe zone; it lies in the southern parts of the Podol plateau, mostly in the Southern Bug and the Silnitsa river basin. The district lies between 48`30` and 48`52` of northern latitude and 28`30` and 29`15` of eastern longitude.

            The climate is moderately continental with mild winter and warm wet summer. The average temperature in summer is +18.6` C, +20.5`C, in winter -4`C, -6`C. The average annual precipitation is 520-590 mm., 80% of which comes in warm seasons. The district borders on the Gaissyn, Kryzhopil, Nemirov, Tyvrov, Tomashpil, Trostianets and Shargorod districts. The distance from Tulchin to Kyiv is 370 km by railroad (359 Km by motorroad) and it is 82 kilometers from Tulchin to Vinnysta by the highway. The entire length of motor roads in the district is 406.7 km. There are three railway stations in the district; Zhuravlivka, Yurkivka, Kirnassovka. The length of the railroads is 55 km.

            The area of the district is 114 square kilometers which makes 4.3% of the total area of Vinnysta region. The area of the water basin of the district is 2402 hectares. The forest area makes 19,205 hectares, mostly oak trees and hornbeams.

            On the territory of the district there are 13 reservations with an area of 877.02 hectares, one of them is of national importance (582 hectares) and 12 are of local value. There are big deposits of mineral resources: granite (21.8 hectares), clay (15.8 hectares), and sand (60 hectares).

            19 settlements of the district are in the zone of radioactive contamination due to the tragedy at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Stations (Vasilovka, Hannopol, Zhuravlyovka, Zaozerne, Zarechnoye, Kleban, Kirnasovka, Krischentsy, Mikhailovka, Mankovka, Markovka, Odaya, Stanislavka, Timanovka, Tulchin, Kholodovka, Shpikov, Fedkovka, and Yurkovka. The populations of these towns and villages is 37,386 people, among them 6580 children. 29,636 are liquidators and victims of the tragedy, including 450 persons (1st category), 94 persons (2nd category), 59 persons (3rd category) and also 32 widows (widowers) with 1st category certificates and 48 liquidators.

The Social Life of the Tulchin District

            There are three specialized secondary schools which give a special secondary education:        

The College of Veterinary Medicine of the Vinnysta Agrarian University; The College of Culture Specialists; Professional school No. 41.

            There are 36 general secondary schools in the district and a specialized school for junior pupils in the village of Kryshentsi. The total numbers of all peoples is 6863 persons.

            There are 5 institutions of out-of-school educations:

                        2 sports schools, 1 center of Technical Educations, 1 Center of Natural Education, 1 Center of Artistic Education. There are 4 music schools, providing 8-year courses of studies in Tulchin, Kirnasovka, Shpikov, Timanovka. 765 teachers work at all types of schools. Medical service is provided by the central District Hospital in Tulchin. There are hospitals in Kirnasovka and Shpikov, sectional hospitals in Kleban and Yurkovka. 8 family type clinics, 30 obstetrics clinics. The number of beds for patients in all kinds of hospitals is 353.

            There are 26 chemist’s shops in the district. Medical services are provided by 921 qualified specialists, among these specialized doctors are 135 persons, medium level specialists make 786 people.

            On the territory of the district there are four medical centers under regional control: the Timanivka Sanatorium for Consumptives, the Tulchin Orthopedic Sanatorium for children, the Pechora Orthopedic Rehabilitation Center, the Tulchin Children’s Home (Orphanage).

            The institutions of Culture and Leisure time include 36 clubs and libraries, 4 amateur groups and 4 diploma’d groups, three museums. In the settlements of the district there are 70 monuments, 15 “Pamiat” (Memorial) Parks, 17 memorial complexes and 7 architectural monuments.

            Physical culture and sports and also all kinds of competitions are provided by the system of sports facilities which include 3 stadiums, 19 football fields, 37 gymnasiums, 4 shooting centers, 19 courts with training equipment, 13 halls for sports classes, including 8 halls with training equipment.

            Registered and active are 69 district departments of political parties, 47 public organizations, 54 religious associations, 13 confessions.

            The total number of political party members is 6672 people or 13.9% of the total number of voters.

            The most numerous and influential public organization is the district organization (union) of the War and Labor Veterans (22,119 people).

The Social Breakdown of the Tulchin District

            Administrative Units:

                        District towns – 1

                        Settlements of town type – 2

                        Villages – 48

            Organs of the Executive Power:

                        District state administration – 1

                        Executives – 48

            Institutions of Local Government:

                        District council – 1 (Number of deputies – 78)

                        Town council – 1 (Number of deputies – 34)

                        Settlement councils – 2 (Number of deputies – 48)

                        Village councils – 23 (Number of deputies – 324)

            Population (by 01.03.2008):

                        Total number in the district – 59,531 people

                        Town inhabitants – 24,281 people (40.78%)

                        Village inhabitant – 35,250 people (59.22%)

                        The density of the population – 53 per / square kilometer

Social Sphere

            The number of pensioners in the district – 21,935 people

            Including…

                        Participants of war – 4381 persons

                        Participants of action – 176 persons

                        War invalids – 477 persons

                        “Children of the War” – 10,896 people

                        Labor veterans – 8969 people

Social Breakdown of the Town of Tuchin

            Population: 15,568 people

Social sphere:

            Libraries – 8

            House of Culture – 1

            Music school – 1

            Hospitals – 4

            Secondary schools – 4

            Pre-school institutions – 5

            Specialized schools – 5

            Markets – 3

Industrial enterprises, offices – 349

Architectural and Cultural monuments:

            Monuments – 9

            Museums – 2

            Memorial complexes – 2

            Park “memory” – 1

            Religious buildings – 4

Places of rest:

            Parks, squares – 5

            Stadiums – 3

            Playground and sports grounds – 8

            Beaches – 1

Tulchin town council – 34 deputies

Executive committee – 9 persons

The staff of the town council – 14 persons

The History of Tulchin

            The district center Tulchin in Vinnysta region, Ukraine is a town of great history, which belongs to the European community.

            There are other towns in Vinnitsa region which in some respect stand higher than Tulchin in the many residences of Hetmans. But on European scales it’s difficult to find its equal.

            In historical documents Tulchin was first mentioned in 1697 and in the first half of the seventeenth century Tulchin was already an important trade center due to the Polish landowner Adam Kalinovsky and to the European merchants.

            But the tragic events, connected with the assault of the Tulchin fortress by the rebel Cossack detachments under Bohdan Khmelnysky in 1648 during the liberation war of the Ukrainian people against the Polish yoke, let to temporary decline and ruin. After these events by the end of the eighteenth century Tulchin returned to life and soon became a widely known center of handicrafts and trades, the town of high European culture and all this was due to Stanislaf Schensny Pototsky, a significant landowner, prominent political figure and statesman. In 1775 he made Tulchin his patrimonial residency by building the Palace and creating in 1782 the architectural gardening ensemble “Khoroshe,” which could successfully be placed in the same category as the best royal palaces of Europe. It was a unique and magnificent masterpiece of landscape gardening created by French builder, artist, and mechanic Lacrur, by the Dutch designer Merks, by the English park designer Miller.

            The town grew and became rich and flourishing, it developed trades and enterprises, became famous, stable and well-known in Europe, the best European samples of decorative and fruit trees came to Tulchin, as well as the best sorts of agricultural plants, corps and flowers. At Pototsky’s farms you could also see the best species of cattle and poultry, delicious drinks were produced, fine samples of pottery and handicrafts were created, efficient agriculture was developing, the well being of peasants and craftsmen was increasing.

            Visitors from Europe were delighted with the high artistic performance of the Tulchin Theatre, with the Pototsky Palace, picture gallery containing the masterpieces of the best European painters: Rafael, Molenar, Rembrandt, Lampi, Tician, Van Deyk; with the unique library of 1700 volumes of world literature’s best works; numismatic collectin, printing house, beautiful samples of Ukrainian embroidery, engraving and carving, highly professional orchestra, and so on.

            Tulchin became a well-known socio-political, military and cultural center. As the headquarters of the second Russian Army was located in Tulchin it was at different times visited by outstanding personalities and statesmen of Russia, France, Poland, Sweden: Kind Stanislav-August, Princes Poliniak and Shuazelie, Emperors Alexander I and Nicholas I, Princes Potiomkin and Sheremetieve. Russian military formations were located on the strategically important south-western borders. Outstanding generals served in the army, namely Al. Suvorov (Russia), I. Kostiushko (Poland), Yu. Poniatovsky (The U.S.A.). Tulchin was the center of the Southern Clandestine Society, where first Russian revolutionaries were developing plans for a future republican system of government in Russia. The most active members of the society were Pavel Pestel, I. Burtsov, A. Bariatynsby, V. Davydov, K. Ryleyev, Y. Bassargin, Y. Bestuzhev-Rumin, V. Rayevsky, M. Muravyov, brothers Borrischev, Rumin and others.

            Tulchin was closely connected with the life and activity of outstanding and brilliant poets and writers of those times: S. Trembovetsky and U. Slovatskiy (Poland). Tulchin inspired Pushkin to create great works of world poetry and this is felt in his “Bakhchysarai Fountain,” “Eugene Onegin,” “The Gypsies,” “Caucasian Captive.”

            Great Ukrainian poets and writers fruitfully worked in Tulchin: i. Kotliarevsky, G. Vovchok, A. Svydnytsky, I. Storozhenko, G. Markevich and years later, P. Tychyna, G. Rylsky, G. Bazhan visited Tulchin too.

            Tulchin is the native town of famous scientists; V. Mikhelson, L. Deich, G. Markevich, the noted painters I. Soshenko and K. Reikhel lived here.

            Tulchin is the town of “Ukrainian Bach” – of the outstanding and brilliant Ukrainian composer M. Leontovich with his unfading “Schedryk” – the Christmas son of all Christians of the world.

            “A Small Paris,” as Tulchin was called by the loving European community is an interesting formation of cultural heritage, including museums and monuments, squares and buildings. Here you can vividly feel the course of history of previous centuries which saw the cruel Tartar-Turkish invaders, conceited Polish magnates, brave and courageous Ukrainian Cossacks, the noble Russian officers-decembrists, the heroes of 1812, wise Jewish thinkers – Khasedes the betrayed revolutionary Red Armies, the Nazi invaders and victorious Soviet Army regiments.

            Perhaps it will be just, honest and noble, if all these people and events find their definite place in the great history of Tulchin.

            It is not only Ukrainian, but the world history, which should be remembered, cherished and honored. It is the sacred duty of all Europeans alongside the people of Tulchin.