Date of the day

On January 16, 1919, two weeks after the declaration of the BSSR, the territory of Soviet Belarus was reduced in favor of the Russian Federation.

Vitebsk, Mogilev and Smolensk provinces went to the RSFSR.

Read more about it in our project "How the borders of Belarus were drawn".

Also on this day

1593 - the king and grand duke

Sigismund Vasa

convened a joint movement with the aim of suppressing the Cossack uprising

1916 - Field Marshal

Hindenburg

issued an order to grant the Belarusian language equal rights with other languages ​​expanded in the territories occupied by German troops.

1921 — the union treaty between the BSSR and the RSFSR was signed.

1966 - the Coordinating Committee of Belarusians in Canada was formed in Toronto.

1969 - Czech student

Jan Palach set

himself on fire on Wenceslas Square in Prague, protesting against the invasion of Warsaw Pact troops into Czechoslovakia.

They were born on this day

1791 -

Henrik Dembinski

, one of the leaders of the uprising of 1830-1831.

In 1831, he led an unsuccessful attempt to recapture Vilnius from the Russians and ended his life in exile.

1826 -

Romuald Traugut,

one of the leaders of the uprising of 1863-1864.

He was captured and hanged.

A monument to him was erected in the town of Svislach in Hrodna region.

1905 —

Ales Palchevski

, Belarusian writer.

During Stalin's time, he was repressed twice.

1919 —

Uladzimer Alovnikau

, Belarusian composer, People's Artist of Belarus.

Among his popular songs is "Dear Motherland".

In memory

1893 -

Ivan Berman

, Orthodox priest, ethnographer, local historian, collector of Belarusian folklore.

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