History of the Jews, Vol. 5 (of 6)Graetz, Heinrich
History
History of the Jews, Vol. 5 (of 6)
Graetz, Heinrich
Jews -- History
In the town of Narol the Zaporogians caused a revolting butchery.
It is said that in the beginning of November 45,000 persons, among
them 12,000 Jews, were slain there with the cruellest tortures. Among
the corpses remained living women and children, who for several days
had to feed on human flesh. Meanwhile the Haidamaks roamed about in
Volhynia, Podolia, and West Russia, and slaked their revenge in the
blood of nobles, Catholics, clergy, and Jews, to thousands and tens of
thousands. In Crzemieniec an inhuman monster slew hundreds of Jewish
children, scornfully examined the corpses as Jews do with cattle, and
threw them to the dogs. In many towns Jews, as well as Catholics, armed
themselves, and drove the bloodthirsty Cossacks away.
The election of a king, which finally was effected--and, though
the Polish state was on the brink of an abyss, it took place amidst
fights and commotions--put an end to bloodshed for the moment.
Although for the most part in a drunken condition, Chmielnicki retained
sobriety enough to dictate, among his conditions of peace, that no
Catholic church should be tolerated, nor any Jew live, in the Cossack
provinces. The commission, unable to accept the conditions, departed
without settling the business (February 16, 1649). The Jews, who had
reckoned upon a settlement, and returned to their home, paid for their
confidence with death, for the Cossacks surrounded the towns with
death-cries. Thus, a second time, many Jews and nobles perished at
Ostrog (March 4, 1649).
The breaking off of the negotiation with Chmielnicki led to a third
encounter. Although the Polish army this time appeared better armed on
the field of battle, it had as little success as before. In the battle
at Sbaráz it would have been completely destroyed by the Zaporogians
and Tartars, if the king had not wisely come to an understanding with
the Tartar chief. Thereupon followed the peace (August, 1649), which
confirmed Chmielnicki's programme, among other points that concerning
the Jews. In the chief seats of the Cossacks (_i. e._, in the Ukraine,
West Russia, in the district of Kiev, and a part of Podolia) they could
neither own or rent landed estates, nor live there.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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