Friday, January 18, 2008

Location of Belz (written description)

Belz (Ukrainian, Белз - Polish, Bełz - German, Bels - Yiddish - בעלז) also can be written as Belsk, Beltz and Belzec, is a small town in the Lviv Oblast (province) of western Ukraine, near the border with Poland. It is located between the Solokiya River (affluent of the Bug River) and the Rzeczyca Stream.

There are three versions of the origin of the name:
1. the Celtic language − 'belz' (water) or 'pelz' (stream),
2. the so called "Old Slavic language" − «белз» or «бевз» (muddy place),
3. the so called "Old Russian language" − «бълизь» (white place, a glade in the midst of dark woods).


The latitude and longitude coordinates of Belz are 50°23' 24°01'.

Belz is:

  • 38 miles North of Lviv, Ukraine
  • 27 miles East of Tomaszow Lubelski, Ukraine
  • 119 miles Southeast of Brest, Belarus

The town has existed since at least the 10th century with the Jewish community being established in around the 14th century. In 1665 Jews in Belz got equal rights and duties. The town became home to hasidim in the early 19th century.

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