Belarus: Jewish Traces in Chaim Soutine's Home Town of Smilovichi

Smilovichi, Belarus. Former synagogue. Photo: Jewish Heritage Research Group (2004)

Belarus: Jewish Traces in Chaim Soutine's Home Town of Smilovichi 
by Samuel D. Gruber   

Last week I posted about the School of Paris painter Chaim Soutine (1893-1943) on the occasion of his birthday. I've been asked if there are any Jewish traces still in the Belarus village of Smilovichi (Smilavichy) which Soutine left behind forever when he headed for Paris in 1913. 

I've never been to Belarus, but a quick internet search (see below for how to do this) shows that there are Jewish traces still identifiable in the town - or at least there up through 2009. 

First we find a former synagogue (see above), probably built in the later 19th century, that is now (or was recently) a sewing factory. There are also old wooden houses which were part of the Jewish shtetl, and as in many towns in the region, these remain in use. The house of Soutine's father Zalman Soutine, was apparently located on Minskaya Street (now Republican Street). There is a Jewish cemetery, and a monument marking a mass grave from the Holocaust.

Smilovichi, Belarus. Former houses occupied and/or owned by Jews. Photo: Jewish Heritage Research Group (2007).

Smilovichi, Belarus. Former houses occupied and/or owned by Jews. Photo: Jewish Heritage Research Group (2007).

Smilovichi, Belarus. Former houses occupied and/or owned by Jews. Photo: Jewish Heritage Research Group (2007).

Smilovichi has recently reclaimed Soutine and there is now a permanent exhibition installed  at the Art Center for Emerging Artists about his life and art, titled “Spaces of Chaim Soutine.”  The exhibition is comprised of two spaces. The first is about his family origins asnd his early life and studies. The second is set up as a Parisian cafe decorated with reproductions of paintings by Soutine and other School of Paris  artist.  You can read about it here. 

In 2014, there was also talk of building a monument to Soutine in Smilovichi. I don't know whether this has been done.

There were no works by Soutine in Belarus until 2012, when the Belgazprombank bought his Les Grands Pres a Chartres for $400,000.
The Jewish cemetery, can be seen below in photos also from the JHRG.  Additional pictures of the Jewish Cemetery can now be seen in the genealogy section on the web site of Barry Hantmann at http://www.hantman.net/geneology/smilovichi/smilovichi.htm

Mr. Hantmann also includes a picture of a monument that stands next to a mass grave of Jews killed by Nazis. The mass grave is not near the cemetery. 

Smilovichi, Belarus. Jewish cemetery. Photo: Jewish Heritage Research Group (2007).

 

Smilovichi, Belarus. Jewish cemetery. Photo: Jewish Heritage Research Group (2007).

The best way to search for Jewish sites like this is to stop first at jewish-heritage-europe.eu, which will then lead you to other pages listing known Jewish heritage sites in all countries of Europe. So for Belarus, go here, and then there are links for the online lists and photos compiled by Jewish Heritage Research Group which was created in 2002 by several Jewish organizations in Belarus. Comprised of a local team of historians, genealogists, guides and others actively engaged and interested in Belarus Jewish heritage activities the group carried out documentation of Jewish heritage sites around the country and produced a map. It has also restored Jewish cemeteries in Mir, Rakov, Druja, and Gorki and it is engaged on synagogue restorations projects.

The JHRG has a comprehensive web site with links and resources, including a BLOG and clickable lists of heritage sites. It also forms part of the general Jewish Belarus web site.

Les Grands Pres a Chartres
Read full text at: http://eng.belta.by/culture/view/monument-to-chaim-soutine-to-be-built-in-smilovichi-4438-2014
If you use BelTA’s materials, you must credit us with a hyperlink to eng.belta.by.

Until recently there were no paintings by Chaim Soutine in Belarus. In 2012 Belgazprombank bought his work Les Grands Pres a Chartres at the Christie's auction for $400,000.
Read full text at: http://eng.belta.by/culture/view/monument-to-chaim-soutine-to-be-built-in-smilovichi-4438-2014
If you use BelTA’s materials, you must credit us with a hyperlink to eng.belta.by.

Until recently there were no paintings by Chaim Soutine in Belarus. In 2012 Belgazprombank bought his work Les Grands Pres a Chartres at the Christie's auction for $400,000.
Read full text at: http://eng.belta.by/culture/view/monument-to-chaim-soutine-to-be-built-in-smilovichi-4438-2014
If you use BelTA’s materials, you must credit us with a hyperlink to eng.belta.by.

Until recently there were no paintings by Chaim Soutine in Belarus. In 2012 Belgazprombank bought his work Les Grands Pres a Chartres at the Christie's auction for $400,000.
Read full text at: http://eng.belta.by/culture/view/monument-to-chaim-soutine-to-be-built-in-smilovichi-4438-2014
If you use BelTA’s materials, you must credit us with a hyperlink to eng.belta.by.

To my knowledge, there has not been the detailed documentation of Jewish buildings in Belarus, with measured drawings, extensive photographic documentation, and building document searches, as has been the case in neighboring Lithuania, but this would certainly be a worthy multi-institutional project. Since most of the surviving formerly Jeiwsh owned or occupied buildings will never return to Jewish use, it would be valuable at least to record them for posterity before they are further changed or demolished altogether.