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His Excellency, Lord of the Lithuanian-Grodno Civilian Governor and Cavalier M. F. Andzhekovich. The Representative of Grodno

State Provincial Office

Together with Kobryn

Zemsk Police Captain Report

Following your orders of 7 August, No. 8368, we came to the village of Divin with a team of the 1^st Infantry Brigade, consisting of 300 soldiers. All of the people were put up among the dwellings of the local people. After this, all of the peasants were ordered to congregate together for the reading of the Orders of the provincial government. The Order stated: All of the citizens are to obey their owners until the final consideration of freedom.

In addition, it was announced that a court was created for the arbitration of their cases as they become available. It was declared that the provincial government is concerned about their fates and is doing all that it can for the rapid resolution of their fate. However, until the final decision of this question, everyone must obey their owners, as well as the order put in place by the government and the law. Disobedience to the existing order will be punished. However, this was not effective. The peasants, having gathered in a large crowd, unanimously began yelling, that they will not obey, but will fight, even if it means suffering or giving their lives. These were the types of yells that sounded among the crowd. The peasants announced that they are following the example of peasants from the villages of Melenchi, Malchi, and Gorodetz, which refused duties.

The crowd shouted, people were indignant, and no one wanted to listen to the representatives of the government. In this crowd, it was difficult to discern these yells and to determine who was first to plan this distemper. The forces tried to calm the crowd, but could not. However, under all of these conditions we were able to capture a few of the peasants. Lenkovich, Sitnevich, and Kurashin were captured; they explicitly called on the peasants to contribute to the confusion. They were caught and brought to the Lower Zemsk court. They are located there under guard in Kobryn.

In an effort to satisfy their request, we gave them time for consideration. Meanwhile, these people were transferred to Divin. According to the Decree of the provincial government, they were not charged and time was given to discuss measures that could be taken. Once again, the inhabitants were gathered; in front of everyone, we discussed the behavior of the detained. We tried to explain their confusion and wrongful behavior. However, all of these pleadings turned out to be hopeless. The crowd continued to yell and grew enraged. It was decided to detain the most stubborn. Then the group yelled in their defense even louder: no one is first among us, we are all together and for each other. After, the whole crowd followed {9} the arrested, which were already being kept in the barn. The crowd squeezed through the guards and their bayonets into the barn, where the detained were being held. The Zemsk police chief, who tried to hold back the crowd, was knocked off his feet. Along with the massive shouting, threats and insults against the authorities could be heard. Besides this, many women and even young children gathered, contributing to all of the noise. Then the lord of Divin, the retired Captain Shanevsky, announced to the officials, that the peasants secretly placed some trusted people at the bell tower. There were three such in Divin. This was to ensure that in the case of severe treatment to them, they could sound the alarm, and even take up arms.

The officials, fearing that the consequences could lead to bloodshed, were forced to release the whole crowd to go back to their houses. There was an order: to elect from their people 10 trusted, active, literate peasants. They would be able to explain and inspire the importance of behaving appropriately, to explain what their consternation can lead to. This measure was unavoidable because there were rumors that the peasants in the areas surrounding Divin were awaiting their success. In the event of their success, they were preparing to follow their example. This was personally relayed by the landlord Kohlevsky of his peasants in the village Kletishye.

On account of these circumstances, your Excellency, we humbly ask for your command to take strict and immediate action. Given the amount of people in Divin’s disturbance, we ask to bring the people to the necessary obedience without bloodshed. For the peasants of the town of Divin are ready to not only martyr their belongings, but their lives for the sake of not having to obey. The above-mentioned towns of Melenchintsi, Gorodetz, Malch and some Logashin in the Minsk municipality – this is the extent to which resentment has spread. If it is not stopped in its infancy, then soon, important impacts can be born out of this.

Meanwhile, before the necessary team comes here, we will make every effort to inspire obedience in the peasants. However, it may happen that this would be unsuccessful without the use of proper military force. Especially because the clergy here has a big influence over the peasants’ interests and were with the crowd the entire time.

Assessor

Zemsk Police Captain No. 3

August, 23^rd, 1819

Divin

[Signature indiscernible]

In this way, in August of 1817, the first massive peasant disturbances occurred in Divin. The main reason was that the landowner took 200 dessiatines of the peasants’ land and attached them to his possession. The landowner’s capture of the land has drawn rapid protests from the peasants. Diviners were very active in expressing their discontent. This was connected with the fact that the landowner took their land, which was ensured by the Volochnaya land measure of 1566. In the summer of 1818, the peasants announced that they would perform their duties until 1820, and after that completely quit their work for the landowner. They declared that they would wait the decision of the question of their rights and their belonging to the burghers. However, in the next year, 1819, 60 people refused to work. For the maintenance of order, the authorities assigned a team of 13 soldiers. These forces turned out to be inadequate.

After this, a division of 300 soldiers arrived, headed by Commander Byalotsky. This happened on the 20^th of August, 1819. Byalotsky ordered the arrest of the instigators. In response, a crowd, which included women and children, attacked the soldiers. They breached the guards, opened the gates and released all of the detainees. Byalotsky did not risk using force against the peaceful inhabitants, despite the presence of an entire battalion of soldiers. He sent a report to his superiors.

The indignation of the Diviner peasants is great. They do not have any boundaries. In the town, there are a little more than 200 yards. This amounts to about 1,000 people of both sexes. Consequently, these people, having aggressiveness and anger, could have rushed the officials. They could have disarmed the team of 300 soldiers, as the soldiers were not given the order to use their arms in case of disobedience.” Then Byalotsky decided to use trickery. When the peasants separated into small groups, the soldiers attacked them. They bound their hands and feet. The more active of the people were punished harshly. They were flogged. This worked on the people; more than a hundred people gave their signature that they would come back to work. After that, they were released. As soon as this happened, they ran off into the woods.

In response to this, the authorities expanded the troops to 600 people. The soldiers were housed among the homes. They needed to be fed. This turned out to be an additional burden on the poor families; it further impoverished families. This lasted for more than a year. The peasants were driven to work by force, and those that did not comply were beaten. This is how they were forced to work.

In October of 1820, the military team was expanded to 1,200 people. Finally, Diviners were forced to submit to the power of the owners. The organizers were punished with lashes and sent to Siberia. The population was finally conscripted to serfdom and rid of their lands.”

This was the sad ending of the battle of our ancestors for their rights and privileges. They were powerless against their powerful enemy and owner. They turned out to be serfs, devoid of any rights. They were rid of their piece of land, were destroyed and brought to dire poverty. They went to work submissively on the gentry’s land, formerly their lands. But now they worked not for their own families, but for their owners. The landowner Yagmin and his officials used various insults and forms of harassment over {11} the poor, hungry, and disenfranchised people. He built himself an easy, rich and dissolute life on the peoples’ suffering and tears. And for his slave-peasants he promised great blessings in their afterlives.

Confidential

Military Governor, Mr. Vinlensk, from the Military Chief of the Kobryn district, Report. July 19 ^th , 1835, No. 316:

From July 7, 1835 the inhabitants of the town of Divin: Pavel Petrov, Grigory Efimov, Lev Lukyakov, have petitioned. They complain about the oppression and abuse of the peasants of the Divin estate of landowner Paul Yagmin. I conducted an investigation in accordance to this complaint. I was in Divin, secretly, on the 10 ^th and 11 ^th of July of this year. I spoke with various different people and have personally concluded the following.

1) The peasants work for the landlord every week for a period of four days. They work on the fields and use their own bulls. In addition, during haymaking and harvest, each person works for one day. Some work up to 2 days. Everyone worked, the only ones left at home were the sick and the infants. These duties were done by all. People were taken from each house, even from the small families.

2) The peasants were dealt out land that was for the most part swampy, sandy, and mountainous. In the past year, good fields were taken away from peasants to build new farms for landowner Yagmin. (Under the village of Pavlinovo and Yagminovki, in the future). The division of land was created back in 1832. So I was explained by the sworn land surveyor Joseph Rabko. But because of landowner Yagmin’s constant changes, this division has yet to be completed.

Good land suitable for tillage and sowing is taken away from the peasants. The remaining land and fields are unfairly distributed to the peasants. The land was divided according to the number of houses, not considering the amount of people in a family. Thus, larger families received as much land as smaller families. Also, there was not enough strength and ability to clear the forest, drain the swamps, and work their land in due time. There was not enough time and energy because of the large, miserable, work for the landowner. Due to this, families are left without food and have big debts in the form of bread. Some families are required to give loaves of bread/4/ About 64 kilograms to the owner. Ones with large families do not have enough bread, because their plots of land were not adequate for them. This division of lands fully deprives peasants of having enough food for their family. They do not have enough time to tend to their, plots, however small. It is especially hard to work the lands in the forest, which had to be cleared, and after this the trees have to be removed from the area somehow. For all of this there wasn’t enough force, means and time. The gentry took everything. The hayfields are also poor and largely in the wetlands.

{12} 3) The landowner Paul Yagmin had a large steam-powered wine factory in Divin. Three people have already suffered there. One of them, the peasant Wallase Gapanovich died the day after he was scalded. The two others were left invalids.

4) Landowner Yagmin forces the peasants to often haul to Brest, for sale; vodka from the plant, grain, hay, wood and boards and other products. For this he requires the peasants to use their personal bulls and horses for long hauls. People could be in transit for 7 and 8 days. This is extremely hard work, many grew tired and sick on the road. Still, the landowner counted only 4 working days for them. From this many peasants endure great harassment and ruin. Many even lost their livestock on the road, and this is a big loss for a farm.

5) Every peasant home pays an annual impost to the landowner. In the spring 20 złoty and in the fall 25 złoty each, a total of 45 złoty per year. Here there is a big injustice. The imposts are the same for small and large families. The amount of work is also equal: the same amount of days.

6) In February of this year, the Kobryn district marshal of the nobility held a hearing in Divin, of the harassment and punishment of peasants at work. Part of the authorities were fired and new ones were brought in. But after the leader departed all of the previous managers returned to their posts. Moreover, many peasants did not even know that their rights had been defended. No one had told them anything. Those few peasants that had submitted apologies knew. Landowner Paul Yagmin resides permanently in the village Vistsi, and is rarely in Divin. He does not know of how peasants are oppressed and harassed in his town of Divin. But this does not match reality. The landowner lives in Divin each winter. In the summer he arrives in Divin almost weekly. He deals with things personally her. Accordingly, it is obvious that he knows what is happening in Divin.

7) Landowner P. Yagmin expressed his concerns about the peasants of Divin, because they submitted complaints against him. He promised: young people from these families will be given away as recruits. From this families he will take away lands and deprive them of the right to work for their freedom. Peasants believe and fear that this is how it will be. This is how it was six years ago.

8) All of the authentic documents of the Diviner burghers for the case of rights and freedom were submitted to court in December 1817. A pleading was submitted to the State Emperor, No. 1346 of June 20, 1823. An answer was received for this pleading: to expect a decision from the Senate. The petitioners have been awaiting this decision for 18 years already, and because of this are asking for mercy and protection from the government. Hey are asking to forbid Landowner Yagmin from harassing and oppressing the peasants until the final ruling of the case.

9) On top of this, it was discovered that Landowner Yagmin conscripted in village’s bondage these foreigners, living in Divin: Voitek Guder, Iyogan {13} Freidrich, and the free person Zaharka Chizhevsky under the numbers 144, 145, 146. These people with their families are written into bondage.

Of this there is a report to Mr. Grodnensky, citizen governor from the 12 ^th and 17 ^th of July, Numbers 304 and 113.

Rightful Manager of the counsel, K. Kozlovsky. Secretary Dobkevich.