Belarusians

Categories / Population/Ethnic Groups
BELARUSIANS, an ethnic community within the St. Petersburg population. Belarusian is related to the Slavonic group of Indo-European languages. Most religious members of the community belong to the Russian Orthodox Church while some are Catholic. Peasant immigrants from Belarus arrived in St. Petersburg in the 19th century (mainly from Vitebsky Province). The linguistic and cultural similarities to Russian led to weak ethniс awareness among them and resulted in a tendency towards assimilation. A fast growth in their numbers occurred from the late 19th century. In 1890 there were 13,000 Belarusians living in St. Petersburg, in 1900 - 40,000, in 1910 - 70,000, in 1989 - 93,600. From 1918-30 the Belarusian House Education operated (10 Nekrasova Street). In 1989 the Belarusian Society Cultural Creation emerged in St. Petersburg; in 1998 the interregional social organisation the Belarusian Community of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region was founded. It is involved in preserving and promoting Belarusian culture. In 1976 a new street in Porokhovie suburb was given the name Belarusian Street.

Reference: Юхнева Н. В. Этнический состав и этносоциальная структура населения Петербурга, вторая половина XIX - нач. XX в.: Стат. анализ. Л., 1984.

A. Y. Chistyakov. Belorusskaya St./Saint Petersburg, city
Nekrasova St./Saint Petersburg, city, house 10
Юхнева Н. В. Этнический состав и этносоциальная структура населения Петербурга, вторая половина XIX - нач. XX в.: Стат. анализ. Л., 1984 Peasants