Shpola

Administrative status

In 1797, Shpola became part of the Zvenigorod district in the Kiev Governorate. It has been a city since 1938. Until 18 July 2020, Shpola served as an administrative center of Shpola Raion. The raion was abolished in July 2020 as part of the administrative reform of Ukraine, which reduced the number of raions of Cherkasy Oblast to four. The area of Shpola Raion was merged into Zvenyhorodka Raion.

History

After the revolution of 1917, Shpola became first a part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic and then of the USSR.

During World War II, Nazi Germany invaded USSR, and the Jewish population of Shpola was massacred in 1942. Today Jews make up around 0.5% of Shpola's population.

Demographics

In 1847, Shpola's Jewish population numbered 1,156. By 1897, that number had grown to 5,388 of a total population of 11,933, or about 45%. This level held steady until the Second World War. In 1989, the population of the city was 22,378 people.

Sister city

Shpola is a sister city with Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Notable people

• Ivan Kulyk (1897-1937) - Ukrainian poet, short stories writer, and diplomat;
• Lev Shvartzman (1907-1955) -- a senior Soviet secret police officer, known for his brutality;
• Oleksandr Tkachenko (1939-2024) - chairman of Ukrainian parliament;
• Itzik Feffer (1900-1952) - Yiddish poet;
• Aryeh Leib of Shpola, "der Shpoler zeyde" (Yiddish: "the grandfather of Shpola") (1725-1812) - Hasidic leader.

Gallery

File:Abaza's palace in Shpola.jpg|Abaza Palace File:Hovkivka.JPG|Khovkivka River near Shpola File:Дар'ївське заповідне урочище.JPG|Darivka Park File:Schpola Ukraine Sept2008 Taras Shevchenko statute.jpg|Taras Shevchenko statue File:Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Shpola, Ukraine.jpg|Ukrainian Orthodox Church

References

Shpola Room at the Jewish Escape Room in Brooklyn: This link appears current: https://www.everyescaperoom.com/new-york-ny/onebefore-escape-shpola-room This one brings a "404"message:https://OneBeforeEscape.com/shpola

• (1972) Історія міст і сіл Української CCP - Черкаська область (History of Towns and Villages of the Ukrainian SSR - Cherkasy Oblast), Kyiv.

References

1. ПРОЧЕРК. "«Забили в серце України запорізьку палю», - краєзнавець про знак «географічний центр» — ПРОЧЕРК.інфо".
2. "Geographical Centre of Ukraine".
3. "Шполянська територіальна громада". decentralization.gov.ua.
4. Шпола // Большой энциклопедический словарь (в 2-х тт.). / редколл., гл. ред. А. М. Прохоров. том 2. М., «Советская энциклопедия», 1991. стр.668
5. (2020-07-18). "Про утворення та ліквідацію районів. Постанова Верховної Ради України № 807-ІХ.".
6. "Нові райони: карти + склад". Міністерство розвитку громад та територій України.
7. [http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/sng89_reg2.php Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность городского населения союзных республик, их территориальных единиц, городских поселений и городских районов по полу]