Дом паляўнічага
The place
Дом паляўнічага (Dom Paliaŭničaha "Hunter's house") in Vitebsk oblast, Chashniki/Verkhnyadzvinsk area (southern Vitebsk oblast, low taiga along the Daugava/Dzvina, Belarus), at 165 m elevation, boreal plain. Continuous Belarus cluster (batches 260-400). Traditional Belarusian hunting lodge (Chashniki 15,000 inhabitants, agricultural + Vitebsk 350,000 inhabitants, 4th largest city in Belarus, founded 1021 under the Krivichy treaty + Verkhnyadzvinsk 8,000 inhabitants + Daugava/Dzvina river 1,020 km + heritage of the Belarusians (Slavic people, 9 M speakers, Belarusian language, literary language since the 14th century + iconic heritage of Marc Chagall 1887-1985, born in Vitebsk, iconic painter, Vitebsk Art School 1918-1922 + iconic heritage of Lukashenko, dictator 1994-present, 31 years, Europe's longest-serving, "Europe's last dictatorship" + iconic heritage of the pro-democracy protests 2020-2021, Tikhanovskaya exile in the EU + iconic heritage of support for Putin's invasion of Ukraine, 24 February 2022, staging territory + iconic heritage of WWII, Vitebsk Ghetto, 20,000 Jewish deaths 1941-1943 + iconic heritage of the Khatyn massacre by the Nazis, 22 March 1943, 149 killed, village burned, Soviet memorial + heritage of Belovezhskaya Pushcha, UNESCO 1979, primeval Belarusian-Polish forest, European bison Bison bonasus + iconic heritage of Chernobyl, 26 April 1986, nuclear disaster, fallout affecting 60% of Belarus).
The setting
Vitebsk Chashniki/Verkhnyadzvinsk S Vitebsk oblast low taiga along the Daugava/Dzvina Belarus 165 m boreal plain, continuous cluster batches 260-400, Belarusian hunting lodge + Chashniki 15,000 agricultural + Vitebsk 350,000 4th largest in Belarus founded 1021 Krivichy + Verkhnyadzvinsk 8,000 + Daugava/Dzvina 1,020 km, Belarusians Slavic 9 M speakers Belarusian since 14th c. + Chagall 1887-1985 Vitebsk painter Art School 1918-1922 iconic + Lukashenko dictator 1994+ 31 years Europe's longest-serving "Europe's last dictatorship" + protests 2020-2021 Tikhanovskaya exile EU + Putin's invasion of Ukraine 24 Feb 2022 staging territory + WWII Vitebsk Ghetto 20,000 deaths 1941-1943 + Khatyn 22 March 1943 149 killed burned Soviet iconic + Belovezhskaya UNESCO 1979 primeval forest BY-PL bison Bison bonasus + Chernobyl 26 April 1986 60% of Belarus iconic.
