Of the three places called Dymki in the Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i Innych Krajów Słowiańskich (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavonic Countries), the third is located in the Borysów Powiat, now located in Belarus . Although the village of Dymki does not appear on the 1834 Map of Minsk Gubernia, Dymki was adjacent to Borysov, and Borysov is clearly shown on this map . The Słownik Geograficzny entry for Dymki was translated in a previous post.
Map of the Borysov Area – 1834
SOURCE: 1834 Map of Minsk Gubernia. Online http://www.jewishgen.org/belarus/1834_minsk_gubernia_map.htm; downloaded 07 Feb 2011.
A search on Wikipedia reveals that Napoleon’s army lost about 36,000 men when trying to cross the Berezina River, confirming that this is the site of the former village of Dymki . The third Słownik Geograficzny entry for Dymki states that “In the year 1812 on the last day of November, this place was witness to a terrible battle at the time of the retreat of the French . It was turned to ashes.”
Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko
