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The Names

Visuka Litovsk

The Yiddish name for this town renders in English as something like Visuka Litovsk. The Polish, Wysokie Litewskie, is most often used to reference the inter-war (WWI to WWII) town. Under Russian rule, up through about 1920, the town's name was, translitered to English, something like Vysoko Litovsk.

For genealogical purposes, the modern name in Belarusian and Russian --transliterated to English-- Vysokoye, is the accepted primary reference.

The names Visoka Litovsk and Wysokie Litewskie, etc. translate as Lithuanian Highland (or Lithuanian Heights). The word Lithuania refers not to the modern nation of that name, rather, to Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and --prior to that-- the Grand Duchy of Lithuania which encompassed the entire region from the 12th/13th century until 1795.

Other variants seen: Vishuker, Visoke Dlita, Visoky Litovsk, Vosokie Litew, Vysokaje, Vysoke DeLita, Vysoke Litevske, Vysoko Litevks, Vysoko Litovsk, Vysokoe, Vysokoye, Wisoke Litovsk, Wisoki, Wisoki Dalita, Wisokie Litofsk, Wisokie Litovsk, Wisoko Litowsk, Wissokie, Wysoke Litewski, Wysoki Litewskie, Wysokie Litewskie, Wysokie Litowski, Wysoky.

Which Wysokie?

Just as the word Heights occurs in many town names in the U.S., variations on Wysokie occur in many places in Eastern Europe.

The modern Polish town Wysokie Mazowieckie occurs often in Internet searches. It is southwest of Bialystok, about 85km (50mi) by air north-west of Wysokie Litewskie. Before WWII, Wysokie Mazowieckie resembled Wysokie Litewskie in appearance, size, and Jewish population, but it is completely distinct from Wysokie Litewskie.

In Jewish contexts, it seems reasonable to assume that the name Wysokie (or variants) used alone refers to Wysokie Litewskie, as it appears that other Jewish towns of similar name are customarily referenced by their full names. In other contexts, the name Wysokie is ambiguous and cannot definitely be identified without further information.


Page Last Updated: 14-Dec-2022
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