# Zelva

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For the town in Lithuania, see [Želva](/source/%C5%BDelva).

Urban-type settlement in Grodno Region, Belarus

Zelva Зэльва (Belarusian) Зельва (Russian) Urban-type settlement Flag Seal Zelva Coordinates: 53°09′N 24°49′E / 53.150°N 24.817°E / 53.150; 24.817 Country Belarus Region Grodno Region District Zelva District First mentioned 1258 Area • Total 15 km2 (5.8 sq mi) Elevation 138 m (453 ft) Population (2025)[1] • Total 6,193 Time zone UTC+3 (MSK) Postal codes 231930, 231939, 231940 Area code +375-1564

**Zelva**[a] is an [urban-type settlement](/source/Urban-type_settlement) in [Grodno Region](/source/Grodno_Region), in western [Belarus](/source/Belarus).[1] It serves as the administrative center of [Zelva District](/source/Zelva_District).[1][2] It is situated by the [Zelvyanka River](/source/Zelvyanka). As of 2025, it has a population of 6,193.[1]

## History

Panorama from the 1910s

Initially Zelwa was a private possession of various nobles, by the mid-16th century it became a possession of the [Polish Crown](/source/Polish_Crown), and in the 17th century it became again a private possession of nobility, including the [Sapieha](/source/Sapieha), Połubiński, [Radziwiłł](/source/Radziwi%C5%82%C5%82), Jarmołowicz and Konarzewski families.[3] In 1720 weekly markets and annual [fairs](/source/Fair) were established.[3] In 1739 a [Piarist](/source/Piarist) monastery was founded.[3]

In the interbellum, it was administratively located in the Wołkowysk County in the [Białystok Voivodeship](/source/Bia%C5%82ystok_Voivodeship_(1919%E2%80%931939)) of Poland. According to the 1921 census, the population was 63.4% [Jewish](/source/Jews), 31.1% [Polish](/source/Polish_people) and 5.3% Belarusian.[4]

Following the joint German-Soviet [invasion of Poland](/source/Invasion_of_Poland) in September 1939, it was first [occupied by the Soviet Union](/source/Occupation_of_Poland_(1939%E2%80%931945)) until 1 July 1941, and then by [Nazi Germany](/source/German_occupation_of_Byelorussia_during_World_War_II) until 12 July 1944 and administered as a part of [Bezirk Bialystok](/source/Bezirk_Bialystok). When the Germans entered the town, they killed 40 to 50 Jewish men and kept the Jews of the town imprisoned in a [ghetto](/source/Jewish_ghettos_established_by_Nazi_Germany) in very harsh conditions. In November 1942, the Jews were deported and murdered at the [Treblinka extermination camp](/source/Treblinka_extermination_camp).[5]

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Belarusian](/source/Belarusian_language): Зэ́льва, [romanized](/source/Romanization_of_Belarusian): *Zeĺva*; [Russian](/source/Russian_language): Зе́льва; [Polish](/source/Polish_language): *Zelwa*; [Yiddish](/source/Yiddish_language): זעלווא.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pop_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pop_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-pop_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-pop_1-3) ["Численность населения на 1 января 2025 г. и среднегодовая численность населения за 2024 год по Республике Беларусь в разрезе областей, районов, городов, поселков городского типа"](https://web.archive.org/web/20250329210112/https://www.belstat.gov.by/ofitsialnaya-statistika/solialnaya-sfera/naselenie-i-migratsiya/naselenie/statisticheskie-izdaniya/index_148168/). *belsat.gov.by*. Archived from [the original](https://www.belstat.gov.by/ofitsialnaya-statistika/solialnaya-sfera/naselenie-i-migratsiya/naselenie/statisticheskie-izdaniya/index_148168/) on 29 March 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-enc_3-0)** Gaponenko, Irina Olegovna (2004). *Назвы населеных пунктаў Рэспублікі Беларусь: Гродзенская вобласць*. Minsk: Тэхналогія. p. 205. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [985-458-098-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/985-458-098-9).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-sgk_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-sgk_4-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-sgk_4-2) *Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom XIV* (in Polish). Warszawa. 1895. pp. 566–567.{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_location_missing_publisher))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** *Skorowidz miejscowości Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej. Tom V* (in Polish). Warszawa: Główny Urząd Statystyczny. 1924.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["History - Jewish community before 1989 - Zelwa - Virtual Shtetl"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160602214328/http://www.sztetl.org.pl/en/article/zelwa/5,history/). *www.sztetl.org.pl*. Archived from [the original](http://www.sztetl.org.pl/en/article/zelwa/5,history/) on 2016-06-02.

v t e Subdivisions of Grodno region, Belarus Districts (raiony) Ashmyany Astravyets Byerastavitsa Dzyatlava Grodno Iwye Karelichy Lida Masty Novogrudok Shchuchyn Slonim Smarhon Svislach Vawkavysk Voranava Zelva District centres Grodno Astravyets Ashmyany Dzyatlava Iwye Karelichy Lida Masty Novogrudok Slonim Smarhon Shchuchyn Svislach Vawkavysk Vyalikaya Byerastavitsa Voranava Zelva Cities and towns Grodno Astravyets Ashmyany Bruzgi Byarozawka Dzyatlava Iwye Karelichy Lida Masty Novogrudok Skidzyel' Slonim Smarhon Shchuchyn Svislach Vawkavysk Vyalikaya Byerastavitsa

Authority control databases International VIAF GND FAST National United States Israel

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Zelva](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zelva) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zelva?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.