interrogations in, 80; presumption
69, 76, 120
of guilt in, 61, 70; questioning of
Glushkov, Abram, 80, 83, 161
evidence gathered by, 148; rules
Golitsyn, Aleksandr, 28, 107
in, 118; in Russian Empire, 9–
governors- general: in Russian Empire,
10, 134; secrecy in, 158; stages in, 27;
58– 60. See also Khovanskii
in Western Europe, 9, 168n30
Great Reform era, ritual murder trials
Ivanov, Emel’ian, 1, 13; family of,
in, 158– 59
13– 16; location of house of, 15;
Great Synagogue (Velizh), 38, 42;
Terenteeva and, 16, 17, 23, 62– 63
closing of, 77; location of, 15;
use in Fedor’s ritual murder,
jail, in Velizh: Bogdanovicheva house
testimonies regarding, 73– 74
as, 79– 80, 90; official, 40, 79. See
grievances. See petition(s)
also prisoners
Grodno: deaths during Napoleon’s
Jewish deputies, 106– 8; in Velizh ritual
invasion, 43– 44; ritual murder
murder investigation, demand for,
accusations in, 7, 28, 107– 8, 131
101, 104, 105, 109
218
218
Index
Jews: belief in supernatural, 55–
Khovanskii, Nikolai
56; character of, vs Russian
Nikolaevich: career of, 58;
character, 40; childhood
complaints by Jews and, 82– 83,
mortality among, 33; Christians
101– 4, 108, 110, 113– 16; confidence
employed by, 65– 67; clothing
in Strakhov, 103, 104, 110;
of, 42; collective representation
criticism by Mordvinov, 149;
of, efforts to weaken, 45;
duties as governor- general,
communal fragmentation of, 106;
58– 60, 118; and reopening of
conscription into imperial army,
Velizh ritual murder case, 60;
45, 92, 111; crimes committed by
Strakhov’s reports to, 70, 72, 118,
and against, 51– 52;
137, 138, 182n2; suspicion of Jews,
in Eastern Europe, 5, 10, 11; in
104, 142; and Velizh investigation,
East European borderlands,
eagerness to conclude, 142– 43
40– 42, 52; economic activities
Khrupin, Khaim, 88; arrest of, 162;
of, 50; exploitation of peasantry,
interrogation of, 88– 89; letters
concerns about, 44, 66; influence
from prison, 91– 92, 94, 95;
on young maidens, fears of,
Terenteeva’s testimony against, 75;
65, 66; inhuman treatment of,
wife of, 88, 92
complaints against, 109– 10; legal
Khrutskii (Velizh investigator), 77
rights of, 105; magical powers
Khvol’son, Daniil A., 192n25
of, beliefs in, 4, 11; in Polish-
Kiselev, Pavel, 112
Lithuanian Commonwealth,
Kisin, Abram, 23, 87, 162
34, 102; political activities of, 102;
knives, used in Velizh ritual murder: as
regulation of activities of, imperial
material evidence, 99, 185n71;
government and, 45, 66, 173n14;
testimonies regarding, 99, 100
in Russia, isolation of, 102; social
knout, punishment by, 146, 155;
relationships with neighbors,
Mordvinov’s criticism of, 148; in
50– 51, 65– 66; transportation
Velizh ritual murder case, 145
revolution and, 49; in Velizh, 19–
Kokhanskii, Vasilii, 17
21, 25, 34, 40, 47, 49– 50, 80. See
Kolberg, Oscar, 158
also ritual murder libel
Korshakov, Iankel’, 162
Johnson, Robert, 32, 33, 40– 42, 43
Kotik, Yekhezkel, 52, 55– 56
Kottov (land surveyor), 25
Kabbala, 47; and Habad branch of
Kovaleva, Maria: suicide of, 121, 136;
Judaism, 46, 47
testimony by, 120– 21
kahal (Jewish executive board), efforts
Kovno (Kowno): Jews in, 34, 173n14;
to weaken, 45
Napoleon’s invasion of, 44
Kasachevskaia, Daria, 24, 28
Kozlovskaia, Praskoviia, 67, 68; arrest
Kateonov, Rieva, 97
of, 70; conversion to Judaism,
Katson, Abram, 162
testimony regarding, 74; exile to
Kazan, Prokop, 154– 55
Siberia, 152; role in Velizh ritual
kheyder (Jewish elementary school), in
murder, confession regarding, 73,
Velizh, 38, 50
76, 77; testimonies of, 68– 69, 71,
Khovanskii, A. N., 146
72, 77, 130, 132
Index
219
Kurin, Abram, 25
71, 72, 73; new revelations by,
Kutaisi (Georgia), ritual murder trial
120, 125, 126, 127; questioning of
in, 158– 59
testimonies of, 149– 50; role in
Velizh ritual murder, confession
laws, on ritual murder accusations: in
regarding, 72– 74, 76, 77; and
imperial Russia, 28, 29; in
Terenteeva, 61, 64, 125, 127
Western Europe, 4
material evidence: inquisitorial
legal system, of imperial Russia,
procedure and, 9; in Velizh ritual
112– 13, 133– 34
murder case, 69– 70, 99, 185n71
leg irons, use of: to extract
medical services, in East European
confessions, 134; in Velizh ritual
borderlands, 53
murder investigation, 113
medical testimony: and decline in
Levin (Velizh doctor), 18, 104
witchcraft prosecutions, 156; in
literature: and Jewish political
Jewish ritual murder trials, 159; in
activities, 102; and ritual murder
Russian justice system, 149, 151
libel, 5– 6, 137– 42, 157– 58,
medical testimony, in Velizh ritual
192nn25– 26, 192n31; use in Velizh
murder case, 18– 19; questioning
ritual murder investigation, 137–
of, 104; Strakhov on, 105, 137; vs.
38, 141, 191n17
witness testimonies, 150, 151
Liubavachi, branch of Judaism in, 46
Mel’nikova, Risa, 162
Liutostanskii, Ippolit, 157– 58, 192n26
Middle Ages, Jewish ritual murder
Livenson, Rokhlia, 161
libel in, 2– 3
Lukashevich (Inspector), 18, 19, 25
Mikhailovskii, K. G., 145
Lutsk, ritual murder case in, 6
Military Statute of 1716 (Russia), 9
Ministry of Justice (Russia), on Velizh
magic, belief in: gradual repudiation
ritual murder case, 112, 113
of, 4; persistence in Russia, 11; role Minsk, ritual murder cases in, 6
in everyday life, 4, 11; and search
Mirlas, Iosel’: arrest of, 161;
for Fedor, 16– 17; in small towns
interrogation of, 125– 26;
of western borderlands, 54– 56;
testimony against, 129
and treatment of diseases, 54– 55
Modebadze, Sara Iosifova, 158
&nbs
p; Maimonides, Moses, 139– 41, 192n26
Mogilev: Jews in, 46; during
Maksimova, Avdot’ia: arrest of, 70; on
Napoleon’s invasion, 44; province
church robbery, 129; confession
of, origins of, 34; ritual murder
of, 72, 105; confrontations
cases in, 6, 8
with accused, 82, 86, 89, 126,
Montefiore, Sir Moses, 111, 112
128, 130; exile to Siberia, 152;
Mordvinov, Nicholai S., 147– 52
forced conversion to Judaism,
Morton, Edward, 8– 9, 33, 43
testimony regarding, 75– 76, 85;
museum, in Velizh, 38, 39
on host desecration, 126, 127; as
housekeeper in Tsetlin family,
Nadezhdin, Nikolai, 157
24, 67; initial testimony of, 24, 86; Nafonova, Bliuma, 162
interrogation by Strakhov, 67– 68;
Nakhimovskii, Berka, petitions by,
later testimonies of, 67– 68, 69,
103– 4, 113, 114
20
220
Index
Nakhimovskii, Itsko: arrest of, 80, 161;
on Velizh investigation, 108–
confession of, 96, 145; Fratka’s
10, 113; Terenteeva’s, to Alexander
testimony regarding, 98– 99;
I, 58, 59, 63– 64
interrogation of, 89– 90
Petrishcha (Velizh schoolteacher), 103
Nakhimovskii, Ruman: arrest of, 161;
Petushok. See Chernomordik, Iankel’
testimony against, 130
Pilenkova, Praskoviia. See Kozlovskaia,
Napoleon, invasion of Russia,
Praskoviia
43– 44, 107
Polish- Lithuanian
Neophytos (Greek Orthodox
Commonwealth: discrediting
monk), 139
of ritual murder libel in, 148;
Nicholas I (Tsar of Russia): anxieties
dissemination of ritual murder
about conspiracies, 155; anxieties
libel in, 5– 6, 137– 42; first partition
about religious sectarianism, 77;
of, 33– 34; inquisitorial system
ascension to throne, 60;
in, 9; Jews in, 34, 102; partitions
conscription law under, 45;
of, and Jewish population
inquisitorial techniques under, 134;
acquired by Russia, 6; shtadlanut
militarized regime under, 8, 60,
(lobbying of authorities) in, 106
155, 156; treatment of Jews during
Polish Uprising of 1830– 1831, 35
reign of, 60, 111– 13; and Uniate
Poselennoi, testimony against, 73, 74
Church, suppression of, 35; on
poverty, in Russian Empire: deaths
Velizh ritual murder case, 153
and illnesses associated with,
Nizhnii Novgorod, Makar’ev Fair in, 48
4, 32; retired soldiers living in, 16;
Norwich, Jewish ritual murder libel
in Velizh, 47, 48– 49
in, 2– 3
press: and Jewish political
activities, 102; in Russian Empire,
Oleinikov, Luk, 64, 68
during Nicholas I’s reign, 8, 9;
Western, on plight of Jews in
Pale of Settlement: filth and diseases
Russia, 111– 12; in Western Europe
in, 48– 49, 52– 53; Jewish deputies
vs. in Russian Empire, 9
in, 107– 8; transportation
print culture, and dissemination of
revolution and, 49; Velizh in, 34
ritual murder libel, 5– 6, 137– 42,
peasants: conscription of, 13; famine
157– 58, 192nn25– 26, 192n31
of 1821- 1822 and, 44; working for
prisoners, in Velizh: ailments of,
Jews, concerns about, 44, 66
93– 94, 101– 2, 109, 113, 116, 135;
Perepletchikov, Nokhon, 162
appeals of, 94; attempted escapes
Perovskii, Lev A., 6, 157
by, 92, 96, 97; attempted suicide
Pestun, Larion, 22
by, 100; childbirth by, 136;
Peter the Great, judicial reforms
complaints to governor- general,
under, 142
82– 83; confessions by, 96– 99;
petition(s): to governor- general
daily routines of, 91, 92– 93;
Khovanskii, on Velizh
deaths of, 61, 116, 135; emotional
investigation, 82– 83, 101– 4, 110;
state of, 12, 85, 97– 98, 135; impact
by Jewish deputies, 107– 8; legal
of solitary confinement on, 96,
right to make, 105, 114; to Senate,
97– 98, 115; mistreatment of, 109,
Index
221
110, 113; secret communication by,
195n8; textual dissemination of,
90, 91, 94– 95; Strakhov’s report
5– 6, 137– 42, 157– 58, 192nn25– 26,
on condition of, 105
192n31; Velizh case in context
prisons: in Russian Empire, 80. See
of, 1; vitality in popular psyche,
also jail, in Velizh
2, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 30; Western
Prokof’eva, Agafia, 1, 13; death of, 61;
authorities discrediting, 4, 148
search for missing son, 16– 17, 22
ritual murder trials: vs. accusations, 5;
Prokof’eva, Kharitina, 1– 2, 16, 23
empirical evidence required
Prudkov, Nota: arrest of, 162;
for, 69; in Great Reform era, 158–
confession of, 96, 145, 150;
59; history of, 3; small number
escape from prison, 92, 97;
of, 11; witch- hunts compared to,
interrogations of, 96, 131
11, 29– 30, 117, 132, 136
punishments: for conversion to
Roman Catholic cathedral, in
Judaism, 144; types of, in imperial
Velizh, 39
Russia, 27, 134, 146, 155; in
Rudniakov, Zusia: arrest of, 162;
Velizh ritual murder case, Senate
interrogations of, 86– 87, 130– 31
proposal for, 145– 46
Rudniakova, Leia, 162
rumors: and ritual murder libel, 2, 6;
Rambam. See Maimonides, Moses
role in inquisitorial system, 9;
record keeping: in Russian judicial
and Velizh ritual murder case, 2,
system, 142; in Velizh ritual
17, 23– 24, 103, 121, 126– 27; and
murder investigation, 137, 142– 44
witch- hunts, 131
registers, inquisitorial, 9
Russian Empire: childhood mortality
revenge, ritual murder accusations as,
in, 31– 32, 33; conscription in, 13,
25– 26, 29, 30, 84
45, 92, 111; government policies
review of sentence, in inquisitorial
on ritual murder libel in, 27– 28,
process, 27
29, 141; governors- general in, 58–
riots: fears of, Velizh investigation
60; inquisitorial system in, 9– 10;
and, 25; during religious
isolation of Jews in, 102; Jewish
ceremonies, 52
population in, 6; judicial reforms
ritual murder libel: basic storyline
of 1860s and 1870s, 9; legal system
of, 3, 72; belief in, 2, 10, 11, 24,
in, 112– 13, 133– 34; mass population
30, 136; cultural roots of, 4, 5,<
br />
transfers in, 48; Napoleon’s
11, 24, 56; Dal’ report on, 6– 7,
invasion of, 43– 44; partition of
157, 167n21, 196n12; deaths and
Polish- Lithuanian Commonwealth
illnesses explained with, 4; gender
and, 6, 33– 34; prisons in, 80; ritual
and, 182n5; history of, 2– 3; vs.
murder cases in, 6; superstition in,
Jewish integration in community,
persistence of, 11
10, 11; Mordvinov’s legal opinion
Russian Orthodox Church: cult of
on, 148; as revenge, 25– 26,
Gavriil in, 7; Nicholas I’s support
29, 30, 84; rumors and, 2, 6;
for, 60; schismatics in, Hasidim
Russian government’s response
compared to, 46. See also Eastern
to, 27– 28, 29, 60, 141; science
Orthodox Church
and perpetuation of, 156– 57, 159,
Ryvkin, Miron, 20
2
222
Index
Sabians (sect), 140
Skoptsy, 60, 153, 155, 156
Sabun, Orko, 154
Slavic populations: childhood
sacrilege: punishment for, 128. See also
mortality among, 33. See also
host desecrations
Belarusians
Savrasov, I. F., 145
Smolensk, Napoleon’s invasion of, 43
science, and perpetuation of ritual
Smolensk Street (Velizh), 22, 40
murder libel, 156– 57, 159, 195n8
social science, and perpetuation of
secrecy: of criminal investigation
ritual murder libel, 156
in Russia, 9; of inquisitorial
solitary confinement, impact on
system, 158
prisoners, 96, 97– 98, 115
sectarianism: ethnographic studies
Solomon, Beniiamin, 131
of, 157; in Jewish community, as
Sołtyk, Kajetan, 138
explanation for ritual murder, 145, spring britzka, in Velizh ritual murder 146, 153, 158; in Russian Empire,
case, 18, 27, 68
anxieties about, 77, 153, 154, 155
State Council (Russia), review of
Selezneva, Fekla, 153– 54
Velizh dossier, 147– 52
Senate (Russia): belief in Jewish ritual
statistics, new discipline of, 195n8; role
murder, 145, 147; complaints to,
in perpetuating ritual murder
Velizh ritual murder investigation
libel, 156
and, 108– 10, 113; failure to reach
St. Il’insk Uniate Church (Velizh), 41;
agreement on Velizh ritual
location of, 15, 40; priest at, role
murder case, 147; Jews’ right
in Velizh ritual murder case, 71,
to petition, 112; Khovanskii’s
121, 129; prisoner escape to, 96;
presentation to, 118– 19; review of
theft from, testimonies regarding,
Velizh dossier, 144– 47
76, 128– 29
Sentiury, village of, 16, 22
The Velizh Affair Page 34