How Did the Pale of Settlement Get Its Name?
In 1791, sparked by growing anti-Semitism in Russia, Catherine II (Catherine the Great) created the Pale of Settlement in order to re-settle and segregate Russia's Jewish population. Eventually, the Pale of Settlement would cover 386,000 square miles and would be populated by approximately five million Jews.
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Identification
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The word "pale" comes from the Latin word, "palus," which translates as "stake" (or "boundary marker"). When used in connection with territory, a pale refers to a "border" or, more specifically, a district that is separated from the surrounding country.
Location
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The Pale of Settlement included the modern-day territories of Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova, as well as other lands annexed by the Russian Empire.
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Life in the Pale
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Discrimination against Jews did not end with resettlement. Even inside the Pale, Jews were forced to pay "double taxes," forbidden to lease land, and prohibited from receiving higher education.
Laws Worsen in 1804
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In 1804, Alexander I of Russia increased the harshness of the laws pertaining to the Pale of Settlement by issuing a decree that prevented Jews from living outside the Pale. More than 90% of Russian Jews were living inside the Pale at this point.
Pivotal Years: 1855 and 1881
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In 1855, Czar Alexander II began to ease some of the harsh restrictions within the Pale and some Jews were actually allowed to settle in other parts of Russia. However, following the assassination of Alexander II in 1881, a new wave of harsh restrictions was imposed and life for Jews inside the Pale became even more difficult than it had been before 1855.
Revolution Brings an End to the Pale
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The Pale of Settlement existed for the entire 19th century. It was not until 1917, when the Russian Revolution occurred, that the Pale was finally abolished.
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