This region in Europe had been under Austrian, Polish and Soviet rule over the centuries.
Galicia is generally the eastern half of the former Austrian province of Galacia (Galizien). This eastern portion was predominately Jewish, while the western part was more Polish.
During the Austrian period (1772-1918) it was known as East Galicia (Ost-Galizien, Skhidna Halychyna and Galicja Wschodnia).
The term Galicia and Galacia is often interchanged. For purposes on this web site, the spelling for Galicia is for the European pronounciaton and Galacia for the Spanish locale.
The Galacia region in Spain shares a similar name. The only connection may be that the decendants of Spanish Galicia renamed their new homeland in the Austria-region after they migrated out of Spain. One family line follows its migration route from Galicia, Spain to Europe from the 1490s. Sometimes, the name might be spelt as Galacia.
Included on this page are collections of links that are relevant to tourism and genealogy in Galicia.
JewishGen: Gesher Galicia: http://www.jewishgen.org/GALICIA/ Gesher Galicia is the SIG for those with Jewish roots in the former Austrian province of Galicia, Europe. Find databases, links and resources for Jewish-Galician genealogists.
Galicizien On Line:http://www.galizien-online.de/ Index of the 19th Century and early 20th Century Jewish vital records of 88 towns and villages in the former Austrian Province of Galicia, Europe.
Bolechow (in German and Polish), ("Bolekhov" in Yiddish), ("Bolekhiv" in Ukranian), (other spellings: Boletrov, Bolihov, Bolechov) is southeast of Lemberg (L'viv), a mecca for Jews in the area. Several books references to Bolechow, Lemberg and Galicia are found below. Lattitude/Longitude: 49°04´/23°52´
From the Bolechow: Name Authority file from Library of Congress , on Bolechow:
Bolekhiv (Ukraine)
Bolechow (Ukraine)
nne Bolekhov (Ukraine)
Bolekhiv (Ukraine)
Bolechow (Ukraine)
nne Bolekhov (Ukraine)
NUCMC data from Jewish Historical Society of Maryland (Baltimore) for Laufer, S. Papers, 1908-1978 (Bolechow; in Galicia area of Ukraine)
Ukraina [MAP] 1992: (Bolekhiv)
Ukr. rad. entsykl.: v. 1, p. 519 (Bolekhiv, town in Ivano-Frankivska oblast; known since 14th cent.) BGN gaz., USSR: (Bolekhov. popl.: 49p0s 04 N., 23p0s 52 E.) Col. Lip. gazeteer, 1976 (Bolekhov, Ukraine)
Memorial book of the martyrs of Bolechow Bolekhov (Bolechów), Ukraine, Translation of Sefer ha-zikaron le-kedoshei Bolechow. Edited by: Y. Eshel. Published by the Association of Former Residents of Bolechow in Israel, 1957
The manuscript version of the memoirs of Dov Ber Birkenthal (Ber of Bolechow [i.e. Bolechow]). Geller, Joseph, [Ottawa] : National Library of Canada = Bibliotheque nationale du Canada, 1991. ISBN 0-315-63557-6, Canadian Call # Mic.F. TH-63557
"The Memoirs of Ber of Bolechow," (1723-1805), translated from the original Hebrew MS with an introduction, notes and a map by M. Vishnitzer (Mark Wischnitzer). (Arno Press, A new York Times Company, New York, 1973) The Jewish People: History, Religion, Literature. Reprinted from a copy in The Hebrew Union College Library. Originally printed from Oxford University Press, 1922. ISBN: 0-405-052520-9 (Jews of Ukraine)
Also, a chapter by J.G. Kohl, in his book titled "Austria: Vienna, Prague, Hungary, Bohemia, Styria, Moravia, Bukovina and the Miitary Frontier," (London, Chapman & Hall, 1843, DB25 K79) provides a vivd travelouge through Galicia, using the road between Stanislavov and Stry, through Bolechow (he uses the terms: Balekhov, Boletrov)
The Ivano-Frankivsk region is situated in the southwest of Ukraine on the border of two natural geographical areas: East-European Plain and Ukrainian Carpathian. The region borders on the Lviv, Ternopil, Chernivtsi and Zacarpattia regions, Republic of Romania. From Ivano-Frankivsk Facts and Figures: http://www.ukrainebiz.com/Articles/IvanoFacts.htm
Selected music, books on the history of Galicia and fiction from amazon.com
Music in the Culture of Polish Galicia, 1772-1914 (Rochester Studies in Central Europe) Jolanta T. Pekacz; Hardcover
A Light for Others and Other Jewish Tales from Galicia (Studies in Austrian Literature, Culture, and Thought Translation Series) Leopold Von Sacher-Masoch
Tales of Galicia Andrzej Stasiuk; Paperback
The Dybbuk and Other Writings by S. Ansky (S. An-Ski); Paperback; Buy New
Galicia: A Historical Survey and Bibliographic Guide Paul Robert Magocsi; Hardcover
Beyond the Market: Transactions, Property and Social Networks in Monastic Galicia, 1200-1300 (Medieval Mediterranean, 40) Reyna Pastor De Togneri; Hardcover
A History of Polish Jewery During the Revival of Poland Isaac Lewin; Hardcover
Nation in the Village: The Genesis of Peasant National Identity in Austrial Poland, 1848-1914. Keely Stauter-Halsted; Hardcover
Uniter of Heaven and Earth: Rabbi Meshullam Feibush Heller of Zbarazh and the Rise of Hasidism in Eastern Galicia (Suny Series in Judaica, Hermeneutics, Mysticism and Religion). Miles Krassen; Paperback