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Zyhmunt Čachovič

Zyhmunt Čachovič (Belarusian: Зыгмунт Чаховіч, Polish: Zygmunt Czechowicz--Lachowicki, Russian: Зыгмунт (Сигизмунд) Бернардович Чехович, Чехович-Ляховицкий, romanized: Zygmunt (Sigizmund) Bernardovich Chekhovich) (19 August 1831 – 27 October 1907) was one of the leaders of the 1863-1864 January Uprising.[1]

Early years

Čachovič was born in the Surviliški [be] estate in the Vilnia province (now Pastavy District in Vitsebsk Region of Belarus) into the family of a chamberlain who took part in the 1830-1831 November Uprising.[1][2][3]

In 1851 he finished the Vilnia Noble Institute and later graduated with honours from St. Petersburg University.[2][3]

January Uprising and arrest

During the January Uprising Čachovič became a member of the Vilnia Committee of the Movement and then a secretary in the Department of Leaders of the Provinces of Lithuania. He was a supporter of the radical policies of Kastuś Kalinoŭski.[2][3][4]

On 31 July 1863 Čachovič was arrested after being identified by a Tsarist spy. He was sentenced to death; however, the sentence was later commuted to 10 years of hard labour, following intervention by Konstanty Mikołaj Radziwiłł [be] on his behalf. He served his sentence in the Nerchinsk katorga mines in Transbaikal.[2][3]

Later years

After his release, Čachovič lived in the Malyja Biasiady [be] estate in the Vilnia province (now Łahojski District in Minsk Region of Belarus), because his family estate in Surviliški was confiscated by the Russian authorities. He created a large library and became an acquaintance and patron of the Belarusian poet Janka Kupała, whose family lived nearby between 1895-1904.[2][3][4]

In Čachovič’ library Kupała got acquainted with proscribed literature (dedicated to the ani-Russian liberation movement) and learned about the January Uprising. The poet later wrote in his autobiographies about his meetings with Čachovič and their formative influence on him.[2][3][5]

Death and memory

Čachovič died at the age of 76 in Malyja Biasiady on 27 October 1907. He is buried at a cemetery in the town of Radaškavičy.[2]

Čachovič’ life inspired the Belarusian writer Uładzimier Karatkievič. It is reflected in Karatkievič’s play "The Cradle of the Four Witches", which shows the great formative influence of Čachovič on young Janka Kupała.[2][5]

References

  1. ^ a b "Чаховіч (Чаховіч-Ляхавіцкі) Зыгмунт Бярнардавіч - Беларусь у асобах i падзеях // Čachovič (Čachovič -Lachavicki) Zyhmunt Biarnardavič". bis.nlb.by (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "190 гадоў з дня нараджэння Зыгмунта Чаховіча // 190th anniversary of the birth of Zyhmunt Čachovič". БЕЛАРУСКАЕ РАДЫЁ РАЦЫЯ (in Belarusian). 2021-08-19. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Зыгмунт Чаховіч: што вядома пра аднаго з кіраўнікоў паўстання 1863-1864 года? // Zyhmunt Čachovič: what is known about one of the leaders of the uprising of 1863-1864?". charter97.org (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2025-02-25.
  4. ^ a b Siarhiej Ablamejka. Kalinoŭski and Political Birth of Belarus. P.70-71. 40299696-dd60-4399-aa5e-fb40867cc7fe.pdf
  5. ^ a b "У каго браў кнігі Янка Купала? // Who did Yanka Kupała borrow books from?". zviazda.by (in Belarusian). 2022-01-30. Retrieved 2025-02-25.