From the Shtetl to Kharkiv: Internal Jewish Migration in Russian Empire

The problem of internal Jewish migration in the Russian Empire today is under-represented in historiography. In the literature, this topic is considerably conceded to research of transnational migration, beyond Empire. In the second half of 19^th – the first quarter of 20^th centuries, Kharkiv was the main direction of Jewish migration beyond the Pale of settlement. Certain categories of the Jewish population alternately received the right to reside in the “internal provinces”. Resettlement movement contemporized with the rapid increase in the number of Kharkiv population. This can be explained by comparing the migration of the decline of traditional economic structure of the Jewish population in those provinces. Advantageously, the settlers chose the “short distances” and using the “transit stations” on the way.

Jewish migration was different from the non-Jewish one as the direction of migration flows and, the social composition of migrants. The absolute majority of migrants belong to the urban estates – merchants, artisans and so on. This situation corresponded with the official policy of the imperial government. Authorities said about Jews integration in imperial society. It is important to see in the Jewish population of Kharkiv the presence of “hidden community.” Here we are talking about migrants who were forced to break the law. At the end of the period a large Jewish community was an integral part of the city`s population.