Shtetlinks: Volhynia (Other Names: Volinskaya, Volin, Wolyn, Wolina, Wolinsk, Volinski,Wolinski, Volenskii, Wolenskj, Wolenskja, Volin, Volyn:) Volhynia was a Gubernia, or province, of the Russian Empire from the 18th century until 1919, when the western part of Volhynia became part of Poland. In 1945 the entire area of the Volhynia Gubernia was again ruled by the Soviet Union, but the gubernia system was no longer used and the Volhynia name was used to identify a smaller region, called an Oblast, in the western part of the old gubernia. Most of what was the Volhynia Gubernia is now in the Ukraine, with a small part of northern Volhynia in Belarus. Major cities and towns in Volhynia include Zhitomir (the former capital), Rovno, Lutsk, Kovel, Berdichev, and Novograd-Volinsk.

Rumor has it that my great-uncle Max (Mayer) Shechtman (Rich) and his immediate family left the Ukraine (then Russia) and probably the Sarnovichi Shtetl Volhynia Gubernia and moved, emmigrated, fled to Germany (to avoid conscription) with his family and while in Germany took the last name of Reich. When he immigrated to the USA (in 1887) Reich was Americanized to Rich. (Well that’s one story).

It seems like most of the Schectmans left Russia and came to the USA via Germany and specifically came from Bremen to Ports either in Philadelphia, Baltimore or Halifax, Canada. Three Liners that I know were used are the SS Brandenburg, the SS Chemnitz and the SS Main.

Emmigration Port Baltimore 1890-1910

"Built in 1901 for Norddeutscher Lloyd by Vulkan in Vegesack. 7,532 tons; 429 feet long x 54 feet broad; 1 funnel, 2 masts; twin-screw propulsion, service speed 13 knots. Interchangeable between services, but ran mainly in the Bremen-Baltimore service. 1917 became the Hecuba (U.S.Government). December 1924 sold; scrapped [Noel Reginald Pixell Bonsor, North Atlantic Seaway; An Illustrated History of the Passenger Services Linking the Old World with the New (Prescott, Lancashire: T. Stephenson & Sons., 1955), p. 188]. Pictured in Michael J. Anuta, Ships of Our Ancestors (Menominee, MI: Ships of Our Ancestors, 1983; reprint Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., [1993]), p. 30, courtesy of the Steamship Historical Society of America, Langsdale Library, University of Baltimore, 1420 Maryland Ave., Baltimore, MD 21201."

"The 'Chemnitz' of 1906 was built by J.C.Tecklenborg at Geestemunde for Norddeutscher Lloyd [North German Lloyd] in 1901. She was a 7542 gross ton vessel, length 428.2ft x beam 54.3ft, one funnel, two masts, twin screw and a speed of 13 knots. There was accommodation for 129-2nd class and 1,935-3rd class passengers. Launched on 27.11.1901. she left Bremen on her maiden voyage to Baltimore on 21.3.1902. She made her first run from Bremen to New York and Galveston on 30.11.1902, and from Bremen to Philadelphia and Baltimore on 1.12.1910. On 11.6.1914 she left Bremen on her last voyage to New York, Philadelphia and Galveston and was then laid up in Bremen in August 1914 for the duration of the war. In 1919, she was surrendered to Britain and was scrapped in Holland in 1923."

"The 'Main' of 1906 was the second vessel of that name owned by Norddeutscher Lloyd [North German Lloyd]. She was built in 1900 by Blohm & Voss, Hamburg and was a 10,200 gross ton ship, length 501ft x beam 58.1ft, one funnel, four masts, twin screw, and a speed of 14 knots. There was accommodation for 148-1st, 116-2nd and 2,500-3rd class passengers. Launched on 10/2/1900, she sailed from Bremen on her maiden voyage to Cherbourg and New York on 28/4/1900. On 30/6/1900, she sank after being involved in a New York dock fire and on 27/7/1900 was refloated and subsequently reconditioned at Newport News, her accommodation then being 369-2nd, 217-3rd, and 2,865-4th class passengers. On 21/8/1902 she commenced her first voyage from Bremen to New York and Baltimore and subsequently sailed between Bremen and New York and/or Baltimore. In June 1914 she made her last sailing from Bremen to Baltimore and between 1914 - 1918 was laid up at Antwerp. In 1919 she was allocated to Britain under the War Reparations scheme and in 1921 went to the French government. She was scrapped in 1925. [North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2,p.562]"

MARRIAGE LICENSE FROM 1914 (ABE SLOAN and ANNA RICH)

SOUNDEX TO BALTIMORE PASSENGER LIST: SSMAIN 6/17/1907 SHOWING MORDCHE CZUZIK (my zadie MAX RICH) BORN IN NARODICEY, AGE 41, PROFESSION SHOEMAKER; WIFE SORE CZUZIK (bubbe SARAH RICH), LAST ADDRESS KSAWAROW GUBERNIA WOLYN. TO STAY WITH BROTHER-IN-LAW MEYER SCHECHTMAN.