Who was Rabbi Boris Sawin?

As far as I know, Sinaida Tillmann nee Sawin (1883-1974), was of Jewish origin. In spite of longstanding researches I have no details about her origin. The only document I have is the Roman Catholic parish record of her second marriage in 1923 in Westphalia with Karl Tillmann.

This document in German language mentions her as "Sinaida Szymänska geb. Sawin ..., geboren am 15. März 1883 in Rilowice, Tochter des Rabbiner Boris Sawin in Rilowice, Kreis Bobrusk, Gut Minsk in Rußland und dessen Ehefrau Adele geb. Riwin" (Sinaida Szymänska nee Sawin..., born on March 15th, 1883 in Rilowice, daughter of Rabbi Boris Sawin in Rilowice, district of Bobruisk, gubernija of Minsk in Russia and his wife Adele nee Riwin). We know that she lived with her first husband Johann Szymanski in Minsk. Her first son - a very close relative of mine - was born there in 1910. His father passed away about 1918 by unknown reason. The family attended the Russian Orthodoxy.

All researches since the 1970's in the former Soviet Union, at the International Tracing Service, at institutions in Israel as well as advertising in the German speaking Jewish press and numerous questions in the usenet produced only general information concerning the fate of the Jewish population of the Bobruisk area or concerning the location of "Rilowice" but no special answers.

Therefor I ask anybody who is able to give any hint or advice to send a message to my e-mail address. I am specially interested in the following items:

Any information about the town "Rilowice" which is obviously identical with that Rylovichi which is located about 48 miles southeast of Bobruisk,

Information concerning the fate of the town and it's Jewish inhabitants between 1941 and 1944 (Which German military unit occupied the town in 1941?),

Information concerning a rabbi family with the surname Sawin (or similar) in Belarus,

Inforamtion concerning a Riwin family (or similar) in Belarus,

Information concerning surviving members of those families,

Information concerning the married couple Szymanski/Sawin in Minsk (Marriage probably between 1905 and 1910, death of the husband in about 1918).

Please, add your entry to my Visitor's Book!

Back to genealogy

Home