1916 Kishinev Business Directory

Background

This database contains more than 600 entries of apparently Jewish names among private professionals, merchants, owners and operators of factories, shops, warehouses and associations listed in the 1916 Address and Reference yearbook (White Pages) “All Kishinev”. They include agronomists, bakers, blacksmiths, dentists, , jewelers, music teachers, watchmakers, electricians, and tailors, and sellers of groceries, furs, furniture, grain, hats, and shoes — to name a few of the dozens of occupations they held. The yearbook was published in Russian in Kishinev by the private publisher I. Khari , and printed by printing house of the newspaper “Life of Bessarabia”. The images from the microfilm containing the yearbook are available here. 

Chisinau is now the capitol city of Moldova.  Prior to 1918, Chisinau was known as Kishinev, and was the capitol city of Bessarabia Gubernia, in the Russian Empire. Between 1940 and 1991 Kishinev was the capital city Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic – part of the Soviet Union.

Most of the records in the yearbook contained only the last name of the business owner or the professional. On rare occasions one or two initials were included. Data for surnames that did not appear to be Jewish was omitted with attempt to err on the side of including people who were not Jewish. Separate record was created for each individual surname included into the firm or company name.

About This Database

Each record in this database contains the following information:

• Book page no.— Page number in the yearbook.
• Image no.— Image number in the microfilm
• Business, occupation or profession — Business, occupation or profession of the person.
• Type of business — Type of business (e.g.: workshop, factory, store)
• Goods, services, occupation — description of the industry or more detail definition of the business
• Surname or name of firm — The name of the firm or the individual owner translated in English
• Surname in English pronunciation — for each person listed in the yearbook
• Initial or first name — where available
• Address, added information — Address, telephone number, comments, or added information from the directory listing.

Special Note

Information the yearbook related to individuals with Jewish names listed as employees of Local Government, Financial organizations, Judicial Organizations, Schools, Hospitals, and Charities was included into “Jews in Public Life in Bessarabia” database.

Acknowledgements

The information from “All Kishinev 1916” was reviewed, translated, and compiled into “Kishinev Business Directory, 1916” database by Yuriy Daylis.

Searching the Database

This database is searchable via the JewishGen Unified Search, the JewishGen Romania Collection, and the JewishGen Ukraine Collection

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