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DVINSK

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Originally appearing in Volume V08, Page 739 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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DVINSK , the See also:

official name since 1893 of DuNABURG, a See also:town and fortress of western See also:Russia, in the See also:government of See also:Vitebsk, 162 m. by See also:rail N.W. of the See also:city of Vitebsk, on the right See also:bank of the See also:Dvina (Duna), in 550 53' N. and 26° 23' E., and at the intersection of two See also:main railway lines—Riga–Smolensk and Vilna–St See also:Peters-See also:burg. It is the See also:chief strategic position for the See also:defence of the Dvina. It consists of four portions—the main town, or fortress, the old suburb, the new suburb, and on the See also:left bank of the See also:river the See also:village of Griva. Among the See also:industrial establishments are tanneries and breweries, saw-See also:mills, See also:flour-mills, See also:brick and See also:tile See also:works and limekilns. The town is an important commercial centre, especially for See also:flax, See also:hemp, See also:tallow and See also:timber. The See also:population increased from 25,764 in 186o to 72,231 in 1900, consisting chiefly of See also:Jews (about 30,000), See also:Lithuanians and Letts. Dunaburg was originally founded in 1278 by the Livonian Knights of the See also:Sword, about 12 M. farther down the river than its See also:present site, at a spot still known as the Old See also:Castle or Stariy Zamok. In 1559 it was mortgaged by the See also:grand-See also:master of the Knights to See also:Sigismund See also:Augustus, See also:king of See also:Poland. Although captured in 1576 by See also:Ivan the Terrible of Russia, it was again restored to Poland; and in 1582 See also:Stephen Bathori, king of Poland, transferred the fortress to its present site. In the 17th See also:century it was held alternately by the Swedes and the Russians. It was finally incorporated with Russia in 1772 011 the first See also:division of Poland. In See also:July 1812 the fete-de-See also:pont was vainly stormed by the See also:French under See also:Oudinot, but a few See also:weeks afterwards the town was captured by them under See also:Macdonald.

End of Article: DVINSK

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DVORAK, ANTON (1841-1904)