Jewish Sports in the Volhynian Voivodeship in the Years 1921–1939

Abstract

The Jewish population in Volhynia constituted 9.9% of the province’s total population (205,500 as of 1931). Jews were the largest national group living in cities, about 48.6%. Jewish urban population constituted 13% of the total population and were very active in sports activities. They attended instructor courses in various sports areas and actively created regional branches of sports associations in Volhynia. The most popular sports among the Jewish population were football, boxing, cycling, athletics and skiing. Jewish athletes successfully competed in different sports events in the provincial, national and international arenas. Football players of the Hasmonea Równe club won the title of the best football team in the province of Volhynia three times. After winning the Volhynia Regional Football Association football team, the Hasmonea Równe junior football team participated in the Polish Championships for junior teams. Jewish footballers from the province of Volhynia participated in the matches of the representations of the cities, the word of Province Volhynia, and the national sports competitions of the Polish Makkabi teams. Representatives of other sports disciplines such as boxing, cycling and skiing also successfully competed at the regional (provincial) level.