Romaniv was first mentioned in the 15th century. The first mention of Jews dates back to 1787, and in 1897, the Jewish population was 2,599 (46% of the total population). The Jewish cemetery has been recorded on maps since the end of the 19th century, and it serves as a burial place for Jews until now.
During the 19th century, the Jewish population experienced rapid growth, increasing from 344 in 1847 to 2,599 at the end of the 19th century. The community had a synagogue, a prayer house, and a Talmud Torah. During the Soviet era, a Yiddish-language elementary school was established in the 1920s. The Jewish population was 1,720 (24%) in 1939, on the brink of WWII.
When the Germans arrived in July 1941, around three-quarters of the Jewish residents remained in the town. They were joined by a few hundred Jewish refugees from nearby towns. Approximately 1,800 Jews were confined in a ghetto and murdered by October 1941.
According to the 2001 census, there were 12 Jews in Romaniv (then Dzerzhyns'k) and the surrounding area.
History pages: