Slonim

Slonim (Belarusian: Сло́нім) is a city in Belarus in the Hrodna voblast and Slonim rayon, located at the junction of the Shchara and Isa rivers, 143 km southeast of Hrodna. The population in 1995 was 53,100.

Geography & Climate

History

Early history

The earliest record is of a wooden fort on the left bank of the Shchara river in the 11th century, although there may have been earlier settlement.

Lithuanian and Polish rule

The Slonim area was disputed between the Lithuanians and the Kievan Rus' and it changed hands several times. In 1040, the Kievans won control of the area after a battle but lost Slonim to the Lithuanians in 1103. The Russians retook the area early in the 13th century but were expelled by a Tartar invasion in 1241 and the town was pillaged. When, later in the year, the Tartars withdrew, Slonim became Lithuanian again.

In 1569, Lithuania and Poland united and Slonim became an important regional centre within greater Poland. From 1631 to 1685 the city flourished as the seat of the Lithuanian diet.

Russian rule

The Commonwealth of Poland-Lithuania was dismembered in a series of three "partitions" in the latter half of the 18th Century and divided among its neighbours, Germany, Austria and Russia, which took the largest portion of territory. Slonim was in the area annexed by Russia. The wars had damaged Slonim, but in the 18th century, a local landowner, Graf Oginski, encouraged the recovery of the area] ; a canal was dug to connect the Shchara with the [Dnieper] .

20th century

Russian control lasted until 1915, when the German army captured the town. After the war, the Slonim area was disputed between the Red Army and the new state of Poland. The town suffered badly, but in 1920 the Poles established possession.

The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union resulted, in 1939, in the invasion of Poland by the two powers and its division between them. Slonim was in the area designated by the Part to fall within the Soviet sphere of influence. The Soviets placed that area within the Byelorussian SSR.

Two years later, Germany invaded (Operation Barbarossa) and Slonim was captured. Soon after, 70% of Slonim's Jews had been killedcite web
last = Lichtenstein
first = Kalman
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Ledger of Slonim
work =
publisher = Joanne Saltman
date = 1998
url = http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/slonim/Slonim_Ledger.htm
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-09-08 ] in at least one Nazi "aktion" (9,000 on 14 November 1941 [cite book
last = Gilbert
first = Martin
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Holocaust
publisher = Fontana Press
date = 1986
location = London
pages = p 184
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 0-00-637194-9 ] ). A second mass murder of 8,000 Jews took place in 1942 [cite book
last = Gilbert
first = Martin
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Holocaust
publisher = Fontana Press
date = 1986
location = London
pages = p 403
url =
doi =
id = ISBN 0-00-637194-9 ] .

After the ejection of the Germans in 1944, the Soviet Union retained possession of its part of the former Poland, as agreed between the allies.

Recent developments

After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Belarus became an independent state.

Etymology and historical names

Unsurprisingly for a town with its history, Slonim has been known by several versions of its name: Сло́нім (Belarusian), Сло́ним (Russian), Słonim (Polish).

Slonim was first mentioned in chronicles in 1252 as Uslonim (1255 – Vslonim).

Demographics

Population growth

Population has fluctuated, influenced by local prosperity and wars {1883, 21,110; 1897 15,893}.

Ethnic groups

Jews

Jewish settlement in Slonim appears to have started in 1388, following encouragement from the Lithuanian authorities. They were credited with the development of local commerce in the 15th century, nonetheless, they were temporarily expelled by the Lithuanian Duchy in 1503.

In the late 19th century, Slonim's Jewish population had risen to 10,000.

The Slonimer Hasidic dynasty came from there.

Languages

Religion

Government and administrative divisions

Districts

Microraions

Economy

Slonim's importance derives from the river, which is navigable and joins the Oginsky canal, connecting the Niemen with the Dnieper.

Industry

Slonim has varied food, consumer, and engineering industries. Corn, tar, and especially timber are exported. There is the Slonim artistic goods factory, a worsted factory and “Textilschik”, a paperboard factory, a motor- and a car repair plants, dry non-fat milk factory and meat processing plant. There are also flax preprocessing, feed mill and woodworking enterprises in the town.

Transport and infrastructure

Slonim has road links with Baranovichi, Ivatsevichi, Ruzhany, Volkovysk, Lida.

Local Transport

Buses, Taxi and Mini-buses are the only transport in Slonim.

Railway and intercity bus

Slonim is on the railway line between Baranavichy and Vaukavysk.

Education

Major universities

A medical school is sited in Slonim

Culture and religion

The two main religions in Slonim are Orthodox and Catholics

Notable buildings

Churches

* Orthodox church of the Holy Trinity
* Convent of Benedictine
* Chapel of St. Dominick
* Catholic church of St. Andrew the Apostle
* Catholic church of the Immaculate Conception of Blessed Virgin Mary and the convent of Bernardine
* Orthodox church of Transfiguration
*The Synagogue is standing but in a dilapidated condition. It's listed by the private World Monuments Fund as their top priority site of Jewish interest in Eastern Europe that requires restoration. The building was left untouched by the German Luftwaffe but it has subsequently deteriorated and is now in urgent need of protection and restoration. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = Jews of Belarus Move to Save Their Past
work =
publisher = Joanne Saltman | date = 1998
url = http://shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/slonim/jews_of_belarus_move_to_save_the.htm
format =
doi =
accessdate = 2007-09-11 ]

Theatres

Slonim has a theatre.

Museums

Slonim has a museum of regional studies.

Recreation areas

There has been a new development in N/E of Slonim which is called Enka.

Telecommunication

* 350 metres tall guyed mast for FM-/TV-broadcasting at Novaya Strazha (coord|53|03|53|N|25|28|31|E).

port

The main sports in Slonim are: Running, Gymnastics, Football and Ice Hockey

ister cities

ee also

*Slonim (Hasidic dynasty)

References

*Cholawski, Shalom. Slonim in "Encyclopaedia of the Holocaust" vol. 4, pp. 1363-1364. Map.

External links

* [http://radzima.org/pub/miesta.php?miesta_id1=hrslslon Photos on Radzima.org]