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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.

Contents 1 Geography & Climate 2 History 2.1 Early history 2.2 Lithuanian and Polish rule 2.3 Russian rule 2.4 20th century 2.5 Recent developments 2.6 Etymology and historical names 3 Demographics 3.1 Population growth 3.2 Ethnic groups 3.2.1 Jews 3.3 Languages 3.4 Religion 4 Government and administrative divisions 4.1 Districts 4.2 Microraions 5 Economy 5.1 Industry 6 Transport and infrastructure 6.1 Local Transport 6.2 Railway and intercity bus 7 Education 7.1 Major universities 8 Culture and religion 9 Notable Buildings 9.1 Synagogue 9.2 Other sites 9.3 Churches 9.4 Theatres 9.5 Museums 9.6 Recreation areas 10 Sport 11 Sister cities 12 See also 13 References 14 External links

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.

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.

Poland was dismembered in 1795 and divided between its neighbours, Germany, Austria and Russia. Slonim was in the Russian portion. 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].

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 Soviet part, within the Byelorussian SSR.

Two years later, Germany invaded (Operation Barbarossa) and Slonim was captured. Soon after, 70% of Slonim's Jews had been killed^[1] in at least one Nazi aktion (9,000 on 14 November 1941^[2]). A second mass murder of 8,000 Jews took place in 1942^[3].

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.

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

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).

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

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^[1].

The Slonimer Hasidic dynasty came from there.

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

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.

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

Slonim is on the railway line between Baranavichy and Vaukavysk.

A medical school is sited in Slonim

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.^[4]

• 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

Slonim has a theatre.

Slonim has a museum of regional studies.

• Slonim (Hasidic dynasty)

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

• Photos on Radzima.org

Coordinates: 53°05′N, 25°19′E