History Grodno

1 history

1.1 polish–lithuanian commonwealth
1.2 world war i
1.3 world war ii

history

the modern city of grodno originated small fortress , fortified trading outpost maintained rurikid princes on border lands of baltic tribal union of yotvingians. first reference grodno dates 1005.

orthodox church of sts. boris , gleb (12th century)

the official foundation year 1127. @ year grodno mentioned in primary chronicle goroden , located @ crossing of numerous trading routes, slavic settlement, possibly originating far late 10th century, became capital of poorly attested separate principality, ruled yaroslav wise s grandson , descendants.

along navahrudak, grodno regarded main city on western borderlands of black ruthenia. border region neighboured grand duchy of lithuania. attacked various invaders, teutonic knights. in 1240–1250s grodno area, of black ruthenia, controlled princes of lithuanian origin (mindaugas , others) form baltic state—grand duchy of lithuania—on these territories. after prussian uprisings large population of old prussians moved region. famous lithuanian grand duke vytautas prince of grodno 1376 1392, , stayed there during preparations battle of grunwald (1410). since 1413, grodno had been administrative center of powiat in trakai voivodeship.

polish–lithuanian commonwealth

a 16th-century view of grodno.



the new castle in grodno used summer residence of polish–lithuanian commonwealth monarchs.

to aid reconstruction of trade , commerce, grand dukes allowed creation of jewish commune in 1389. 1 of first jewish communities in grand duchy. in 1441 city received charter, based on magdeburg law.

the city site of 2 battles, battle of grodno (1706) , battle of grodno (1708) during great northern war. after first partition of polish–lithuanian commonwealth, grodno became capital of short-lived grodno voivodeship in 1793.

as important centre of trade, commerce, , culture, grodno remained 1 of places sejms held. also, old , new castles visited commonwealth monarchs including famous stephen báthory of poland made royal residence here. in 1793 last sejm in history of commonwealth occurred @ grodno. 2 years afterwards, in 1795, russia obtained city in third partition of poland. in new castle on november 25 of year last polish king , lithuanian grand duke stanisław august poniatowski abdicated. in russian empire, city continued serve role seat of grodno governorate since 1801. industrial activities, started in late 18th century antoni tyzenhaus, continued develop.

count aleksander bisping arrested , imprisoned here during january uprising before exile ufa.

like many other cities in eastern europe, grodno had significant jewish population before holocaust: according russian census of 1897, out of total population of 46,900, jews constituted 22,700 (around 48%, or half of total population).

world war i

after outbreak of world war i, grodno occupied germany (sept 3 1915) , ceded bolshevist russia under treaty of brest-litovsk in 1918. after war german government permitted short-lived state set there, first 1 belarusian name—the belarusian people s republic. declared independence russia in march 1918 in minsk (known @ time mensk), bnr s rada (council) had leave minsk , fled grodno. time military authority in city remained in german hands.

after outbreak of polish–bolshevik war, german commanders of ober ost feared city might fall soviet russia, on april 27, 1919 passed authority poland. city taken on polish army following day , polish administration established in city. city lost red army on july 20, 1920 in became known first battle of grodno. city claimed lithuanian government, after agreed soviet–lithuanian treaty of 1920 signed on july 12, 1920 in moscow city transferred lithuania. however, soviet defeat in battle of warsaw made these plans obsolete, , lithuanian authority never established in city. instead, red army organised last stand in city , battle of neman took place there. on september 23 polish army recaptured city. after peace treaty of riga, grodno remained in poland.

initially, prosperity reduced due fact city remained capital of powiat, while capital of voivodship moved białystok. however, in late 1920s city became 1 of biggest polish army garrisons. brought local economy on track. also, city notable centre of jewish culture, 37% of city s population being jewish.

world war ii

old castle

during polish defensive war of 1939 garrison of grodno used creation of numerous military units fighting against invading wehrmacht. in course of soviet invasion of poland initiated on september 17, there heavy fighting in city between soviet , improvised polish forces, composed of march battalions , volunteers. in course of battle of grodno (september 20–september 22), red army lost hundred men (by polish sources; soviet sources - 57 killed , 159 wounded) , 19 tanks , 4 apcs destroyed or damaged. polish side suffered @ least 100 killed in action, military , civil, losses still remain uncertain in detail (soviet sources claim 644 killed , 1543 captives many guns , machine guns etc. captured). many more poles shot in mass executions after being imprisoned. after engaged polish units surrounded, remaining units withdrew lithuania.

in accordance molotov-ribbentrop pact city transferred belarusian ssr of soviet union, , several thousand of city s polish inhabitants deported remote areas of soviet union. on june 23, 1941 city came under german occupation lasted until 16 july 1944. surviving inmates of grodno prison released , scale of nkvd prisoner massacres revealed. in course of operation barbarossa in world war ii, majority of jews herded nazis grodno ghetto , subsequently exterminated in german concentration camps.

since 1945 city has been centre of 1 of provinces of belarusian ssr, of independent republic of belarus. majority of poles expelled or fled poland 1944–1946 , 1955–1959.