Slutsk was first mentioned in writing in 1116. It was initially part of the
Principality of Turov and Pinsk but in 1160 became the capital of
a separate principality. From 1320–1330, it was part of the domain of the
Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
Casimir IV Jagiellon vested it with
Magdeburg town rights in 1441. It was a
private town, owned by the
Olelkovich and
Radziwiłł families, which transformed it into a center of the
Polish Reformed Church with a
gymnasium and a strong
fortress. The first Jewish residents arrived by the late 16th century, expanding in population over the following centuries until the town was majority Jewish from the 19th century until World War II. In the mid-17th century,
Scottish immigrants settled in the town. Following the 17th century, the city became famous for manufacturing
kontusz belts, some of the most expensive and luxurious pieces of garment of the
szlachta. Because of the popularity of the cloths made here, belts worn over the
żupan were often called
of Slutsk despite their real place of origin. In 1778, it became a county seat within the
Nowogródek Voivodeship. The period of German occupation ended on 30 June 1944, when troops of the
1st Belorussian Front recaptured the town during the
Minsk Offensive of the
Red Army. On 2 October 1967, a riot occurred during which the local court building was set on fire, resulting in the death of a judge and a police officer. The riot, unprecedented in post-WW2 Soviet Belarus, was triggered by the conduct of a murder trial, which was perceived to be unjust by the local residents.
Jewish community The first indication of Jews in Slutsk is from 1583 when the city was part of Lithuania. The first Jewish victims were killed in the garden on Monakhov Street during the initial days immediately following the arrival of the Germans on 27 June 1941. The victims numbered between 70 and 120, according to different sources. Four months later, on 27 and 28 October 1941, one of the largest single massacres occurred, known as the
Slutsk affair, when Jews were herded towards pits in the Gorovakha ravine, approximately west of Slutsk, where they were shot. According to German sources the total number of victims was 3,400, while Soviet sources cite 8,000. These killings were carried out by two companies of the German 11th Reserve
Order Police Battalion and the Lithuanian 2nd Battalion, which was a German-sponsored
Schutzmannschaft or Auxiliary Police formation established in
Kaunas, soon after the Nazi occupation of
Lithuania. A further massacre was carried out over several days during the spring of 1942, when the inhabitants of the "field ghetto" of Slutsk were taken to the forest near the village of Bezverkhovichi, west of Slutsk, where they were shot or murdered in gas vans. According to survivors, the victims were driven to the execution site in two to four trucks on Mondays and Saturdays. The last Jews of the field ghetto were murdered on the
Passover, 2–3 April 1942. The total number of Jews murdered at Bezverkhovichi is estimated to have been between 3,000 and 4,000. One of the last significant massacres of Jews occurred on 8 February 1943, with the liquidation of the "town ghetto" of Slutsk. The Jews were driven in trucks to the former estate of Mokhart, popularly called Mokharty, east of Slutsk, where they were shot from behind in mass graves by personnel of the
Minsk security police office. During the liquidation, some Jews fought back, shooting at the German and Latvian soldiers. In response, the Germans burnt the ghetto to the ground. Postwar court proceedings cite a minimum of 1,600 victims, of which 1,200 were murdered at the graves at Mokharty, the rest in the ghetto itself.
Attractions Museum of Slutsk Belts The Museum of the History of Slutsk Belts is dedicated to the symbol of the city – a woven garment with incredibly beautiful patterns, using gold and silver threads. The museum is open to visitors every day except Monday.
Church of St. Anthony and Monastery of St. Francis The church was consecrated in 2000 by Cardinal Kazimierz Sviontak, a very important figure for Catholic believers and the first Belarusian cardinal. Not only is the church active – the monastery is also active. While strolling nearby, you're likely to encounter the nuns who live there.The only decoration on the church's façade are the stained-glass windows. The interior of the church is austere, decorated primarily with wooden sculptures and bas-reliefs. A functioning monastery is located adjacent to the church.
St. Michael's Cathedral This church is the oldest surviving church in the city. The first mentions of this monument of Belarusian wooden architecture date back to the 14th century, and it was reconstructed in the 18th century. The church is entirely wooden, combining classical and baroque features.
Monument to Saint Sophia The monument was unveiled on September 24, 2000, in a park on M. Bogdanovich Street. The monument is dedicated to the last representative of the ancient princely family of Olelkovich-Slutsky, Sophia Slutskaya, who was canonized by the Belarusian Orthodox Church in 1984. The monument was designed by sculptor Mikhail Inkov and architect Nikolai Lukyanchik. The monument consists of a bronze figure of the saint, as well as a tall arch behind the princess, consisting of three "petals." A key detail in the composition is the gesture of Sophia's left hand. It urges us to pause and reflect for a moment on the transience of existence, on the purpose and life of man. The white arch behind her symbolizes the Christian church.
Chapel of the Great Martyr Barbara Documentary records indicate that the Church of St. Barbara formerly stood on the site of the chapel in Slutsk. At the end of the 18th century, it was severely damaged in a fire and destroyed. The church's name and all that survived were transferred to a new church, which was rebuilt in a cemetery in another part of the city. The new church stood until it suffered the same fate as the first. In 1962, the church burned down. In 1996, a wooden chapel dedicated to St. Barbara was built on the site of the original shrine. == Notable people ==