Surazh is a town in Bryansk Oblast, Russia, situated on the Iput River, approximately 177 kilometers southwest of the regional capital, Bryansk. It serves as the administrative center of Surazhsky District and has a population that has been declining in recent decades, standing at 11,640 as of the 2010 census, down from 12,046 in 2002 and 12,559 in 1989. The town is known for its historical significance, particularly its role in regional trade, its diverse ethnic composition in the past, and the tragic events it endured during the 20th century. Surazh's history reflects the broader shifts in Eastern European borders, empires, and conflicts, evolving from a small settlement in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth to a part of modern Russia.
In the central part of Surazh, individual buildings dating back to
the late 19th and early 20th centuries have been preserved. A unique
symbol of the city can be called a small but very elegant chapel-tomb,
built in 1907 in the city center by order of the local nobleman Ivan
Isaev over the grave of his untimely departed wife Elena. In popular
memory, the chapel is associated with the more famous family of Surazh
nobles, the Iskritskys, which is why in literature today it is often
referred to as the “chapel-tomb of the Iskritskys.”
The
picturesque banks of Iput near Surazh are a favorite vacation spot for
townspeople.
10 km east of the city is the village of Lyalichi -
the former estate of Count P. V. Zavadovsky, where the estate palace and
the majestic Catherine Church (the architect of both projects was
Giacomo Quarenghi), as well as a badly neglected English-style park
surrounding the estate, are partially preserved.
Surazh is a small town in Bryansk Oblast, western Russia, serving as
the administrative center of Surazhsky District. It is situated on the
Iput River, approximately 177 kilometers (110 miles) southwest of the
oblast capital, Bryansk. The town's geographic coordinates are 53°01′N
32°23′E, and it lies at an elevation of about 160 meters (520 feet)
above sea level. The surrounding Surazhsky District covers an area of
1,128 square kilometers (436 square miles) and is positioned in the
western part of Bryansk Oblast, near the border with Belarus. This
places Surazh within the broader East European Plain, a vast lowland
region that dominates much of European Russia's topography.
Bryansk
Oblast itself occupies the central to western portions of the East
European Plain, straddling the watershed divide between the Desna River
basin (part of the Dnieper system) and the Volga River basin. The oblast
borders several Russian regions (Smolensk to the north, Kaluga to the
northeast, Oryol to the east, and Kursk to the southeast) as well as
Ukraine to the south (Chernihiv and Sumy Oblasts) and Belarus to the
west (Gomel and Mogilev Oblasts). Surazh's western location within the
oblast means it is influenced by proximity to these international
borders, with the Iput River flowing eastward from Belarus into Russia.
The topography around Surazh is characteristic of the East European
Plain: predominantly flat to gently rolling lowlands, with occasional
low hills primarily in the northern and eastern parts of Bryansk Oblast.
The area falls within the broad basin of the Desna River, which
contributes to its relatively level terrain, much of which has been
converted to agricultural use. Elevations in the district are generally
modest, averaging around 150-200 meters, with no significant mountain
ranges or steep escarpments. This flat landscape facilitates farming but
can lead to waterlogging in floodplains, especially along rivers.
The
Iput River, on which Surazh is directly located, plays a central role in
the local topography. This river is a left tributary of the Sozh River
(itself part of the Dnieper basin), stretching 437 kilometers (272
miles) in length with a drainage basin of 10,900 square kilometers
(4,200 square miles). Originating in Belarus, it enters Russia near the
Smolensk-Bryansk border and flows through Surazhsky District, creating a
floodplain that is often highly waterlogged and composed of broad-leaf
forests, black alder stands, and meadows. The floodplain supports
diverse wetland ecosystems but has been affected by human activity and
environmental contamination.
Surazh experiences a continental climate typical of western Russia,
characterized by cold, snowy winters and relatively warm, humid summers.
The climate is influenced by the region's inland position, away from
major moderating oceanic influences, leading to significant seasonal
temperature variations.
Temperature: Annual average temperatures
hover around 6-7°C (43-45°F). Winters are harsh, with January averages
around -7°C to -9°C (19-16°F), and frequent lows dipping below -20°C
(-4°F). Summers are mild to warm, with July averages of 18-19°C
(64-66°F), occasionally reaching highs above 30°C (86°F).
Precipitation: Annual rainfall is moderate, totaling about 650-750 mm
(26-30 inches), distributed fairly evenly throughout the year but with a
slight peak in summer. Snow cover persists from November to March,
averaging 40-50 cm (16-20 inches) in depth.
Other Features: The area
sees around 150-170 frost-free days annually, with frequent overcast
skies in winter and thunderstorms in summer. Climate data for nearby
Bryansk (which is representative for Surazh) indicates a humid
continental classification (Dfb under the Köppen system), with potential
for extreme weather events like blizzards or heavy rains leading to
flooding along the Iput.
Approximately 25% of Bryansk Oblast, including parts of Surazhsky
District, is forested, featuring a mix of coniferous (pine, spruce),
deciduous (oak, birch, aspen), and mixed woodlands transitioning into
forest-steppe zones. The western areas near Surazh tend toward wooded
steppe, with open grasslands interspersed with tree groves, supporting
agriculture like grain and potato cultivation. The Iput River floodplain
adds biodiversity through wetlands, meadows, and alder swamps, which
serve as habitats for wildlife including birds, amphibians, and small
mammals.
Nearby, the Bryansky Les Nature Reserve (a UNESCO biosphere
reserve) protects old-growth forests and a reintroduced population of
European bison, though it is located more centrally in the oblast. Soils
in the region are predominantly podzolic and chernozem types, fertile
for farming but vulnerable to erosion in deforested areas.
Natural resources in Surazhsky District include peat deposits (common
in wetlands), sand, clay, chalk, marl, and phosphorite, used in
construction and industry. The area's geology is shaped by glacial
deposits from the Pleistocene era, contributing to its mineral wealth.
A significant environmental challenge is radionuclide contamination from
the 1986 Chernobyl disaster. Surazhsky District is among the affected
areas in Bryansk Oblast, with elevated cesium-137 levels in soils,
particularly in floodplains like the Iput's. In the late 1990s, parts of
the district had contamination above 5 curies per square kilometer,
impacting agriculture, forestry, and human health. Ongoing monitoring
and remediation efforts address this legacy, but it remains a key
geographical factor influencing land use.
Early History and Founding (17th–18th Centuries)
The origins of
Surazh trace back to the 17th century, when it was first mentioned as
the village of Surazhichi. At that time, it was part of the Smolensk
Voivodeship within the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. This period
marked Surazh as a borderland area, influenced by the geopolitical
struggles between Poland-Lithuania, Russia, and Cossack forces.
Following the Treaty of Andrusovo in 1667 (which ended the Russo-Polish
War of 1654–1667), the area came under the control of the Cossack
Hetmanate, a semi-autonomous Cossack state allied with Russia.
During
the 18th century, Surazh developed as a sloboda—a type of settlement
with certain tax exemptions to encourage population growth and economic
activity. This era saw the beginnings of a diverse community, including
the arrival of Jewish settlers in the first half of the century. Jews
were drawn to the area for trade opportunities within the Pale of
Settlement, the region where Jewish residency was permitted in the
Russian Empire. By this time, Surazh was transitioning from a rural
village into a more structured community, setting the stage for its
urban development.
19th Century: Town Status and Economic Growth
In 1781, Surazh was granted town status and renamed Surazh-na-Iputi
(Surazh on the Iput) to distinguish it from other settlements with
similar names. This was simplified to Surazh in 1797. Administratively,
from 1803 onward, it became part of the Chernihiv Governorate (also
known as Chernigov Governorate) in the Russian Empire, which was located
in what is now northern Ukraine and parts of Russia and Belarus. This
placement within Chernihiv highlighted Surazh's position in a
multi-ethnic border region, with influences from Russian, Ukrainian,
Belarusian, and Jewish cultures.
Economically, the 19th century
brought modest industrialization and craftsmanship. By 1870, the town
boasted 82 craftsmen and eight small factories, focusing on local trades
such as textiles, woodworking, and food processing. The population grew
steadily, with the 1897 Russian Empire census recording a total of
around 4,006 residents (though some sources cite 1,599 for the core
town). Demographically, the town was notably diverse: Jews made up 59.9%
(2,398 people), Belarusians 24.4%, Russians 13.9%, Ukrainians 0.8%, and
Poles 0.6%. In the broader Surazh county (uyezd), the Jewish population
was even more significant, numbering 10,078 and comprising over 5% of
the regional total across northern Chernihiv. Jews dominated local
commerce, including peddling, shoemaking, tailoring, grocery stores, and
inns, often serving the peasant population while living in self-imposed
ghettos in towns and villages.
Early 20th Century: Pogroms,
Revolutions, and Administrative Shifts
The turn of the 20th century
was marked by turmoil for Surazh, particularly for its Jewish community.
Anti-Semitic violence erupted in a pogrom in October 1905 amid the
Russian Revolution of 1905. Further pogroms occurred at the end of
winter and in spring 1917 during the February Revolution, and another in
1918 carried out by Red Army soldiers during the Russian Civil War.
These events reflected the broader instability in the Russian Empire,
including ethnic tensions and revolutionary chaos.
The 1917 Bolshevik
Revolution brought profound changes. The abolition of the Pale of
Settlement allowed many Jews to migrate to larger cities like Kiev,
Moscow, and Leningrad, or emigrate abroad to the United States, Western
Europe, or Palestine. Bolshevik policies nationalized businesses, closed
Hebrew schools, repurposed synagogues, and promoted assimilation,
further reducing the local Jewish population. By 1939, the Jewish
population in Surazh had dropped to 2,052, representing about 23% of the
town's residents.
Administratively, Surazh underwent several border
shifts in the post-revolutionary period. Until 1919, it remained part of
the Chernigov Governorate in Ukraine. In 1919, the Soviet government
detached Surazh and three other northern uyezds (Novozybkov, Starodub,
and Mglin) and attached them to the Gomel (Homel) Oblast in Byelorussia
(now Belarus). In 1926, these areas were reassigned to the Bryansk
Governorate in Russia, where Surazh has remained as part of Bryansk
Oblast. This redrawing of borders integrated Surazh into the Russian
Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, aligning it with Russian
administrative structures.
World War II and the Holocaust
World War II brought devastation to Surazh. The town was occupied by
German forces on August 17, 1941, as part of Operation Barbarossa. The
Nazi occupation targeted the Jewish population severely: Jews were
confined to a ghetto, their homes were looted, damaged, and burned. In
March 1942, all ghetto inmates were executed by shooting near the
village of Kislovka. This massacre was part of the broader Holocaust in
the Bryansk region, where similar atrocities occurred, such as in nearby
Mglin on March 2, 1942, involving machine guns, bayonets, and live
burials. By June 1941, the Jewish population in the Bryansk district
(including Surazh) had dwindled to 10,000–12,000 due to pre-war
migrations, and most who remained perished. Some Jews fled eastward to
Siberia or Central Asia, enduring harsh conditions. The Red Army
liberated Surazh on September 25, 1943.
Post-War Period and
Modern Era
After the war, Surazh was rebuilt within the Soviet Union,
but its population never fully recovered from the losses. The town
retained its role as an administrative center, now as the head of
Surazhsky Municipal District and Surazhskoye Urban Settlement. In 1986,
the Chernobyl nuclear disaster affected parts of Bryansk Oblast,
including Surazhsky District, with radioactive contamination levels
exceeding 5 Curie/km² in some areas, impacting agriculture, health, and
about 16% of the oblast's population in contaminated zones.
Culturally, Surazh preserves a small church built in 1907, reflecting
its Orthodox Christian heritage. Jewish heritage sites, such as old
cemeteries with monuments from the 1880s featuring intricate
decorations, have been documented in recent surveys. Today, Surazh is a
quiet district center with limited industry, focusing on local
agriculture and services. Its history of ethnic diversity has largely
faded, but it remains a poignant reminder of the region's turbulent
past.
Zamsky, Hananiy Samsonovich (1913-1998) - Soviet scientist and
defectologist.
Shub, Esfir Ilyinichna (nee Roshal; 1894, Surazh -
1959, Moscow) - Soviet film director.
The city-forming enterprise of Surazh is the technical cardboard
factory of Proletary JSC. Due to the decisive role of the factory in the
city’s economy, in December 2009 Surazh was included by the Ministry of
Regional Development in the list of single-industry towns. In 2011,
Surazh was the first of the single-industry towns in the Bryansk region
to develop and submit for approval to the Ministry of Regional
Development a comprehensive investment plan (IIP) for the development of
the single-industry town.
Other notable enterprises in the city’s
economy include Surazhmolprom OJSC, the Surazh branch of Khlebogor LLC,
and the Surazhanka clothing factory.
Colony-settlement No. 3 of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia
for the Bryansk Region operates in the city.
In the mid-60s of
the 20th century, a dispensary was opened for citizens with alcohol
addiction. The number of people undergoing treatment sometimes reached
up to a thousand people, but the length of stay did not exceed two
years. From 1976 to 1993, a medical and labor dispensary operated.
Citizens who ended up here were corrected through occupational therapy,
but only after undergoing a course of treatment for alcoholism. In 2001,
a colony-settlement was created on the basis of the dispensary.
Convicts work on subsidiary plots, build decorative fences, paving
slabs, monuments, and cut timber. The production of polypropylene bags
is also established here, and there is an auto repair shop.