page_title: Sloviansk
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Sloviansk / History
caption_attribution_description: Русский: Дореволюционная открытка. Вокзал Славянск. English: The first version of this file seems to be about Slawjansk-na-Kubani, which is another town. Besides, the picture at full size shows clearly that the current version is part of the same series as it can be found in Category:Postcards of Sloviansk (Ekaterinoslav Governorate)
context_page_description: Sloviansk; prior to 1784 - Tor is a city of oblast significance in Donetsk Oblast, eastern part of Ukraine. It also serves as the administrative center of the Sloviansk Raion, though it does not belong to the raion. It was founded in 1676. The city was one of the focal points in the early stages of the 2014 pro-Russian conflict in Ukraine as it was the first city to be seized by Russia-backed military troops. It was retaken by Ukrainian forces in July 2014. Population: 111,486.
context_section_description: The history of Sloviansk dates back to the beginning of the 16th century when the first settlements formed by Ukrainian peasants appeared on its territory. Later on in 1645 was founded a border fortress against the Crimean attacks and slave raids on the southern suburbs of modern Ukraine and  Russia.
  In 1664 the first salt plant for the extraction of salt was built that caused the appearance of housing for workers. In 1676, a fortress named Tor was built at the confluence of the Kazenyy Torets and Sukhyy Torets Rivers where they form the Torets River, a tributary of Donets River. Shortly thereafter, the town of Tor grew up next to the fortress.
  As several salt lakes were located close by, the town became a producer of salt. During the sixteenth century, salt production was the principal local industry, but during the eighteenth century, it became unprofitable and ceased on December 21, 1782.
  In 1784, the city was renamed Sloviansk, and it became a part of the Kharkov Governorate of the Russian Empire in 1797. A resort was established on the shores of Lake Ropne in 1832.
  In April 1918 troops loyal to the Ukrainian People's Republic took control of Sloviansk.
  The city was occupied by the Germans on October 28, 1941. In December 1941, SS Einsatzkommando 4b executed more than a thousand Jews who lived in the city. The Red Army temporarily expelled the Nazi occupiers on February 17, 1943. Germans retook it on 1 March 1943. Finally the Red Army retook it on 6 September 1943.
caption: Train station, 1917 postcard.
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