Simnas is small town on the river DovinėDovinė, Lietuva. maps.lt In Lithuanian. Retrieved 17 February 2023 between Simnas and Giluitis lakes, in Alytus district, Alytus county, in the south of Lithuania. It lies on the 131 a national primary road from Alytus to Kalvarija. Simnas is located within the ethnographical region Dzūkija. According to the 2022 data, 1209 people live in the town with 3148 in Simnas eldership. It is most populous settlement in Alytus district.Simno miesto gyventojú skaičius. 1 January 2022. geodata.lt. In Lithuanian. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
History
Simnas started as a hunting hut for the Grand Duke of Lithuania in a strategic place where a river flows into a lake. Gradually, the living place around the hut turned to an estate. Wigand of Marburg, a German chronicler, describes Lithuanians victory under the leadership of Grand Duke Vytautas against Crusades in Simnas (Samenike in chronicle) near the lake in 1382.Viktoras Gidžiūnas, O.F.M. Iš Simno istorijos. prodeoetpatria.lt In Lithuanian. Retrieved 17 February 2023 In Lithuanian chronicle, Simnas' name was mentioned in the Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander Jagiellon writings in 1494 as a manor with peasants for the first time.Margarita Janušonienė. Simno bažnyčios altoriú polichromijos tyrimai, konservavimo ir restauravimo darbai. leidykla.vda.lt In Lithuanian. Retrieved 27 February 2023. The origin of Simnas' name is unclear and remains a mystery. There is no other similar or analogic name in the Baltic language. Some local lore says that two giants - Simas and Sinas - lived around the place and after their death half the name of each was added together to create the current town name. Another version of the name is the corruption of the human name Simonas. But most historians believe that the name origin is hydronym, taken from a lake's name where the hunting hut stood.Arvydas Šeškevičius. Simno šimtmečiú istorija. I dalis. Naujasis Lankas. Kaunas, 2019. In Lithuanian.
In 1506, Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander Jagiellon donated Simnas manor to nobleman Jonas Zaberezinskas. As a good statesman and organizer, he built a brick church in 1520-1526. This is another mystery about Simnas because neither wooden nor old churches have ever been mentioned before in any written sources. Around the church began to develop settlements.Rymantas Grėbliūnas. Knyga apie Simná. 4 January 2006. XXiamžius.lt In Lithuanian. Retrieved 19 February 2023. The Simnas coat of arms was created in 1536, depicting St. Peter and Paul. In a letter of the Grand Duke of Lithuania in 1549, Simnas mentioned the town. 10 years later a new road was laid from Simnas to Königsberg, showing the importance of the town and its location. More ever, in 1613, Simnas was marked on the map for the first time.
In 1603, Simnas went into the hands of Paweł Stefan Sapieha, the member of a wealthy politician family. Due to his efforts, in 1626, Simnas was granted Magdeburg town rights by Sigismund III Vasa. Which means that at that time Simnas had a mayor, town hall, court, judge, jail, shops, inns, mills, cobbled road and footpath and held annual fair and markets. After that situation in a town dramatically changed: a coat of arms image of St. Peter was dropped, St. Paul remained, who gave a hint to a patron of the town - Povilas (Paul) Sapiega. The townspeople dropped Lithuanian and turned to the Polish language. Even Mass in a church became the official Polish language in 1639.
To accelerate the town's economy, the decree of 1 July in 1639 allowed Jews to enter and live in the town; to have land, property, keep business and to be exempt from taxes. Prosperity started to rise but after the Russian invasion of Lithuania in 1655, the town was looted and went into disrepair.
Political curiosity - in a 20 years gap Simnas changed three ruling countries: after the Third Partition of Poland in 1795, Simnas became part of Prussia; in 1807, Simnas fell under the rule of the Polish Duchy of Warsaw on behalf of France; after defeating Napoleon in 1815, for the next 100 years Simnas was occupied by Russia, although initially as part of the autonomous Congress Poland.
Living under occupation, life did not stop but continued with population growth. Places to bury deceased people around the church was overfilled, so local authorities, in 1858, established a new cemetery in a former hunting manor estate where the town started. After the January Uprising of 1863-1864, the tsarist government understood the importance of roads to the military. A new road was laid between Simnas and Marijampolė. Traffic increased and it led to the opening of the Post station and office in 1872. The letter collection and delivery was carried twice a week in town and once a week in its suburbs. Along with traffic activity on the road, infectious diseases followed and in 1871, a cholera epidemic attacked town. Many people and animals died. After the withdrawal of the epidemic, a new law was introduced that every house must keep a toilet cabin. Defecation around the corner was banned. In 1878, a pharmacy was opened. The streets and footpaths were paved. In 1882, a fire station was built.
A Census of 1888 showed that town population was 1870 people of whom 944 Jews and 926 Polish. No one declared themself as Lithuanians. Official state language was Russian. 10 times a year the town held an annual fair. In 1897, the railway was built on the South side of the town and a telegraph office opened. A new road between Simnas and Alytus was laid. The Police station had 6 policemen to keep order around.
In the end of the 19th century, national revival began. People started to demand to use the Lithuanian language. After fighting, in 1897 first Mass in a church was held in Lithuanian language. In 1899 the town suffered a disaster - after a faulty chimney a fire started and devastated the town. Half of it, from church to Simnas lake, turned to ashes. Another disaster followed after the beginning of World War I in 1914. Fighting three times happened in the town limits, so after all, wooden houses were burned. Before World War I German intelligence reported that Simnas had 1979 people of whom 786 are Jews.
After the Declaration of Independence in 1918, a new era began. In 1919, the first telephone started to operate in post offices. In 1927, a power station was built and all town streets were lit. 25 households had telephones. In 1929, townspeople had 3 cars and 1 truck. In 1935, a nursing home for women was built, followed by a hospital which had a dentist and midwife; creamery in 1937; secondary school in 1939 and central sewage system laid across town. The town operated 93 shops of which only 4 were Lithuanians, the rest of them jewish; 2 pharmacies, 2 distilleries, 3 banks, 2 hotels, 5 restaurants, 4 pubs, 1 beer bulk warehouse, 2 inns, 2 tea shops, 3 wool mills, 2 shoe workshops and a lemonade factory. In 1893, both lakes - Simnas and Giluitis - became property of Jews.
After World War I until World War II, the town had a militia which operated at night with 3 volunteers. Their duties were to keep order at night, guard from theft, to silent drunken behavior and fire monitoring.
In 1940, the town faced a second Russian occupation; then German invasion for 4 years and finally in 1991, after regaining an Independence of Lithuania, Simnas gradually became a beautiful town.Arvydas Šeškevičius. Simno šimtmečiú istorija. I dalis. Naujasis Lankas. Kaunas, 2019. In Lithuanian.
Demographics
Since the beginning of settlement in the 14th century, the population increased steadily, despite wars and epidemics, and the number of inhabitants never decreased. Being Lithuanians, from 1626 until 1918, townspeople spoke Polish. In 1639, more Jews arrived, dividing the population in half, both religiously and socially, but strife never happened. During 160 years of Russian occupation, only a few Russian speakers settled in the town.
From the 18th century, town population reached a peak of around 2000 people and remained until 2004, when Lithuania joined European Union. During World War II entire Jews population was wiped out: over 600 were perished in Holocaust, others emigrated. The number of inhabitants after the war rose fast due to industrial activity which attracted new residents.
After joining the European Union in 2004, around one third (30%) of townspeople emigrated for countries like: Great Britain, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Scandinavia and USA. Electronic Census in 2021 showed that the population in town remained 1209. Ethnically 98% of residents are Lithuanians with a strong Catholic background.Arvydas Šeškevičius. Simno šimtmečiú istorija. I dalis. Naujasis Lankas. Kaunas, 2019. In Lithuanian.
Geography
Simnas town is surrounded by 3 lakes: Simnas lake in the north, Giluitis lake in the west and Kalesninkai lakes in the south which contains 12 large and small fish breeding ponds. Throughout town runs the river Dovinė, formerly Spernia, which flows into Simnas lake.Simno ežeras. maps.lt In Lithuanian. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
January is the coldest month and July is warmest with average -3'C and 16'C respectively. Thunder occurs more frequently, up to 45 times a year, compared to the rest of the country due to a combination of sandy soil and woodlands in the southside of the town.
Economy
"Alytaus Melioracija" (from 1959) is the main employer and the backbone of the town. Even two living estates were built to accommodate workers. The company activities are: reclamation systems; hydrotechnical structures; landfill construction; engineering work; pond digging; plant hire; road, street and bridge building.
Sewing factory, the division of "Alytaus Dainava" (from 1979), which makes casual, classic wear and formal suits. "Simno Eksperimentinis Žuvú veislynas" (from 1964) breeds fish, crawfish and fills up rivers and lakes with live fish.Arvydas Šeškevičius. Simno šimtmečiú istorija. II dalis. Naujasis Lankas. Kaunas, 2019. In Lithuanian.
"Simno komunalininkas" is a town management company, responsible for cold and hot water supply; heat delivery to houses in a winter time; operating a sewage system and water treatment plant; cleaning town streets and maintaining green spaces.Apie mus. Simno komunalininkas. In Lithuanian. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
The town has a Fire station, Heating station, Post office, pharmacy, medical and dental clinics, 2 fuel stations, few garages and a number of shops. Police station ceased to operate some years ago. Surprisingly, there are no hotels, restaurants and pubs in the town.
Education
Education in Simnas has a long story. In 1667, mentioned the school building with clerk and teacher Augustinas Obryckis. Parish school (in Polish language) was established in 1782 with 10 pupils. After the 1864 rebellion, Tzar authorities closed school and opened Russian school which lasted until World War I. In 1918, primary school was opened in Lithuanian language. Soon after Jews opened school in the synagogue in 1920 and for a short period of time, 1921 - 1924, Polish school acted.
In 1943, a secondary school was built which become Gymnasium in 2007.Arvydas Šeškevičius. Simno šimtmečiú istorija. II dalis. Naujasis Lankas. Kaunas, 2019. In Lithuanian.
During a short stint with secondary school, 1944 - 1949, worked Anzelmas Matutis, lithuanian language teacher, who later became a famous and renowned children poet.Vilmantė Petrusevičienė. Mokytojas vedęs mus į gera. 8 October 2018. Nr.114. alytausnaujienos.lt In Lithuanian. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
In 1959, the school was built for orphans and children from poor families. In 1968, it became a Special school for children with learning difficulties. In 1970, the school opened a gymnastic class for movement disorder and in 1993 class for children with mild mental retardation. Istorija. Alytaus rajono Simno specialioji mokykla. spec.simnas.lm.lt. In Lithuanian. Retrieved 19 February 2023.