Today, Gresk is a village, the center of
selsovet in Slutsk region (18 km from Slutsk). In 1992 Gresk had 2.291
inhabitants and about 838 houses.
The settlement in Gresk is known since
the iron age. In XVI century Gresk recieved all rights of miastechka
(Yiddish - shtetl) in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In the middle
of XVI century Gresk was a center voitaustva. In 1536 - a possession
of Polish queen Bona, later of Alel`kavich, Valadkevich and Radzivil family.
In 1570 Polish king and Lithuanian duke Sigizmund August decided to organize
a fair in Gresk. Twenty years later Gresk was a part of Slutsk
duchy. This time this shtetl had about 68 houses, a mill and a church.
Probably, Jews lived in Gresk since
the end of XVI century. For example, the first mention about jewish
community in Slutsk is 1583.
In 1793 Russian troops occupied Gretsk.
It become a center of volost in Slutsk povet. In 1818 it had a market
, 6 streets and about 93 houses. 888 inhabitants and 138 houses were
in Gresk in 1860, twenty five years later - 1.068 inhabitants and
122 houses, 3 wind mills and a market. The results of
famous Russian census of 1897 for Gresk were: 1604 inhabitants
- 207 jews. Jews took an active part in Gresk`s trade, handicraft,
a production of tar and turpentine. Jews, as other Gresk inhabitants,
sold their products in Bobruisk (in Belarussian - Babruisk), Baranovichi
(Baranavichi), Kopyl (Kapyl), Minsk and Slutsk. In 1909 Gresk had 1.519
inhabitants.
After the World War I, February
and Bolshevik revolution, troops ob rebellious Doubar-Misnitsky
occupied Gresk. In December 1918 Gresk was occupied by German troops,from
August, 1919, till July, 1920, by Polish army. According to the Riga treaty
of March, 1921, this shtetl was a part of Soviet State.
In 1926 Gresk had 1.796 inhabitants.
On the 22nd of June, 1941, Nazi Germany
invaded Soviet Union. Five days later German army occupied Gresk. They
destroyed shtetl`s jewish community. Red Army liberated Gresk on the 1st
of July, 1944.