What is "smarhon'"

Smarhon’ or Smorgon (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the Grodno Region of Belarus. It was the site of Smarhon’ air base, now mostly abandoned. Smarhon’ is located 107 km from the capital, Minsk.

In the early 17th century it was established in Grand Duchy of Lithuania but in 1793 passed on to Russia as part of the Russian Pale of Settlement. Until the mid 19th century, Smarhon’ was a private property of the Radziwiłł family with most of its population being Jewish. Shortly after World War I until World War II Smarhon’ returned to Second Polish Republic which claimed rights to this territory as a successor to Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and as victorious side of the Polish–Soviet War.