Facts and dates
late 10th and early 11th century – a castle upon the River Warta is built
1136 - the first mention of Śrem in the papal bulla of Pope Innocent II
1253 - the dukes Bolesław the Pious and Przemysław I grant a town charter to Śrem
1293 - Śrem becomes the seat of an arch-deaconate – a higher unit of church administration
1393 – the second foundation of the town on the isle of Kobylec
1424 - King Ladislaus Jagiello gives permission for the construction of a bridge over the River Warta
1635 - the Marksmen Society (“Bractwo Kurkowe”) is founded
1635 - cholera (“the black death”) decimates the population of the town
1656 - the Brandenburgians plunder the town during the Polish-Swedish War
1736 - great flood affects nearly the entire town
1791 - Józef Wybicki, the author of the Polish national anthem, becomes an honorary citizen of Śrem
1793 - as a result of the second partition of Poland, Śrem is incorporated into Prussia and becomes a county town
1802 - the first floating of timber to Berlin on the River Warta
1807 - for eight years the town remains part of the Duchy of Warsaw created by Napoleon
1848 - Springtime of Nations, a field hospital directed by E. Sczaniecka and Dr T. Matecki operates in Śrem
1874 – the Rev. Piotr Wawrzyniak becomes the director of Bank Ludowy (“Popular Bank”)
1884 - a railway line to Czempiń is opened
1918 - Wielkopolska Uprising – the citizens of Śrem fight, among others, in the battles of Zbąszyń, Leszno and Rawicz
1932 – Non-Commissioned Officer’s School for Minors No. 2 is opened
1939 - the Nazis occupy the town: public executions take place
1945 - the end of the German occupation; in January the town is taken up by the 1st Division of the Belarussian Front
1964 - 1975 - a housing estate called “Jeziorany” is constructed.
1968 - the Iron Foundry is opened
1990 - re-establishment of the local government
1999 - Śrem becomes a county town
2000 - the Śrem branch of Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań is established
2003 - the commemoration of 750th anniversary of town location