Kapčiamiestis is a town in

Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...

located near the confluence of Baltoji Ančia and Nieda Rivers.

History

Kapčiamiestis traces its history dating back in the early 16th century, then a manor was built. In 1777, a parish-school was opened here. In the town's cemetery, Polish-Lithuanian national hero, Emilia Plater, was buried in 1831. The town had an important Jewish community. The Germans entered the town on 22 June 1941. On 15 September 1941, all of the Jews were taken under high security to Lazdijai. There they were put into a

ghetto A ghetto is a part of a city in which members of a minority group are concentrated, especially as a result of political, social, legal, religious, environmental or economic pressure. Ghettos are often known for being more impoverished than other ...

established in Katkishes, one kilometer outside of Lazdijai, where Jews from neighboring villages were interned. On 3 November 1941 the Jews of Kapčiamiestis were murdered with the rest of the ghetto inhabitants. Kapčiamiestis was devastated by

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, after which most of the historical buildings were destroyed.

References

Towns in Lithuania Towns in Alytus County Holocaust locations in Lithuania {{AlytusCounty-geo-stub