Telšiai (; Samogitian: ''Telšē'') is a city 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 ...

with about 21,499 inhabitants. It is the capital of

Telšiai County Telšiai County () is one of ten counties of Lithuania, counties in Lithuania. It is in the west of the country, and its Capital (political), capital is Telšiai. There are Lithuanians (98.7%), Latvians (0.1%), Russians (0.9%), and others (0.3%) ...

and

Samogitia Samogitia, often known by its Lithuanian language, Lithuanian name ''Žemaitija'' (Samogitian language, Samogitian: ''Žemaitėjė''; see Samogitia#Etymology and alternative names, below for alternative and historical names) is one of the five ...

region, and it is located on the shores of Lake Mastis. Telšiai is one of the oldest cities in Lithuania, probably dating earlier than the 14th century. Between the 15th and 20th centuries, Telšiai became a district capital. Until 1795, Telšiai County formed the

Duchy of Samogitia The Duchy of Samogitia (, , ) was an administrative unit of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from 1422 (and from 1569, a member country of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth). Between 1422 and 1441 it was known as the Eldership of Samogitia. Si ...

within the

Grand Duchy of Lithuania The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a sovereign state in northeastern Europe that existed from the 13th century, succeeding the Kingdom of Lithuania, to the late 18th century, when the territory was suppressed during the 1795 Partitions of Poland, ...

. Between 1795 and 1802 it was included in the Vilnius Governorate. In 1873, Telšiai was transferred to the

Kovno Governorate Kovno Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit (''guberniya'') of the Russian Empire, with its capital in Kovno (Kaunas). It was formed on 18 December 1842 by Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, Nicholas I from the western part of Vilna Govern ...

Names

The name Telšiai is a variant of the same

Lithuanian language Lithuanian (, ) is an East Baltic languages, East Baltic language belonging to the Baltic languages, Baltic branch of the Indo-European language family. It is the language of Lithuanians and the official language of Lithuania as well as one of t ...

root (''-telš-'', ''-tilž-'') as Tilžė or

Talsi Talsi (; , ) (population 11,371) is a town in the Courland region of Latvia. It is the administrative centre of Talsi Municipality. It is nicknamed the "green pearl of Courland". Etymology It is believed that the name is derived from an old Livo ...

with the meaning connected to water. The name Telšiai or Telšē in

Samogitian dialect Samogitian ( or sometimes , or ; ), is an Eastern Baltic language spoken primarily in Samogitia and is often considered a dialect of Lithuanian. It has preserved many features of the extinct Curonian language, such as specific phonologica ...

of Lithuanian is derived from a verb ''telkšoti'' (literally, ''to be flooded with water'', ''to splash'', etc.). It is a cognate to the Greek thalassa - ''sea'', compare the river Jūra - ''a sea'' flowing in the same longitude territory. It may also relate to the sum of 45° longitude of Greenwich as the core of Europe or also all western side or one fourth in the West of The Eastern Hemisphere. The name of Telšiai has been recorded in different forms and different languages throughout its history. Most of them are derived from ''Telšē'' in

. Some foreign names for the city include ; ; ; . In

Yiddish Yiddish, historically Judeo-German, is a West Germanic language historically spoken by Ashkenazi Jews. It originated in 9th-century Central Europe, and provided the nascent Ashkenazi community with a vernacular based on High German fused with ...

, the name is (''Telz''). In English sources, Telšiai are known also by several alternative names, including Telsiai, Telshi and Telschi.

History

Lake Mastis is mentioned in various legends and myths. The city was named after a small rivulet, the Telšė, which flows into Lake Mastis. A legend has it that a knight named Džiugas founded the city. First mentions of Telšiai date back to 1398, but the oldest archeological findings in the area of the city are from the

Stone Age The Stone Age was a broad prehistory, prehistoric period during which Rock (geology), stone was widely used to make stone tools with an edge, a point, or a percussion surface. The period lasted for roughly 3.4 million years and ended b ...

. In the 15th century, Telšiai already had a state-owned manor. It and the parish were governed by Samogitian elders. Telšiai was at the centre of an uprising of Samogitian peasants. At the end of the 17th century Telšiai became the centre of culture and politics of Samogitia. Local parliaments known as

Sejmik A sejmik (, diminutive of ''sejm'', occasionally translated as a ''dietine''; ) was one of various local parliaments in the history of Poland and history of Lithuania. The first sejmiks were regional assemblies in the Kingdom of Poland (before ...

s composed of noblemen were organised in the city and a court was established.

Magdeburg rights Magdeburg rights (, , ; also called Magdeburg Law) were a set of town privileges first developed by Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor (936–973) and based on the Flemish Law, which regulated the degree of internal autonomy within cities and villages gr ...

were granted to Telšiai in the 17th century. Until the

Third Partition of Poland The Third Partition of Poland (1795) was the last in a series of the Partitions of Poland–Lithuania and the land of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth among Prussia, the Habsburg monarchy, and the Russian Empire which effectively ended Polis ...

in 1795, Telšiai County formed the

in the

within the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...

. During the

November uprising The November Uprising (1830–31) (), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in Russian Partition, the heartland of Partitions of Poland, partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. ...

of 1831 Telšiai became a sanctuary for Polish–Lithuanian partisans fighting the Russians. A revolutionary government of insurrectionists was formed and schools for the preparation of military officers and noncommissioned officers were opened. During the Uprising of 1863, Telšiai was one of the main centres of uprise in Samogitia since insurrectionist forces massed there. At the end of the 19th century Telšiai started to grow. A team of firemen formed, and a pharmacy and a theater were opened. In 1908 the very first Lithuanian concert–performance was organised. Telšiai was the birthplace and residence of famous Samogitian noble brothers: Stanisław Narutowicz (member of the

Council of Lithuania In the history of Lithuania, the Council of Lithuania (; ; ), after July 11, 1918, the State Council of Lithuania () was convened at the Vilnius Conference that took place between 18 and 23 September 1917. The twenty men who composed the c ...

) and

Gabriel Narutowicz Gabriel Józef Narutowicz (; 29 March 1865 – 16 December 1922) was a Polish people, Polish professor of hydroelectric engineering and politician who served as the first president of Poland from 11 December 1922 until Assassination of Gabriel Na ...

(the first

President of Poland The president of Poland ( ), officially the president of the Republic of Poland (), is the head of state of Poland. His or her prerogatives and duties are determined in the Constitution of Poland. The president jointly exercises the executive ...

, who was

assassinated Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...

). The city survived two Polish revolutions, was conquered by the Germans in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, and occupied by the Red Army for a short time in 1918. During the years of Lithuanian independence, 1918 to 1940, Telšiai grew rapidly. Several girls' and boys' high schools, a crafts school and a teacher's seminary were established. The Alka museum was built, and several cultural societies were operated. In 1935, Telšiai became the centre of county administration. During the first Soviet occupation, as a result of the

Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, officially the Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and also known as the Hitler–Stalin Pact and the Nazi–Soviet Pact, was a non-aggression pact between Nazi Ge ...

, Telšiai became infamous for the nearby Rainiai massacre, a mass murder of 76 Lithuanian political prisoners perpetrated by the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

during the night of 24–25 June 1941. Vasario 16

Nowadays Telšiai is the 12th largest city in Lithuania. It is the centre of

and

Telšiai district municipality Telšiai District Municipality (, Samogitian: ''Telšiū rajuona savivaldībė'') is one of 60 municipalities in Lithuania, containing the city of Telšiai Telšiai (; Samogitian language, Samogitian: ''Telšē'') is a city in Lithuania with ...

. The city has four high schools, four secondary schools, and five primary schools. Department of Vilnius Academy of Art, College of Social Sciences and College of Samogitia are also established in Telšiai. On 22 January 2013, the

Ministry of Culture Ministry of Culture may refer to: * Ministry of Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sports (Albania) * Ministry of Culture (Algeria) * Ministry of Culture (Argentina) * Minister for the Arts (Australia) * Ministry of Culture (Azerbaijan)Ministry o ...

officially announced that Telšiai will be named the Lithuanian Capital of Culture in 2016.

Jews in Telšiai

In 1897, the Jewish population numbered 3088, 51% of the total population. Jews were expelled during World War I, but by 1939, only 2800 had returned, out of a general population of 8000. Many were involved in trade which included produce, wood, and crafts. A major source of income was the famous Telšiai Yeshiva, (a school for Talmudic study, sometimes called a rabbinical college). It was the largest and most famous yeshiva in Lithuania between 1875 and 1941, establishing Telšiai as a center of Torah studies (the entire body of religious law and learning, including both sacred literature and oral tradition). There was also an Orthodox Jewish rabbinical seminary and a Jewish day school providing secular and religious instruction for younger children. Following World War I and the expulsion of the Jews—which decimated the Telšiai Jewish community—the city again became a center of traditional Jewish learning. There were also charitable institutions, including a Chevra Kadisha (burial society), a hospital, a loan society, a public kitchen, a clinic, special summer camps, and a women's association for support of the sick and poor. There were also two Jewish newspapers, published in

. In June 1940, following the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, Russians quickly closed down the yeshiva. Most of the students dispersed with only about a hundred students remaining in Telshe. Learning was done in groups of 20–25 students studying in various ''batai medrashim'' ("small synagogues") led by the

rosh yeshiva Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva (, plural, pl. , '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and th ...

s. The Holocaust in Telšiai (in Yiddish Telz) was carried out by the local Lithuanian leadership with occasional supervision by Nazi German units. The Jewish population in 1939 was 2,800 some 35 percent of the town's population. Further Jews found refuge in Telšiai following the

1939 German ultimatum to Lithuania On 20 March 1939, Nazi Germany's foreign minister Joachim von Ribbentrop presented an oral ultimatum to Juozas Urbšys, foreign minister of Lithuania. Germany demanded that Lithuania give up the Klaipėda Region (also known as the Memel Territo ...

. Telšiai was conquered by German troops on 25 June 1941. Jews were subjected to terror by the Germans and their Lithuanian collaborators and on 15–16 July all Jewish men were shot. The women were moved to a camp in Geruliai, and with the exception of 500–600 young women, were all shot on 30 August 1941. The 500–600 young women were moved back to a ghetto in Telšiai, and with the exception of some escapees, were shot on 30–31 December 1941. 64 Jewish survived after they escaped.The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, 1933–1945 ''Encyclopedia of Camps and Ghettos, 1933–1945'' is a seven-part encyclopedia series that explores the history of the concentration camps, ghettos, forced-labor camps, and other sites of detention, persecution, or state-sponsored murder ru ...

, Geoffrey P. Megargee, Martin C. Dean, and Mel Hecker, Volume II, part B, pp. 1131–1132. Telšiai has a rare surviving wooden synagogue. The original Telšiai yeshiva building still stands. However, during the Soviet occupation it was transformed for industrial purposes and eventually neglected. It was renovated and opened as a Jewish museum in 2023. The yeshiva was transplanted to the United States in 1941, during World War II, when two of its roshei yeshiva ("deans") who had escaped the Holocaust chose to re-establish it in Cleveland, Ohio, where it still remains. The yeshiva was opened in the house of Yitzchak & Sarah Feigenbaum on 20 Cheshvan 5702 (1941). This yeshiva again became a well-respected center of Talmudic study, incorporating the distinct methods of the historic institution, and it is still going strong today.

Centre of Roman Catholic Diocese

A Roman Catholic Diocese of Telšiai was established in 1926 with its centre in Telšiai.

Justinas Staugaitis Justinas Staugaitis (14 November 1866 near Šakiai – 8 July 1943, Telšiai) was a Lithuanian Roman Catholic bishop, politician, educator, and author. He was one of the twenty signatories to the Act of Independence of Lithuania. Biography ...

, one of the twenty signatories to the Act of Independence of Lithuania, became the first bishop of the diocese. In 1927, a Priest Seminary was established. It was closed in 1946 after the occupation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union but re-established at the end of the Cold War. Present day architectural monuments include Telšiai Cathedral and the Church of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, Telšiai.

Culture

Samogitian Museum ''Alka'' was established in 1932 by the Society of Ancient Samogitians' Fans ''Alka''. The museum operated in a house specially rented for it until the current museum palace was built in 1938. Currently, Museum ''Alka'' is famous in Samogitia for its accumulation of over 62 thousand showpieces, 70 thousand pieces of estate archives, a 12 thousand book scientific library, and 15 thousand film negatives.Telšių apskrities turizmo informacijos centras – Muziejai – Muziejai
Telsiaitic.lt. The museum has a large historical exposition of Samogitia as well as a large collection of paintings of famous Lithuanian and foreign artists. In the southern part of the city close to the Lake Mastis there is a city park with the Open-Air Museum of Rural Life of Samogitia. It was opened in 1983 and has an exposition of typical homesteads of 19th century Samogitia. Currently there are 16 authentic buildings. The museum exhibition is arranged in homestead sections: a rich farmer's grange; a barn; a poor farmer's grange, and a simple peasant's grange. Museum visitors can also get acquainted with a windmill, smithy, threshing barn and associated equipment.

Drama Theater and Culture Centre

The Drama Theater of Žemaitė, named after famous Lithuanian author

Žemaitė Žemaitė (, , "Samogitian woman") was the pen name of Julija Beniuševičiūtė-Žymantienė ( – 7 December 1921). She was a Lithuanian/Samogitian writer, democrat and educator. Born to impoverished gentry, she became one of the major partici ...

, is one of the oldest theaters in

. The origins of the theater in Telšiai starts in the beginning of the 20th century when student of arts and medicine Vaseris came back to Telšiai from

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

and presented two performances in the empty barracks of the town. The Theater is a member of the International Amateur Theatre Association. Nowadays it has two troupes of actors: adult actors (director K. Brazauskas) and youth ''Savi'' actors (director L. Pocevičienė). The head of the theater is Artūras Butkus. Telšiai also has a Culture centre. It was established in 1946. Current building of the centre was built in 1974. Since 2007 the building is under reconstruction. Currently it has 13 art collectives.

Media in Telšiai

The main newspaper in the city and the region of Telšiai is ''Kalvotoji Žemaitija'' (''Hilly Samogitia''), which was established on 19 April 1941. It is published three times a week and is available online. The second largest newspaper of Telšiai is ''Telšių žinios'' (''The News of Telšiai'') established on 1 October 1999. It is published twice a week and is also available online. The main online portal for the city is ''www.telsiai.info'', which is part of the group of portals ''miestunaujienos.info''.

Library

The main library is the Telšiai Karolina Praniauskaitė Regional Public Library, located in the city centre. It was established in 1922. In 1967 it was named as the best district library in Lithuania. In 1997, the library was named after Karolina Praniauskaitė, the first female poet of Samogitia.

Food and cuisine

Telšiai is famous for its Samogitian food and rich gastronomical traditions. * Samogitian pancakes (Žemaičių blynai) – flat pancakes made from coarse potato puree filled with minced meat. * Kastinys – sour cream "butter"; sour cream is kneaded and washed until it forms a soft spread. * Hard cheese – samogitians started fermenting hard cheese around the 16th century.

Tourism

The old town of the city of Telšiai is one of seven protected old towns in Lithuania. The main tourist attractions are: * The Samogitian museum "ALKA" and Open-Air Museum of Rural Life of Samogitia. * 47 bear sculptures of various sizes and shapes in Telšiai city. The bear is an ancient symbol of Samogitia. * Cheese house-museum "DŽIUGAS". * A.Jonušo Samogitian-Japanese-Chinese Homestead-Museum. * Shore of the lake Mastis and sculpture park. * Telšiai Cathedral and

Telšiai Bishop Vincentas Borisevičius Priest Seminary Telšiai Bishop Vincentas Borisevičius Priest Seminary () is a Roman Catholic seminary in Telšiai, Lithuania. It was founded in 1927 by Justinas Staugaitis, the first Bishop of Diocese of Telšiai . Mukienė, DanutėTelšių Vyskupo kunigų semi ...

(on the top floor it is possible to see a panorama of the city). * The Church of The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, Telšiai (known as the "Little Church"), Telšiai yeshiva and Orthodox Church of St. Nicolaus. A Tourist Information Center can be found in the city centre. Telšiai was announced as tourists destination by EDEN in 2013.

Geography

Telšiai is located in the middle of the Samogitian Heights. The city was built on seven hills on the shores of Lake Mastis. The nearby Šatrija hill and

hillfort A hillfort is a type of fortification, fortified refuge or defended settlement located to exploit a rise in elevation for defensive advantage. They are typical of the late Bronze Age Europe, European Bronze Age and Iron Age Europe, Iron Age. So ...

is cultural monument and part of a

nature preserve A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, funga, or features of geolog ...

Climate

Government of Telšiai

According to the Law on the Territorial Administrative Units and Their Boundaries of the Republic of Lithuania, Telšiai is the centre of

as well as the centre of

. The city of Telšiai is also the centre of Telšiai town eldership. It was established in 1997. Its area is . According to 2006 statistics, the density of the eldership is 1862 žm./km². Telšiai city eldership has six sub-elderships, whose purpose is to represent communities of inhabited places. The sub-elderships are: Germantas; Karalius Mindaugas ( King Mindaugas), Luokė, Mastis, Naujamiestis and Senamiestis.

Economy

Telšiai is an important economic centre of

. Affiliates of major Lithuanian banks, shopping centers, etc. operate there, and some industrial companies have also been established. The largest company operating in the city is AB Žemaitijos pienas, one of the largest milk processing companies in

. In Telšiai the "Incubator of Business of Telšiai County" was established in order to help new businessmen who want to start their own business as well as to stimulate the establishment of new workplaces. In September 2012 it was announced that according to the data of the Lithuanian Department of Statistics the average salary of Lithuania grew the most rapidly in Telšiai in the second quarter of 2012.

Education

Telšiai is one of three Lithuanian cities where a Roman Catholic Priest Seminary operates (the other two cities are

Vilnius Vilnius ( , ) is the capital of and List of cities in Lithuania#Cities, largest city in Lithuania and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, most-populous city in the Baltic states. The city's estimated January 2025 population w ...

and

Kaunas Kaunas (; ) is the second-largest city in Lithuania after Vilnius, the fourth largest List of cities in the Baltic states by population, city in the Baltic States and an important centre of Lithuanian economic, academic, and cultural life. Kaun ...

Universities and colleges

*Department of Telšiai of Vilnius Academy of Art *Department of Arts and Pedagogics of College of Samogitia *Branch of College of Social Sciences

Gymnasiums and secondary schools

*Žemaitė Gymnasium *Vincentas Borisevičius Catholic Gymnasium *Džiugas Gymnasium *Germantas progymnasium *Krantas progymnasium *Ateitis progymnasium *Atzalynas progymnasium *Secondary School of Adults

Sports

The football club FK Mastis Telšiai played in the Lithuanian Football Federation's II league's western zone. The team won silver medals in 2012 and qualified for the

I Lyga The LFF Pirma Lyga, TOPsport Pirma Lyga, or Pirma Lyga, is the second tier of professional Lithuanian football championship. Format Organized by the Lithuanian Football Federation (LFF), I Lyga is contested by 16 teams, with the top team gain ...

. In 2014 team was renamed FK Džiugas. The same year the team finished second in the LFF II league's western zone. FK Džiugas now plays in the

. Telšiai has a football stadium with a capacity of about 3000. It was under reconstruction since 2010 until 2016 in order to meet international requirements. The reconstructed stadium was opened on 15 May 2016. The LFF Cup final between

FK Žalgiris Futbolo klubas Žalgiris, commonly known as FK Žalgiris, Žalgiris Vilnius or simply Žalgiris, is a Lithuanian professional association football, football club based in Vilnius. The club competes in the A Lyga, the top flight of Football in L ...

and FK Trakai was the first game in the renewed stadium. Telšiai basketball club "Telšiai" was founded in 2012. In 2015 the club won the third tier Regional Basketball League title and since 2015–2016 season the team plays in the National Basketball League, in Telšiai Arena for Sports (since 2017). The team finished third in 2016–2017 National Basketball League regular season but lost in the quarter-finals. In 2017–2018 the team lost in the first round of playoffs. One year after in 2019 Telšiai qualified to the League's playoffs and finished third winning bronze medals for the first time in club's history. From 1992 until 1998 Telšiai also had men's ice hockey team Germantas which played in the Lithuania Hockey League which is the premier men's ice hockey league in Lithuania. In 1996 the team finished first in the regular season but lost in the playoff finals.

Transport

An important highway passing through Telšiai is the route A11 highway from

Šiauliai Šiauliai ( ; ) is a city in northern Lithuania, the List of cities in Lithuania, country's fourth largest city and the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, sixth largest city in the Baltic States, with a population of 112 581 in 202 ...

Palanga Palanga (; ; ) is a resort town, resort city in western Lithuania, on the shore of the Baltic Sea. Palanga is the busiest and the largest summer resort in Lithuania and has sand, sandy beaches (18 km, 11 miles long and up to 300 metres, 10 ...

. Trains going on the routes

–

Klaipėda Klaipėda ( ; ) is a city in Lithuania on the Baltic Sea coast. It is the List of cities in Lithuania, third-largest city in Lithuania, the List of cities in the Baltic states by population, fifth-largest city in the Baltic States, and the capi ...

and

Radviliškis Radviliškis () (; ; , ''Radvilishok'') is a city in the Radviliškis district municipality, Šiauliai County, Lithuania. Radviliškis has been the administrative center of the district since 1950, and is an important railway junction. History ...

–

pass through the Telšiai railway station. Telšiai can also be reached by bus from many Lithuanian cities and smaller towns in Telšiai county. Telšiai bus station is located near the city centre.Telšių rajono savivaldybė
Telsiai.lt (20 May 2005). Telšiai has a municipal public bus system with seven routes. Buses run from 6 am until 8 pm and tickets are sold directly in buses, although there is also an opportunity to buy monthly tickets. Telšiai also has shuttle taxis.

Demographics

According to the 2021 census, the city population was 22,642 people, of which: *

Lithuanians Lithuanians () are a Balts, Baltic ethnic group. They are native to Lithuania, where they number around 2,378,118 people. Another two million make up the Lithuanian diaspora, largely found in countries such as the Lithuanian Americans, United Sta ...

– 97.14% (21,994) *

Russians Russians ( ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Eastern Europe. Their mother tongue is Russian language, Russian, the most spoken Slavic languages, Slavic language. The majority of Russians adhere to Eastern Orthodox Church ...

– 1.36% (308) *

Ukrainians Ukrainians (, ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine. Their native tongue is Ukrainian language, Ukrainian, and the majority adhere to Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, forming the List of contemporary eth ...

– 0.14% (31) *

Belarusians Belarusians ( ) are an East Slavs, East Slavic ethnic group native to Belarus. They natively speak Belarusian language, Belarusian, an East Slavic language. More than 9 million people proclaim Belarusian ethnicity worldwide. Nearly 7.99&n ...

– 0.09% (21) *

Poles Pole or poles may refer to: People *Poles (people), another term for Polish people, from the country of Poland * Pole (surname), including a list of people with the name * Pole (musician) (Stefan Betke, born 1967), German electronic music artist ...

– 0.06% (14) * Others / did not specify – 1.23% (279)

Twin towns – sister cities

Telšiai is twinned with: * Sävsjö,

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

, since 1997 * Liezen,

Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...

, since 1998 *

Krnov Krnov (; , or ''Krnów'') is a town in Bruntál District in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 23,000 inhabitants. Administrative division Krnov consists of three municipal parts (in brackets population according to ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

, since 2001 *

Kreis Steinfurt Steinfurt () is a ''Kreis'' (district) in the northern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Bentheim, Emsland, district-free Osnabrück and the Osnabrück district, Warendorf, district-free Münster, Coesfeld, Borke ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, since 2005 *

Mińsk Mazowiecki Mińsk Mazowiecki (, ) is a town in eastern Poland with 40,999 inhabitants (2020). It is situated in the Masovian Voivodeship and is a part of the Warsaw metropolitan area. It is the capital of Mińsk County. Located 20 kilometers from the city li ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

, since 2006 * Lebedin,

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

, since 2008 * Bassum,

, since 2009 * Saint-Égrève,

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, since 2017 * Obdach,

, since 2017 * Mestia,

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

, since 2018

Famous people

In chronological order by their birth year: * Eliezer Gordon (1840–1910), Rabbi and

Rosh Yeshiva Rosh yeshiva or Rosh Hayeshiva (, plural, pl. , '; Anglicized pl. ''rosh yeshivas'') is the title given to the dean of a yeshiva, a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and th ...

* Ilya Fadeyevich Tsion (1843–1912), physiologist *

Vladimir Sukhomlinov Vladimir Aleksandrovich Sukhomlinov ( rus, Владимир Александрович Сухомлинов, p=sʊxɐˈmlʲinəf; – 2 February 1926) was a Russian general in the Imperial Russian Army who served as the Chief of the General Staf ...

(1848–1926), general of the Imperial Russian Army * Stanisław Narutowicz (1862–1932), politician, signatory of the Act of Independence of Lithuania *

(1865–1922), first

Wilfrid Michael Voynich Wilfrid Voynich (born Michał Habdank-Wojnicz; Деятели революционного движения в России: Био-библиографический словарь: От предшественников декабристов д ...

(1865–1930), revolutionary, eponym of the Voynich manuscript * Michael Noyk (1884–1966),

Irish Republican Irish republicanism () is the political movement for an Irish republic, void of any British rule. Throughout its centuries of existence, it has encompassed various tactics and identities, simultaneously elective and militant and has been both w ...

and solicitor, born in Telšiai *

Vladas Petronaitis Vladas Petronaitis (November 2, 1888 – June 25, 1941) was a Lithuanian military officer. He was tortured and executed in the infamous Rainiai massacre by members of the NKVD. Early life and education Petronaitis was born on November 2, 1888, t ...

(1888–1941), soldier and lawyer imprisoned in Telšiai prior to execution by the

NKVD The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (, ), abbreviated as NKVD (; ), was the interior ministry and secret police of the Soviet Union from 1934 to 1946. The agency was formed to succeed the Joint State Political Directorate (OGPU) se ...

in the Rainiai massacre *

Justas Paleckis Justas Paleckis ( – 26 January 1980) was a Lithuanian Soviet author, journalist and politician. He was nominal acting president of Lithuania after the Soviet invasion while Lithuania was still ostensibly independent, in office from 17 June t ...

(1899–1980), Lithuanian journalist and nominal head of state of the Lithuanian SSR *

Rolandas Paksas Rolandas Paksas (; born 10 June 1956) is a Lithuanian politician who served as the sixth President of Lithuania from 2003 until his impeachment in April 2004. He previously served two terms as the Prime Minister of Lithuania in 1999 and again ...

(b. 1956), President of Lithuania * Alfredas Bumblauskas (b. 1956), Lithuanian historian * Egidijus Aleksandravičius (b. 1956), Lithuanian historian * Nijolė Narmontaitė (b. 1959), Lithuanian actress *

Jurga Šeduikytė Jurga Šeduikytė (born February 11, 1980, Klaipėda, Lithuania), known by her stage names Jurga and formerly Dingau, is a Lithuanian singer and songwriter. Biography Jurga was born into a family of musicians in Telšiai, where she spent her fi ...

(b. 1980), Lithuanian singer * Danguolė Rasalaitė (1983-2000), Lithuanian victim of human trafficking * Giedrius Arlauskis (b. 1987), Lithuanian footballer

Gallery

File:Panorama of Telšiai centre.jpg, Telšiai old town File:Telsiai minor church 2.jpg, Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven, Telšiai File:Telsiai Orthodox church1.jpg, Orthodox church File:Telšių miesto laikrodis.jpg, Telšiai clock-tower with a bear, the symbol of Samogitia File:Carillon in Telsiai.jpg, Carillon in Telsiai File:ŽemaitskýMedvědTelšiaiKatedra1.jpg, Samogitian bear sculpture File:ŽemaitskoSMedvědemAOřem.jpg, Respublikos street File:Antkapiai Telšių žydų kapinėse 4.jpg, Jewish cemetery File:Telšių ješibotas 1.jpg, Telšiai Yeshiva Art File:Telšē-Alkas patranka.jpg, Cannon near the Alka Samogitian Museum File:Main entrance of the Telšiai Cathedral in Telšiai, Lithuania in 2019.jpg, Doors of Telšiai Cathedral File:Telšių bernardinų vienuolyno ir kunigų seminarijos statinių kompleksas iš paukščio skrydžio.jpg, Bird's eye view File:Telšių Švč. Mergelės ėmimo į dangų bažnyčia.jpg, Mastis Lake File:Malūnas.jpg, Windmill in the Museum of Rural Life of Samogitia File:Rainiai, koplyčia.JPG, Chapel to commemorate Rainiai massacre carried out by

File:Rainių koplyčios altorius.jpg, Rainiai chapel interior File:Rainiai, kryžius prie koplyčios.JPG, Rainiai tree of crosses

References

External links

Official site
*
Telsiai.info – welcome to Telšiai!
*
FK MASTIS

OK TelsiaiThe murder of the Jews of Telšiai
during

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 ...

, at

Yad Vashem Yad Vashem (; ) is Israel's official memorial institution to the victims of Holocaust, the Holocaust known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (). It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Jews who were murdered; echoing the stories of the ...

website. {{DEFAULTSORT:Telsiai Cities in Lithuania Cities in Telšiai County Capitals of Lithuanian counties Municipalities administrative centres of Lithuania Telšiai District Municipality Telshevsky Uyezd Historic Jewish communities in Lithuania Holocaust locations in Lithuania