Josvainiai

Josvainiai (Polish: Jaswojnie) is a small town in Kėdainiai district, central Lithuania. It is located on the Šušvė River 10 km southwest from Kėdainiai. In the town there is a Catholic church, secondary school, post office and public library.

Josvainiai
Town
Coat of arms
Josvainiai
Coordinates: 55°14′50″N 23°50′00″E
Country	Lithuania
Ethnographic region	Aukštaitija
County	Kaunas County
Municipality	Kėdainiai district municipality
Eldership	Josvainiai eldership
Capital of	Josvainiai eldership
First mentioned	1486
Granted city rights	March 29, 1792
Population  (2011)
• Total	1,545
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)

History

Historians believe that there was a medieval castle in Josvainiai, and it was attacked by the Teutonic Knights many times.

The town was granted city rights and coat of arms on March 29, 1792. On July 19, 2006 the town was granted renewed coat of arms by a presidential decree.

Jewish community

Jews first settled in Josvainiai in the 17th century. By 1897, 534 Jews lived in the town, constituting 40% of the total population.[1] There was a synagogue and a Jewish school. Most Jews were expelled during World War I. During their absence, a large portion of the town burned down. After the War, some returned. Before The Holocaust, the Jewish population was 270 and included about 70 families.[2] They lived around the marketplace and the nearby streets. During World War II, 282 Jews were murdered in a mass execution: 86 men, 110 women, and 86 children.[3][4]

References

1. Shmuel Spector,ed, The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust, New York University Press, 2001, p578
2. Schoenburg, N&S: Lithuanian Jewish Communities, Northvale, New Jersey, 1996
3. http://collections.ushmm.org/search/?q=Josvainiai%20(Lithuania)&search_field=subject
4. http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/pinkas_lita/lit_00323.html