Josvainiai

Town

Coat of arms

Josvainiai

Coordinates: 55°14′50″N 23°50′00″E / 55.24722°N 23.83333°ECoordinates: 55°14′50″N 23°50′00″E / 55.24722°N 23.83333°E

Lithuania

Kėdainiai district municipality

Eldership

Josvainiai eldership

Capital of

Josvainiai eldership

First mentioned

1538

Granted city rights

March 29, 1792

Population (2004)

• Total

1,545

Time zone

EET (UTC+2)

• Summer (DST)

EEST (UTC+3)

Josvainiai 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.

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.

Jews first settled in Josvainiai in the 17th Century, by 1897, 534 Jews lived in the town, constituting 40% of the total population. There was a synagogue and a Jewish school. Most Jews were expelled during World War I. During their absence, a large part of the town burned down. After the War, some returned. Before the Holocaust, the Jewish population was 270, about 70 families. They lived around the market place and the nearby streets. 282 Jews were murdered in a mass execution: 86 men, 110 women, and 86 children.

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Wikipedia