From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Kudirkos Naumiestis (pronunciation (help·info); German: Neustadt-Schirwindt) is city in Šakiai district municipality, Lithuania. It is 25 km south-west of Šakiai.
The settlement was first mentioned in 1561 as Duoliebaičiai village. In 1639 the town was called Vladislavovas (Polish: Władysławów) after Władysław IV Vasa who in 1643 granted the town the Magdeburg rights. The German name Neustadt-Schirwindt is from the river Širvinta (German: Schirwindt). In 1900 the town started being called Naumiestis (New Town). Some sources called the town Vladislavovas until 1917. In 1934 the town received the name Kudirkos Naumiestis in honor of Vincas Kudirka who lived there from 1895 to 1899. It is known that in 1740 a well-organized Jewish community was living in the town. Many prominent rabbi and jewish scholars lived in the town, which before the World War II, had about 3,000 Jewish residents.
[edit] External links
