Liepona

Liepona
Origin 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south of Kybartai
Mouth Širvinta, tributuary to Šešupė
Basin countries Lithuania, Russia
Length 35 km (22 mi)
Avg. discharge 0.65 m3/s (23 cu ft/s) at mouth
Basin area 105 km2 (41 sq mi)

Liepona (German: Lepone, Russian: Lipovka) is a small rivulet that flows for 22.9 km (14.2 mi) on the border of Lithuania and Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia.[1] Left tributary to Širvinta, Liepona originates in Lithuania, near Kylininkai village. In 1980, a 26-hectare (64-acre) pond for irrigation was built about 16 km (9.9 mi) from the mouth.[2]

It is famous for an incident in June 1940 when President of Lithuania Antanas Smetona had to cross the shallow river in order to reach Nazi Germany in the aftermath of the Soviet ultimatum to Lithuania.[3] Liepona served as a natural border between Prussia and Lithuania since the Treaty of Melno of 1422 with the Teutonic Knights.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Šešupės pabaseinis" (in Lithuanian). Aplinkos apsaugos agentūra. 2009-04-27. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
  2. ↑ (Lithuanian) Jonas Zinkus, et al., ed. (1985–1988). "Liepona". Tarybų Lietuvos enciklopedija II. Vilnius, Lithuania: Vyriausioji enciklopedijų redakcija. p. 543. LCC 86232954.
  3. ↑ (Lithuanian) Rudokas, Jonas (2004-08-12). "Pirmasis Lietuvos prezidentas, tapęs diktatoriumi" (). Veidas 33.
  4. ↑ Simas Sužiedėlis, ed. (1970–1978). "Melno, Treaty of". Encyclopedia Lituanica III. Boston, Massachusetts: Juozas Kapočius. p. 505. LCC 74-114275.

Coordinates: 54°41′N 22°45′E / 54.683°N 22.750°E