Neha Patil (Editor)

Vilkija

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Country
  
Lithuania

County
  
Kaunas County

Capital of
  
Vilkija eldership

Population
  
2,326 (2005)

Ethnographic region
  
Aukštaitija

Eldership
  
Vilkija eldership

First mentioned
  
1364

Local time
  
Monday 1:56 PM

Vilkija

Weather
  
14°C, Wind NW at 13 km/h, 60% Humidity

Municipality
  
Kaunas District Municipality

Vilkija ( pronunciation ) is situated in the Kaunas district municipality, Lithuania. It is located 25 km (16 mi) north-west of Kaunas. It's right on the north side of the river Nemunas, the most important river in Lithuania.

Contents

Map of Vilkija, Lithuania

Etymology

The name of Vilkija originated when people living on the opposite side of Nemunas heard the packs of wolves howling in the surroundings of the place where contemporary Vilkija is situated. From then on, this land is called Vilkija and this name may have been derived from words vilkų gauja meaning a pack of wolves.

History

During summer and fall 1941, mass executions of 800 Jews was perpetrated by an Einsatzgruppen of Germans and Lithuanian nationalists. Murdered Jews were from Vilkija and nearby villages.

Famous People

  • Folklorist Antanas Juška (1819–1880) lived in Vilkija 1862-1864.
  • In the end of 1863 one of the revolt leaders Antanas Mackevičius (1828–1863) was captured close to Vilkija and later taken to Kaunas to be executed.
  • Writer Petras Cvirka (1909–1947) studied in Vilkija 1922-1926.

    • References

    Vilkija Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA