Telšiai
Encyclopedia
Telšiai is a city
in Lithuania
with about 35,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of Telšiai County
and Samogitia
region, and it is located on Lake Mastis.
in 1831 Telšiai became a sanctuary for Polish–Lithuanian partisans fighting the Russians.
During the years of Lithuanian independence, 1918 to 1940, Telšiai grew rapidly. Several girls' and boys' high schools, a crafts school and a teacher's seminary were founded. The Alka museum was built, and several cultural societies were operated.
During the first Soviet
occupation, as a result of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Telšiai became infamous for the nearby Rainiai massacre
, the mass murder of 76 Lithuanian political prisoners perpetrated by the Red Army
during the night of June 24–25, 1941.
Present day architectural monuments include Telšiai Cathedral. Telšiai has a rare, surviving wooden synagogue.
, or rabbinical college. In 1941, the Telshe yeshiva
was resettled in Cleveland, Ohio
by a group of faculty members who escaped the Holocaust
. The original yeshiva building still stands in Telšiai.
Under the subsequent Nazi German occupation in World War II
, large Jewish population of Telšiai was almost completely annihilated.
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
with about 35,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of Telšiai County
Telšiai County
Telšiai County is one of ten counties in Lithuania. It is in the west of the country, and its capital is Telšiai...
and Samogitia
Samogitia
Samogitia is one of the five ethnographic regions of Lithuania. It is located in northwestern Lithuania. Its largest city is Šiauliai/Šiaulē. The region has a long and distinct cultural history, reflected in the existence of the Samogitian dialect...
region, and it is located on Lake Mastis.
Names
Name of Telšiai has also been known to be written in different forms in different languages throughout its history, mostly derivatives of Samogitian dialect Telšē. Some foreign names for the city include ; ; .History
Lake Mastis is mentioned in various legends and myths. The city was named after a small rivulet, Telšė which flows into the Lake Mastis. A legend has it that a Knight named Džiugas founded the city. Telšiai was first mentioned in written sources around 1450. During the November UprisingNovember Uprising
The November Uprising , Polish–Russian War 1830–31 also known as the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in Warsaw when the young Polish officers from the local Army of the Congress...
in 1831 Telšiai became a sanctuary for Polish–Lithuanian partisans fighting the Russians.
During the years of Lithuanian independence, 1918 to 1940, Telšiai grew rapidly. Several girls' and boys' high schools, a crafts school and a teacher's seminary were founded. The Alka museum was built, and several cultural societies were operated.
During the first Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
occupation, as a result of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, Telšiai became infamous for the nearby Rainiai massacre
Rainiai massacre
The Rainiai massacre was the mass murder of between 70 and 80 Lithuanian political prisoners by the NKVD, with help from the Red Army, in a forest near Telšiai, Lithuania, during the night of June 24–25, 1941. It was one of many similar massacres carried out by Soviet forces in Lithuania, and...
, the mass murder of 76 Lithuanian political prisoners perpetrated by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
during the night of June 24–25, 1941.
Present day architectural monuments include Telšiai Cathedral. Telšiai has a rare, surviving wooden synagogue.
Jews in Telšiai
The Jewish community was proud of its renowned yeshivaYeshiva
Yeshiva is a Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and Torah study. Study is usually done through daily shiurim and in study pairs called chavrutas...
, or rabbinical college. In 1941, the Telshe yeshiva
Telshe yeshiva
Telshe yeshiva was a famous Eastern European yeshiva founded in the Lithuanian town of Telšiai. After World War II the yeshiva relocated to Wickliffe, Ohio, in the United States and is currently known as the Rabbinical College of Telshe, It is one of the most prominent Haredi institutions of Torah...
was resettled in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
by a group of faculty members who escaped the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
. The original yeshiva building still stands in Telšiai.
Under the subsequent Nazi German occupation in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, large Jewish population of Telšiai was almost completely annihilated.
Famous people
- Eliezer GordonEliezer GordonEliezer Gordon also known as Reb Laizer Telzer, served as the Rabbi and Rosh Yeshiva of Telz, Lithuania.-Early years:...
(1840–1910), Rabbi and Rosh YeshivaRosh yeshivaRosh yeshiva, , , is the title given to the dean of a Talmudical academy . It is made up of the Hebrew words rosh — meaning head, and yeshiva — a school of religious Jewish education... - Ilya Fadeyevich TsionElias von CyonElias von Cyon, also known as Elie de Cyon, born Ilya Fadeyevich Tsion ; was a Russian-French physiologist born in Telšiai, Russian Empire ....
(1843–1912), physiologist - Stanisław Narutowicz (1862–1932), politician, signatory of the Act of Independence of LithuaniaAct of Independence of LithuaniaThe Act of Independence of Lithuania or Act of February 16 was signed by the Council of Lithuania on February 16, 1918, proclaiming the restoration of an independent State of Lithuania, governed by democratic principles, with Vilnius as its capital. The Act was signed by all twenty...
- Gabriel NarutowiczGabriel NarutowiczGabriel Narutowicz was a Lithuanian-born professor of hydroelectric engineering at Switzerland's Zurich Polytechnic, and Poland's Minister of Public Works , Minister of Foreign Affairs , and the first president of the Second Polish Republic....
(1865–1922), first President of Poland - Wilfrid Michael VoynichWilfrid Michael VoynichWilfrid Michael Voynich , born Michał Habdank-Wojnicz, was a Polish revolutionary, British and American antiquarian and bibliophile, and the eponym of the Voynich manuscript.- Biography :...
(1865–1930), revolutionary, eponym of the Voynich manuscriptVoynich manuscriptThe Voynich manuscript, described as "the world's most mysterious manuscript", is a work which dates to the early 15th century, possibly from northern Italy. It is named after the book dealer Wilfrid Voynich, who purchased it in 1912.... - Vladas PetronaitisVladas PetronaitisVladas Petronaitis , was a Lithuanian patriot, soldier and martyr. He was tortured and killed during the infamous Rainiai massacre by members of the NKVD, and the Red Army.- Early life and education :...
(1888–1941), soldier and lawyer imprisoned in Telšiai prior to execution by the NKVDNKVDThe People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs was the public and secret police organization of the Soviet Union that directly executed the rule of power of the Soviets, including political repression, during the era of Joseph Stalin....
in Rainiai massacreRainiai massacreThe Rainiai massacre was the mass murder of between 70 and 80 Lithuanian political prisoners by the NKVD, with help from the Red Army, in a forest near Telšiai, Lithuania, during the night of June 24–25, 1941. It was one of many similar massacres carried out by Soviet forces in Lithuania, and... - Michael NoykMichael NoykMichael Noyk was a solicitor and Irish Republican politician. Noyk was born in Telšiai, Lithuania, the son of a Jewish couple, Isaac Noyk and Esther Chana Raivid. The family emigrated when Michael was one year old...
(1884–1966), Irish RepublicanIrish RepublicanismIrish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
and solicitor, born in Telšiai - Rolandas PaksasRolandas PaksasRolandas Paksas is a Lithuanian politician who was President of Lithuania from 2003 to 2004. He was previously Prime Minister of Lithuania in 1999 and again from 2000 to 2001, and he also served as Mayor of Vilnius from 1997 to 1999 and again from 2000 to 2001...
(b. 1956), former President of Lithuania - Jurga ŠeduikytėJurga ŠeduikyteJurga Šeduikytė , known by her stage name Jurga, is a Lithuanian singer and songwriter.-Biography:Jurga was born into a family of musicians in Telšiai, Lithuania), where she spent her first childhood years. In her second school year she moved to Palanga, where she took piano lessons at the local...
(b. 1980), Lithuanian singer - Alfredas BumblauskasAlfredas BumblauskasAlfredas Bumblauskas is a professor at Vilnius University and one of the best known Lithuanian historians.After graduating from Žemaitė school in Telšiai, he enrolled in Vilnius University in 1974. Bumblauskas received his doctoral degree in 1987, and was mentored by Edvardas Gudavičius...
(b. 1956), Lithuanian historian - Giedrius ArlauskisGiedrius ArlauskisGiedrius Arlauskis is a Lithuanian footballer. He is currently a goalkeeper for Rubin Kazan from Russia's Premier League....
(b. 1987), Lithuanian footballer