“The Traces of Jewish Heritage in Palanga”

There is no town or village in Lithuania without signs of Jewish culture. Jews have lived in Palanga since the second half of the 15th century. In 1487, the Chevra Kadisha Jewish burial society was already operating in Palanga, which suggests that there was already a Jewish community in the town. In the 17th century, Jews made up a significant part of Palanga’s population and worked hard to turn the small settlement into a thriving town.
In 1540, King Sigismund I the Old granted Jews the privilege of building the first synagogue and other sacred buildings in Palanga. A cemetery was also established in the same year. In 1662, there were 40 Jews living in Palanga (24 men and 16 women). In 1693, Jews in Palanga were granted town privileges and were allowed to purchase land, build houses, and engage in trade.
In 1738, 13 of the 56 plots of land in Palanga belonged to Jews. Most of the plots were in the northern part. In 1739, there were five Jewish plots on the western side of Palanga and four Jewish plots with small shops on the eastern side, as well as a house with a tavern and a synagogue behind it.
On May 21, 1742, King Augustus II confirmed or re-granted Jews the right to live in Palanga. In 1765, the Palanga kahal (Jewish community) had 398 members. In 1779–1781, when J. Masalskis took over the Palanga municipality, a detailed inventory and plan of the town was drawn up. The inventory described three parts of Palanga: the village – the “old town” (sermiestis) and two parts of the town located on different banks of the Rąžė (Ronžė) River: the “Jewish town” on the northern bank and the “town” on the southern bank. Seventy plots were recorded. Most of the plots in the “Jewish town” were located on both sides of the Klaipėda (then Memel) – Liepāja road. In 1794, 18 of the 86 plots belonged to Jews.
According to data from 1816, there were more than 30 farms belonging to Jews in Palanga. The community owned a synagogue, a school, a bathhouse, and a cemetery on a hill. In 1817, 688 people lived in Palanga. Of these, 439 (219 men and 220 women) were Jews who did not belong to the jurisdiction of the Palanga manor and paid taxes to the manor for their plots.
In 1850, 729 Jews were registered in Palanga. In 1863, a Jewish merchants’ guild was established. In the second half of the 19th century, the Jewish population grew. In 1897, Palanga had 2,149 inhabitants, of whom 925 were Jews, accounting for 43% of the total population.
As in most Lithuanian towns, Jews in Palanga were engaged in traditional trades: they were merchants and had craft workshops.
At the end of the 19th century, Jews in Palanga led an active social life, with about seven amber shops and workshops. At the beginning of the 20th century and during the interwar period, more shops were established, about 10 in total. Most of them belonged to Jews and employed Jewish workers. In addition to amber processing and trade, Palanga offered a range of other social and everyday services. Jews in Palanga were also pioneers in resort businesses such as rentals, health resorts, and guesthouses. Thanks to these businesses, Palanga became a center for summer vacationers in Lithuania. All workshops, companies, and various shops were concentrated on the main street, Vytauto Street.
In the interwar period, Jews held positions in the city administration. In 1933, Palanga was granted city rights, and 11 Jews were elected to the council. Palanga had a Jewish small credit bank, a Hebrew elementary school, a religious school (cheder), and synagogues. In 1938, a major fire broke out in Palanga, destroying almost the entire Jewish quarter.
In 1941, when Germany invaded the Soviet Union, mass killings of Jews began in Palanga. More than 300 Jews from Palanga were killed in the massacres of June 27 and October 12.
After World War II, the Jewish population in Palanga declined. In 1970, there were 31 Jews living here, and nine years later, only 12 remained. Before the restoration of independence, there were 26 Jews living in Palanga.
The Jewish people were known for their entrepreneurship and cultural heritage, and the community worked hard to make Palanga a prosperous town and, in the interwar period, a popular resort. Unfortunately, fires and the Soviet era left few memorable signs that could remind us of the once thriving Jewish community in Palanga.
The route “In the Footsteps of Jewish Heritage in Palanga” will introduce you to Jewish history and culture. You will visit surviving and imagined buildings and places that bear witness to the life of the Jewish community in Palanga. You will also visit memorable Jewish sites and other objects. The route “In the Footsteps of Jewish Heritage in Palanga” aims to contribute to the preservation and promotion of Jewish cultural heritage.