Jieznas

Jieznas (pronunciation ) is a small city in the Prienai district municipality, Lithuania. It is located 16 km (9.9 mi) east of Prienai along the northern shores of Lake Jieznas.

Jieznas
City
Flag
Coat of arms
Jieznas
Location of Jieznas
Coordinates: 54°36′N 24°10′E
Country Lithuania
Ethnographic regionDzūkija
County Kaunas County
MunicipalityPrienai district municipality
EldershipJieznas eldership
Capital ofJieznas eldership
First mentioned1492
Granted city rights1956
Population
 (2018)
 • Total1 032
Time zoneUTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)

History
Jieznas church

Jieznas was first mentioned in written sources in 1492 as property of the Grand Duke of Lithuania. In 1633, the settlement was acquired by the Pac family. They sponsored construction of a church, which was reconstructed in Baroque style in 1768–1772.[1]

In 1747, the Pac family built a luxurious palace in Jieznas. The palace had 12 halls, 52 rooms, and 365 windows to match the number of months, weeks, and days in a year.[1] It was decorated with frescoes, gilded engravings, Venetian mirrors. The palace was lost due to family indebtedness in 1807 and was destroyed by a fire in 1837.[1]

In February 1919, Jieznas saw the first battles and casualties of the Lithuanian–Soviet War. Lithuanian victory prevented the Red Army from marching into Kaunas.[2] This battle is commemorated by the coat or arms, designed by Arvydas Každailis in 2002. The coat of arms depicts allegorical figure of a woman symbolizing the victory. She holds a golden oak branch, a symbol of strength.[3]

On September 2, 1941, 144 Jews from Jieznas were shot near the lake in Strazdiškės village by Rollkommando Hamann, policemen and members of the Riflemen's Union from Jieznas.[4]

Name

Jieznas is the Lithuanian name of the city. Versions of the name in other languages include Polish: Jezno, Russian: Езно Yezno, Belarusian: Езна Yezna, Yiddish: יעזנע Yiezne.

References
  1. Semaška, Algimantas (2006). Kelionių vadovas po Lietuvą: 1000 lankytinų vietovių norintiems geriau pažinti gimtąjį kraštą (in Lithuanian) (4th ed.). Vilnius: Algimantas. p. 286. ISBN 9986-509-90-4.
  2. Lesčius, Vytautas (2004). Lietuvos kariuomenė nepriklausomybės kovose 1918–1920 (PDF). Lietuvos kariuomenės istorija (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: General Jonas Žemaitis Military Academy of Lithuania. pp. 47–50. ISBN 9955-423-23-4.
  3. Rimša, Edmundas (2004). Lietuvos heraldika II (in Lithuanian). Baltos lankos. p. 87. ISBN 9955-584-69-6.
  4. "Mass murder of the Jews of Jieznas". www.holocaustatlas.lt. Retrieved 25 September 2016.


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