The Memorial Website to the destroyed Shtetl of:

above: official stamp used by the Jewish Authorities (Va'ad HaKehila or Community Council)

Mazheik

(Mozheik)

(in Yiddish)

 =======

Mazeikiai

(in Lithuanian)

North-Western Lithuania

56.20N 22.20E

מז'ייק 

            מאזייק

This website is dedicated to the Blessed Memory of the Shtetl Mazheik and its inhabitants, who were murdered in August 1941.  

What is new on the site?

On the 26th February, 2009, the following changes and/or additions were made:

1. Under Memorial , Holocaust Victims ,
    List 1 - List of Jewish Holocaust Victims from private sources has been updated.
    Under  Memorial , Virtual Family Cemetery ,
    List of (former) Members of the Mazheik Community has been updated.

2. Under Photo Gallery , 2 photos from the South African Jewish Board of Deputies Archive
    and 12 Mazeikiai pictures from theYad Vashem Photograph Archive have been added.

3.  Under The Holocaust recent pictures from the mass murder site in Mazheik have been added;
     courtesy Emma Karabelnik, 2008

Mazeikiai is located on the Venta River, in the north-western part of Lithuania, approx. 10 Km from the Latvian border.

Mazeikiai is situated at the junction of the Libau (Liepaja) - Romny and Riga-Oriol train lines.

The map to the right is from : Multimap

More:  

Town History:

The town of Mazeikiai was founded by the Duke of Zemaiciai Mazeika.

Until the 2^nd half of the 19^th century, Mazeikiai was a small village or hamlet, with a population of some tens of inhabitants, mostly farmers.

The settlement grew with the laying of the Libau (Liepaja)  -Romny rail line in 1868 and the Mazeikiai – Riga line in 1872/4.

One of the railway stops was located at the crossing of three roads from Vieksniai, Leckava and Tirksliai, and it was named after a small farm whose master was Mazeika. This was the way how Mazeikiai was named.

More:

Morawjewo (Mazeikiai) Railway Station before 1918

Jewish Community History:

Settlement of Jews in Mazeikiai began during the 1870’s, simultaneously with the flourishing development of transportation and commerce… 

During World War I (1915), Mazeikiai Jews, together with most of the Jews of Lithuania and Courland, were exiled to inner Russia and the Ukraine. Most of the town was set on fire and destroyed.

Following to the end of World War I, Jewish community life began to return and develop, resulting in the establishment of various community organizations.

During the era of Independent Lithuania, the Jewish community of Mazeikiai enjoyed relative autonomy, under the supervision of the Office for Jewish Affairs of the Lithuanian Government…

.More:

Rare old wooden structure, the former Jewish School building (picture : courtesy Benzi Kahana)

The Holocaust:

Following the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact, the Soviets invaded Lithuania in 1940…

The Germans entered the town on Wednesday, June 25, 1941…

Jewish life in Mazeikiai came to an end with the mass killings of the men on Sunday, August 3rd 1941 - 10th of Av 5701 (actual day of 9th Av fast, delayed from Shabbat to Sunday) and the women on Saturday, August 9th 1941 - 16th of Av 5701.

(See The Holocaust and The Martyrs of Mazeikiai)

Rock with memorial plaque in front of the Old Mazeikiai Cemetery

(picture: courtesy Gilda and Bob Kurtzman)

The Holocaust Memorial and mass grave, next to the Old Mazeikiai Cemetery (courtesy : Gilda and Bob Kurtzman)

The site of the mass killing at Mazeikiai (picture: courtesy Benzi Kahana)

rock with memorial plaque ~ Old Mazeikiai Cemetery visible behind the fence

(picture: courtesy Stan Ravinsky)

This site is dedicated to the Jewish Life that Mazeikiai was once home to. From eye-witness reports, we know that ~save a handful of old wooden houses~ nothing is left of what once was a vibrant hub of Jewish life in the Shtetl. There are reported to have been 1000 Jewish souls in Mazeikiai prior to the fateful days of July and August 1941.  Today, on the outskirts of the town, there is a road-sign on the edge of thick woods. It states: ZYDU GENOCIDO AUKU VIETA. Though in the Lithuanian language, this hardly requires translation. It is universally clear that this site bears witness to the unbearable fate of our beloved families. Continued ... 

Webmaster and contactperson:
Raymond Ravinsky : rainbows@netvision.net.il

co-Webmasters:
Ilan Ganot          
Benzi Kahana