54° 48' / 23° 26'
Translation of the Visakio-Ruda chapter from
Pinkas Hakehillot Lita
Written by Josef Rosin
Published by Yad Vashem
Published in Jerusalem, 1996
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This is a translation from: Pinkas Hakehillot Lita: Encyclopedia of Jewish Communities, Lithuania,
Editor: Prof. Dov Levin, Assistant Editor: Josef Rosin, published by Yad Vashem, Jerusalem.
JewishGen, Inc. makes no representations regarding the accuracy of
the translation. The reader may wish to refer to the original material
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(Page 251)
Translated by Shaul Yannai
In Yiddish, Visoke-Rude A county town in the district of Marijampole, 8 km northwest of Kazlu-Ruda. The village Visakio-Ruda was established at the beginning of the 18th century, along the old commercial and postal road between Kaunas and Virbalis. Until the middle of the 19th century, Visakio-Ruda had two iron casting factories that used the lead in the region. In 1862, when the Kaunas - Virbalis railway line and the Kaunas - Marijampole road that passed through Veiveriai were constructed, Visakio-Ruda started declining; its factories were shut down and the town deteriorated.
Jews were present in Visakio-Ruda already in the 18th century. Rabbi Shemuel, son of Rabbi Josef Goikhberg, who was later a Rabbi in Kudirkos Naumiestis, was born in the town in 1877. In 1923, 80 Jews lived among the town's 586 residents. In 1931, Jews owned in the town 2 sawmills, 2 flourmills, a butchery and a tavern.
Rabbi Shraga Lupianski served as the town's Rabbi during the 1930's.
In the elections to the 19th Zionist Congress in 1935, the town's Jews voted as follows: the Grossmanists received 5 votes and the Mizrakhi 3 votes. The Maccabi branch had 26 members.
In June, 1941, when Germany conquered Lithuania, the fate of the Jews of Visakio-Ruda was the same as the fate of the Jews in the surrounding areas.
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