Jewish history Merkinė

bend of nemunas river in merkinė

the earliest mention of jews in merkinė dated 1539, when dispute adjudicated (july 8) between jew named konyuk , christian in regard debt of former. in 1551 jews of merkinė named among of fourteen other towns exempted special tax levied upon inhabitants, exception of villagers , jews, @ lithuanian diet (seimas) held in year on november 27 @ vilnius. merkinė produced in 19th century noted hebrew scholars, mordecai melzer, isaac magolis (d. new york 1887), , son max margolis, of university of california.

on september 10, 1941 854 jews merkinė, liepalingis, liškiava, , seirijai shot in grove near jewish cemetery lithuanian neighbours.

a mass grave of jews killed during nazi occupation in forest behind town.