Alternate names: Druskininkai [Lith], Druskeniki [Rus, Bel], Druskieniki [Pol], Druskininki [Latv], Druśkieniki, Druskininkay, Droskininkā, Druskiniki, Russian: Друскеники. Belarusian: Друскенікі. דרוסקאניק-Hebrew. 54°01' N, 23°58' E, in S Lithuania, near the Belarus border. 24 miles NNW of Hrodna (Grodno), 27 miles S of Alytus (Olita). This spa town on the Neman River in southern Lithuania, close to the borders of Belarus and Poland had a 2001 population of 18,233 and dates back as a spa resort to the 19th century. 1900 Jewish population: 636.. On the shore of a salt lake, Druskeninkai has many resorts and springs. The town is on the border of Belarus SW of Vilnius and N of Grodno in Trakai District. Rabbi Shmaryahu Yitzchak Bloch lived here.
- Yizkor: Pinkas ha-kehilot; entsiklopediya shel ha-yishuvim le-min hivasdam ve-ad le-aher shoat milhemet ha-olam ha-sheniya: Poland vol. 8: Vilna, Białystok, Nowogródek districts (Jerusalem, 2005)
- KehilaLink:
OLD CEMETERY:
"In 1974, I [Eugene Wiglin] spent my vacation in Druskeninkai, Lithuania - a lovely resort, surrounded by splendid forests. / One day my girlfriend and I went out of town and walked slowly in the pine forest, gathering strawberries. Suddenly I reached a place where the berries were extremely rich, growing abundantly near a group of strange stones among the trees. The stones really looked strange - narrow and protruding high above the ground. At first glance, they looked natural, covered with thick moss. Coming closer, I was shocked. They were obviously very old gravestones, abandoned in the middle of the forest. And on some of them you could still trace remains of Hebrew inscriptions. I recognized letters, but my knowledge was not enough to read anything." Source: "It's All Relative: Decoding the Details." Jerusalem Post. 20 June 2002.
Cemetery information and information. [September 2010]
The second half of the 19th century Druskininkai Jewish cemetery is in a grove near Druskonis Lake. In 1967 the cemetery was razed by bulldozer and most gravestones used as building material. Some were incorporated into the foundation of ‘Gulbe' store and the fountain of ‘Saulute' sanatorium Rachel, mother of famous artist Jaques Lipchitz,, was buried in Druskininkai Jewish cemetery but her gravestone is missing. [Aug 2015]
Ratnycios str. Cemetery: Only memorial stone to mark the former cemetery and some gravestones. Gravestones were used by the Soviets to damn the water at the estuary of the river Ratnycia. The area of cemetery is well-maintained by a local municipality of Druskininkai. Picture of memorial [Aug 2015
MUNICIPAL CEMETERY: Jewish section
Cemetery was destroyed. TOnly memorial stone marks the former cemetery and some remaining tombstones.Destruction of the cemetery began during Soviet rule. Tombstones were used to guide water at the estuary of the River Ratnycia.The land of cemetery is well-maintained by a local municipality of Druskininkai.photos. [Aug 2015]