Alternate names: Klaipėda [Lith], Memel [Ger, Yid], Kłajpeda [Pol], Klaipēda [Latv], Klajpeda, Klaypeda, Klaipada, Memelburg, Клайпеда, Мемель. 55°43' N, 21°07' E, on the Baltic coast. Annexed by Lithuania in 1923. "Jewish Leader Blasts Antisemitic Graffiti Attack" January 19, 2009: "A Lithuanian Jewish leader blasted a graffiti attack which combined antisemitism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling it a ploy to sow tension in the Baltic state. 'How much longer will we allow provocateurs to pit the Lithuanian and Jewish people against one another,' said Simonas Gurevicius, executive director of the Lithuanian Jewish Community. Unknown individuals daubed 'Palestine' and 'Kill Jews' on a Jewish community building in the Baltic port of Klaipeda. They also painted a swastika, alongside the words. Such attacks taint Lithuania's image worldwide, Gurevicius said, adding that broad public condemnation would be 'the greatest punishment for the ringleaders of strife'. Such graffiti attacks fall under the criminal offense of inciting hatred, which carries a two-year prison sentence in Lithuania. But perpetrators are rarely caught. But so far there was no immediate comment from Lithuanian officials. Currently there are around 4,000 Jews living in Lithuania." ShtetLink. Town history. [October 2000] and [updated March 2009]
ONLINE VIDEO: Liepaja (Libau)-Vilnius-Gargzdai (Gorzhd)-Klaipeda (Memel) (396KB) - From amber town, windy sea-port Libau, come to Lithuanian capital Vilnius, see Jewish sites of Gargzdai, from there came to Baltic sea town Klaipeda/Memel. [March 2009]
CEMETERY: Information gleaned by a relative who visited Memel in Summer 1995: The Jewish cemetery was totally destroyed. Some Jews, mostly from Russia, have established a small community (100 members). They use an old chapel as a community center. There is a wall mounted memorial tablet that is inscribed in Yiddish, Hebrew and Lithuanian saying "in remembrance of the Jewish Community of Klaipeda who unmercifully were annihilated by the Nazis". Source: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Also see Gargzdai which is near Memel.