Alternate names: Kražiai [Lith], Krozh [Yid], Kroże [Pol], Krozhi [Rus], Krozhe, Kruce, Kroz, Kruz, Kražiu, Krazhyay, Krazhay, Russian: Кражяй. קראָזש-Yiddish. 55°36' N, 22°42' E, 23 miles NW of Raseiniai (Rasayn), 9 miles WSW of Kelmė.
Krozh is approximately 35 miles from the East Prussian border with primary commercial ties with Kelme (11 miles) and Memel (50). The nearest rail line was in Nemoksht. The town was near a large pine forest. River Krazhianta which flows past it to the Nieman. The Jewish community dates from the fifteenth century. With the transfer of the gymnasium to Kovno in 1848 and a ruinous fire in the following year, the town lost its importance. Opening of the Libau-Romny Railroad in 1880 exascerbated the situation. Many families emigrated to the United States, Africa, and Australia.
1897 Jewish population was 1,125 out of about 3,500. About 40% of the former were artisans, a few farmers and some vegetable gardeners. Krozhe has two synagogues, two prayer-houses, and about ten study circles. In 1941, 462 Jews were killed in the Holocaust. ShtetLink. Shtetl website. [March 2009]
town website [October 2000]
CEMETERY: The cemetery in a thick overgrown forest may be hundreds of years old. With practically no tombstones, since most of its tombstones had been made of wood and had long since rotted, the few remaining stone tombstones were worn away, not leaving even a trace of a letter, and were scattered about, barely visible from their sunken position in the ground. JOWBR burial list: Kraziai Jewish Cemetery [March 2009]
