Kapčiamiestis

Kapčiamiestis
Town
Central square Central square
Coat of arms of Kapčiamiestis Coat of arms
Kapčiamiestis is located in Lithuania Kapčiamiestis Location of Kapčiamiestis
Coordinates:
Country	Lithuania
Ethnographic region	Dzūkija
County	Alytus County
Municipality	Lazdijai district municipality
Eldership	Kapčiamiestis eldership
Capital of	Kapčiamiestis eldership
First mentioned	16th century
Population (2001)
• Total	727
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
• Summer (DST)	EEST (UTC+3)

Emilia Plater Monument

File:E.PliaterytėsKapas.JPG

Plater tombstone

Kapčiamiestis (Polish: Kopciowo) is a town in Lithuania located near the confluence of Baltoji Ančia and Nieda Rivers.

History

Town traces its history dating back in early 16th century, then a manor was built. In 1777 a parish-school was opened here.

In the town's cemetery, Polish national hero, Emilia Plater, was buried in 1831. The town had an important Jewish community. When the Germans entered the town on 22 June 1941, Lithuanian nationalism broke loose. On 15 September 1941, all of the Jews were taken under high security to Lazdijai. There they were put into a ghetto established in Katkishes, one kilometer outside of Lazdijai, where Jews from neighboring villages were interned. On 3 November 1941 the Jews of Kapčiamiestis were murdered with the rest of the ghetto inhabitants. Kapčiamiestis was devastated by World War II, after which most of the historical buildings were destroyed.