Welcome to Vilkaviškis:
As you walk these streets today, you are walking through centuries of vibrant Jewish history. This guide connects the physical spaces beneath your feet to the stories, faces, and memories of the community that once built this town. Follow the route below to step back in time.
📍 Stop 1 The Site of the Old Jewish Cemetery
What to Look for on the Street:
Look across the river toward the area opposite the historic Jewish Old Age Home.
The Story to Read While Standing Here:
"You are standing near the oldest sacred ground in Vilkaviškis. Although nothing remains of this original cemetery today, it serves as a powerful reminder of how deep the community's roots sink into this soil".
This cemetery was the final resting place for the town's earliest Jewish generations, remaining in active use until 1875. That year, severe flooding from the river forced the community to make a historic shift, moving their burial grounds to the new, current site on Kapu Street—Kapų simply meaning 'cemetery' in Lithuanian. Right across the water, the proximity to the old Jewish Old Age Home reminds us of how closely the community cared for its people from generation to generation."
"The quiet bend of the river where the community's earliest history was anchored until 1875."
All that remains of the Old Jewish Cemetery
📍 Stop 2: The Statue of Sonia Gaskell (Before the Bridge)
What to look for on the Street: Before you cross the river bridge, look for the statue dedicated to one of the town's most famous daughters.
The Story to Read While Standing Here:
"Right here, we celebrate a remarkable journey from Vilkaviškis to the grand stages of Europe. You are standing before the statue of Sonia Gaskell, a world-renowned dancer, choreographer, and pioneer of modern ballet.
Born here in Vilkaviškis to a Jewish family, Sonia's early life took her across the world. In 1921, she left for Paris to study under legendary Russian masters, eventually settling in the Netherlands.
Young Sonia
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Sonia from a poster produced by the Dutch National Ballet
📍 Stop 3: The Jewish Old Age Home
The Story to Read While Standing Here:
"Before the war, the Vilkaviškis Jewish community was renowned for its highly organized network of social welfare, ensuring that no one—regardless of age or circumstance—was left behind. This building was the heart of that care: the Jewish Old Age Home.
It provided a dignified, warm sanctuary for the community's elders. Standing here today, the building represents more than just old bricks and mortar; it stands as a testament to the profound compassion, unity, and deep societal values that the Jewish people of Vilkaviškis practiced every single day on these very streets."
A monument to community care: The building that once housed the Jewish Old Age Home, reflecting the deep welfare network of pre-war Vilkaviškis."
A monument to community care: The building that once housed the Jewish Old Age Home, reflecting the deep welfare network of pre-war Vilkaviškis."
📍 Stop 4: The Synagogue Complex
What to Look for on the Street:
Look at the open area where the town's major Jewish community buildings once clustered together.
The Story to Read While Standing Here:
"You are standing on what was once the sacred center of Jewish life in Vilkaviškis. This area was not home to just one building, but an entire complex of faith, study, and community gathering.
Right here stood the majestic Old Wooden Synagogue—one of the oldest, largest, and most architecturally renowned wooden synagogues in all of Europe, famed for its intricate interior carving. Standing alongside it was the grand, brick Choral Synagogue, used for major celebrations and services, as well as the community's Beit Midrash (House of Study).
Though the physical buildings were destroyed during the war, this exact ground remains a powerful monument to the centuries of prayer, song, and community that echoed here daily."
The Great Synagogue of Vilkaviskis
The headquarters of the Jewish Community
All the buildings in the Jewish Community complex
📍 Stop 5: The Daily Life Hub (Slaughterhouse, Baths, & Mikveh)
What to Look for on the Street:
Look at the area immediately adjacent to the Jewish Old Age Home along the riverbank.
The Story to Read While Standing Here:
"Right here, next to the Old Age Home, stood the busy hub of daily and ritual Jewish life. This site housed the community slaughterhouse for chickens, ensuring the complex laws of Kosher preparation were strictly followed.
Close by were the public baths and the Mikveh—the ritual bathhouse used for spiritual purification. These weren't just buildings; they were the essential pillars of daily health, tradition, and community standard that kept Jewish life thriving week after week."
Sadly nothing remains of these buildings
📍 Stop 6: The Jewish Primary School & The Stolpersteine
What to Look for on the Street: Turn left into Maironio Street and look down at the pavement in front of the building that once housed the Jewish Primary School.
The Story to Read While Standing Here:
"This building was once filled with the voices of children attending the local Jewish Primary School. It was led by Director Moshe Kleinstein, who dedicated his life to educating the youth of Vilkaviškis.
Look down at your feet. Embedded in the pavement are four brass Stolpersteine (Stumbling Stones/Stepping Stones). Placed here through the dedicated initiative of the director of the Vilkaviškis Informal Education department, these unique brass markers permanently honor the memory of the Kleinstein family, ensuring their names are never erased from the town they served."
Stumbling upon memory: The brass plaques honoring school director Moshe Kleinstein and his family, embedded where they once walked."
📍 Stop 7: The Former ORT Trade School & Gymnasium Ivri
What to Look for on the Street: Walk back toward Statybininkų Street. On your right, look at the building that serves today as the local Municipality building.
The Story to Read While Standing
Here: "
You are standing in front of a building that was once a magnificent powerhouse of practical education and opportunity. Before the war, this structure housed the Jewish ORT Trade School and the Gymnasium Ivri.
The Gymnasium Ivri was a prestigious Jewish secondary school where modern education flourished. It wasn't just about academics; it was a vibrant community center where young people debated new ideas, learned languages, and prepared to make their mark on the wider world.
Alongside it, the ORT school equipped students with essential technical skills and craftsmanship, ensuring they were self-reliant and ready for the future.
Though the building’s role has completely changed today, its historical significance is permanently marked. Look for the memorial plaque mounted on the side of the building—erected to ensure that everyone who enters these doors today remembers the brilliant center of youth and education that once thrived here
Students studying at the ORT vocational school
The Gymnasium building as it looked in 1930
📍 Stop 8: Kestucio Street
As you leave the Municipality building, turn onto Kęstučio Street to make your way back toward the Market Square. Keep your eyes on the buildings around you. Although massive destruction tore through the city during the war, this street still preserves several authentic buildings from the vibrant interwar period, giving you a glimpse into the architectural heart of old Vilkaviškis.
Some of the shop-keepers of Kestucio Street
📍 Stop 9: The Market Square & Historical Town Model
What to Look for on the Street:
As you emerge from Kęstučio Street, step back into the main Market Square. Look for the modern fountain and the detailed historical model of the old town buildings.
The Story to Read While Standing Here:
"You have returned to the historic heart of Vilkaviškis commerce. Sadly, nothing remains of the original structures that once framed this bustling market square—except for one symbolic anchor. The new fountain you see today stands precisely on the site of the original town water pump, which was once a daily gathering point for residents.
To see what has been lost, look closely at the bronze historical model erected here. This model carefully reconstructs the old buildings of Vilkaviškis as they stood before the destruction of World War II. It allows you to look through a window into the past, visualizing the dense rows of Jewish-owned shops, residences, and markets that made this square thrive with life." bustling market square—except for one symbolic anchor. The new fountain you see today stands precisely on the site of the original town water pump, which was once a daily gathering point for residents.
To see what has been lost, look closely at the bronze historical model erected here. This model carefully reconstructs the old buildings of Vilkaviškis as they stood before the destruction of World War II. It allows you to look through a window into the past, visualizing the dense rows of Jewish-owned shops, residences, and markets that made this square thrive with life."
The Market Square in the 1930's
Model of the old buildings of Vilkaviskis
The "guys" around the Market Square
This was the site of the well - today its the fountain
📍 Stop 10: Vilkaujos Street – The KGB Headquarters & Bravol Cigarette Factory
What to Look for on the Street:
Walk down Vilkaujos Street, paying close attention to the historic buildings along the right hand side this stretch of the road.
The Story to Read While Standing Here:
"As you walk down Vilkaujos Street, you are retracing a path that holds deep layers of the town's complex 20th-century history.
Along this street, you will pass the building that once served as the local Soviet KGB headquarters—a sobering reminder of the decades of occupation and surveillance that followed the war.
Just a little further along the street stands a building with a very different past: the former site of the Bravol Cigarette Factory. Before the war, this factory was a major local enterprise and a key hub of employment, representing the industrious spirit and entrepreneurial drive of the Vilkaviškis Jewish community."
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This was the site of the KGB Headquarters
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This was the Bravol Cigarette Factory
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Workers in the cigarette factory
📍 Stop 11: The Old Fire Station – Outdoor Photographic Exhibition
After the Bravol factory return to Gedimino Street and then to left on Yytauto Street, look for the electrical goods shop. On the three large outer walls of this building, you will see a beautifully vibrant, permanent outdoor photographic exhibition
The Story to Read on Your Phone:
"You are standing before a true community labor of love. These walls once belonged to the old Vilkaviškis Fire Station. After historic photographs were discovered documenting the town's pre-war history, a team of dedicated local volunteers repainted these massive blank walls to turn them into an open-air historical gallery.
The exhibition features two deeply moving themes from the 1930s:
1. The Jewish Volunteer Firemen:
Before the war, the town’s fire brigade was heavily made up of brave Jewish volunteers. They were the guardians of the town, risking their lives side-by-side to protect the homes and businesses of all Vilkaviškis residents, regardless of background.
2. Everyday Jewish Life: The accompanying photographs capture the pure vitality of the 1930s—families walking, children smiling, and friends gathering. It serves as a beautiful, living reminder that the history of this town is defined by how vividly its people lived, worked, and protected one another."
The Old Fire Station – Outdoor Photographic Exhibition today.
Part 2: Exploring Vilkaviškis Jewish History by Car
Driving Note for Visitors: The following historical sites are located just outside the walking center of the town. For your safety and convenience, we recommend driving between these final locations.
📍 Vehicle Stop 1: The Priests' Seminary (The Vilkaviškis Ghetto Site)
How to Get There: Drive just outside the main town of Vilkaviškis, taking the main road heading toward Marijampolė.
What to Look for: Look for the historical complex that once served as the regional Priests' Seminary.
"You are standing before a site that witnessed a rapid, tragic transformation in the summer of 1941. This beautiful, quiet complex was originally the town's Priests' Seminary.
Following the Nazi invasion, the German occupation authorities forcibly repurposed this entire facility, turning it into the temporary Vilkaviškis Ghetto.
The Jewish population of the town, along with families from surrounding villages, were rounded up and confined within these walls under brutal conditions. This site stands as a solemn monument to the sudden destruction of a community's freedom, right at the dark threshold of the Holocaust."
"A place of sanctuary turned to confinement: The former Priests' Seminary, which served as the Vilkaviškis Ghetto in 1941."
📍 Vehicle Stop 2: The Old Russian Barracks
How to Get There:
From the Ghetto site, return to town via Vytauto Street. At the first traffic lights, turn right into Gedimino Street and continue to the very end. As the road curves to the left, you will be on S. Nėries Street. Continue along this road until you see the old barracks on your right
What to Look for:
Look for the highly dilapidated, partial brick and stone remains of the historic military complex.
The Story to Read on Your Phone:
"You are standing before the partial remains of the Old Russian Barracks. In the painful summer of 1941, this military complex became a place of immense sorrow.
Following the Nazi occupation, the Jewish men of Vilkaviškis were separated from their families, rounded up, and held here under armed guard. For days, these walls confined the community's fathers, sons, and brothers, marking the final, agonizing stop where they were held captive before they were marched to the nearby execution site. Today, these surviving structures stand as a heavy, silent witness to those dark days."
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Caption: "Silent witnesses: The surviving remains of the Old Russian Barracks, where the Jewish men of the town were held captive in 1941."
📍 Vehicle Stop 3: The Mass Killing Site & The Grove of 68
How to Get There: Now you need to return in the direction of town along S. Neres look out for Vienybes and turn left into and drive till you see the sign for the Holocaust site. You can park by the Sports Centre
What to Look for: Look for the modern stone monument, the detailed historical explanation board, and the beautiful grove of planted trees standing side by side
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The Story to Read on Your Phone:
"This is the most sacred and solemn ground on the trail. You are standing at the site of the mass killings, where the vibrant Jewish community of Vilkaviškis was systematically destroyed during the Holocaust.
To help visitors understand the depth of what occurred here, take a moment to read the permanent historical explanation board erected on this site.
Right next to the modern monument stands a living tribute: a grove of 68 trees. These trees were planted with deep honor and respect to remember the brave, righteous people of Vilkaviškis who risked everything to help, shelter, and assist their Jewish neighbors during the darkest hours of human history. They remind us that even in total darkness, sparks of human kindness survived."
Honoring the holy and the brave: The permanent monument, historical explanation board, and the living Grove of 68 trees."
📍 Vehicle Stop 4: The Jewish Cemetery on Kapų Street
How to Get There:
From the Mass Killing site, return to the center of the city - you are loooking for Kapu Street (which simply means 'cemetery' in Lithuanian) It begins by the new bus station . Drive along it slowly passing the remains of the Luthern cemetery. Look out on your right hand side for a historical marker saying : .Senosios žydų kapinės The cemetery itself is located rather far back from the main road.
The Story to Read on Your Phone:
"You have arrived at the final stop on our trail. This cemetery became the central burial place for the Vilkaviškis Jewish community after the severe river flooding of 1875 forced them to move from their original site.
Tragically, due to decades of wartime destruction and post-war neglect, very few of the original gravestones remain standing here today. Each missing stone represents a story, a family, and a name that was nearly lost to time.
However, as you look around, you will see a profound sign of modern respect. This sacred ground is now exceptionally well cared for by the Vilkaviškis Municipality. It stands as a peaceful, dignified sanctuary of remembrance, ensuring that the generations who built this town are resting in honor and will never be forgotten."
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Caption: "A sanctuary of dignity and rest: The historic Jewish Cemetery on Kapų Street, preserved and honored today."
