Independent Lithuania
Recovery
A Shared Vision (1918)
Coming Home from Exile
Political Rebirth
The Economic Engine
Industry & Infrastructure
As the German occupation faded in November 1918, the people of Vilkaviškis didn’t wait for instructions. They elected a Provisional Town Council with a remarkable 50/50 split: six Christians and six Jews.
This committee immediately took charge of the town’s survival, managing food supplies and organizing a 20-man militia to maintain peace.
The Jewish Representatives:
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Josel Kabaker
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Lipman Jappu
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Abram Berman
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Girš Feltenstein
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Abram Albohm
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Yankele Chmelevskis
By the mid-1920s, the town was humming with activity. The purchase of the Electricity Station on January 2, 1919, ensured that progress remained in local hands. Under the management of Meir Varshavsky, the station became a symbol of modernization.
The Lifeblood of Trade:
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The Volksbank: By 1928, it supported 718 members, providing the credit needed to reopen shops.
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The Artisans: The Jewish community included 24 shoemakers, 20 tailors, 8 butchers, and even a dedicated rope maker.
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Coming Home
During the German occupation many families had left Vilkaviskis - with the end of the war they were able to return. These families played an important role in the families played an important role in the economic development of the town.
The Haskel family we know they returned from the Ukraine.
Like the Haskel family we know that both the Pustapedski and Sobolevitch families returned from the Ukraine.