Švėkšna

Švėkšna
Coat of arms
Švėkšna Location of Švėkšna
Coordinates: 55°31′0″N 21°37′40″E / 55.51667°N 21.62778°E / 55.51667; 21.62778Coordinates: 55°31′0″N 21°37′40″E / 55.51667°N 21.62778°E / 55.51667; 21.62778
Country	Lithuania
County	Klaipėda County
Municipality	Šilutė district municipality
Elderate	Švėkšna elderate
Capital of
Population  (2011)
• Total	1,649
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)

Švėkšna is a town in the Šilutė District municipality, 21 km northeast of Šilutė, Lithuania. It is the administrative center of . There are 29 streets in the town. In the western part of the town flows the river .

There is a mental hospital in the town, as well as a health care centre, pharmacy, , affiliates of music and art schools of Šilutė, kindergarten, recreation center, library, museum, 2 churches, the parish's nursing home, the planning department, a post office, police station and fire house.

History[]

Švėkšna has been mentioned since the 14th century. Supposedly, the settlement could have been established after the Treaty of Melno in 1422, when the danger of the Teutonic Knights had declined. On March 8, 1503, Švėkšna was mentioned in the act of 's foundation and subsidy. In 1509, Švėkšna belonged to Kęsgaila, the Elder of Samogitia.

In 19th century Švėkšna was a property of Plater family. At the time a bridge connecting church and manor was built. At the end of 19th century during Lithuanian press ban it was one of major centre's for distributing Lithuanian literature in Latin print.

In 1941, at least 20 Jews were murdered in a mass execution by an Einsatzgruppe. The execution was carried out by order of SS-Sturmbannführer Hans Joachim Böhme, commander of Gestapo Tilsit^[1] The murder site is in the old Jewish cemetery on the outskirts of the town on Aušros street, there is a monument at the location.

On January 18, 2000, Coat of Arms of Švėkšna were granted by the presidential decree.

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Švėkšna.

• Samogitian Art Museum about Švėkšną
• Švėkšna in the official website of Šilutė District municipality
• Švėkšna under the Lithuanian press ban
• Photo gallery of the town of Švėkšna