Širvintos
Širvintos (
pronunciation ) is a city in Vilnius County in the eastern part of Lithuania. It is the administrative center of the Širvintos district municipality.[1]
Širvintos | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Municipal office | |
.svg.png.webp) Coat of arms | |
  Širvintos Location of Širvintos | |
| Coordinates: 55°2′10″N 24°58′10″E | |
| Country |  Lithuania |
| Ethnographic region | Aukštaitija |
| County |  Vilnius County |
| Municipality | Širvintos district municipality |
| Eldership | Širvintos eldership |
| Capital of | Širvintos district municipality Širvintos eldership |
| First mentioned | 1475 |
| Granted city rights | 1950 |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 5,513 |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
The word Širvintos is the plural form of the name of the Širvinta River, which flows through the city.
Its alternate names include Shirvintay, Shirvintos, Širvintai, Širvintar, Širvintų, and Szyrwinty (Polish).[1]
History
Before World War II, the town had an important Jewish community representing one-third of the total population.[2] In September 1941, Jews of the town are murdered in mass executions perpetrated by Germans and Lithuanian collaborators.[3]
Since 2010, the city started expanding and renovated the city center which improved its image and popularity.
References
- United States Board on Geographic Names – Lithuania – Širvintos. Accessed January 24, 2014.
- "Preserving Our Litvak Heritage, Volume II (Pages 166-177)". jewishgen.org. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
- "המכון הבין-לאומי לחקר השואה - יד ושם". yadvashem.org. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
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