Leipalingis Jewish Cemetery
Cemetery Information
Country
Lithuania
Region
Alytus County
District
Alytus
Settlement
Leipalingis
Site address
The cemetery is located near the south entrance of the village, off Druskininku Street.
GPS coordinates
54.08383, 23.87364
Perimeter length
389 metres
Is the cemetery demolished
no
Type and height of existing fence
No fence
Preservation condition
Fenced and protected Jewish cemetery
General site condition
Unfenced Jewish cemetery. There is some seasonal vegetation on the cemetery.
Number of existing gravestones
around 60.
Date of oldest tombstone
1798 (the earliest tombstone found by ESJF).
Date of newest tombstone
1830 (the latest tombstone found by ESJF).
Urgency of erecting a fence
High
Land ownership
Property of local community
Preserved construction on site
Drone surveys
No
Historical overview
Given the oldest preserved tombstone is dated 1798, it can be inferred the cemetery was founded no later than the late 18th century.
Jews received land in Leipalingis (Pl. Lejpuny, Yid. לייפּון) from the Russian government and built a Jewish colony in 1847. The community had a beautiful synagogue. In 1897, the Jewish population was 134, or 10% of the total. In 1915, the Jews were expelled by the retreating Russian army, and many never returned. Zionist organisations were active in the interwar period. At the time of the Soviet occupation in 1940, about 30 Jewish families lived in Leipalingis. After the German invasion in 1941, all of the Jews were murdered.
