Josvainiai

History

Historians believe that there was a medieval castle in Josvainiai, attacked many times by the Teutonic Knights. In 1486 Josvainiai was mentioned as a town. During the 16th century, the royal manor of Josvainiai and the first wooden church were mentioned. In 1529 Josvainiai was included in the list of unprivileged towns of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. During the wars of the 16th–17th centuries Josvainiai castle was devastated by Swedes. In 1831 the Josvainiai was occupied by anti-Russian rebels. At the end of the 19th century, during the Lithuanian press ban book smugglers were active in the area. There was a synagogue and a Jewish school. Most Jews were expelled during World War I. In their absence, a large portion of the town burned down. After the War, some returned. Before The Holocaust, the Jewish population was 270 and included about 70 families. They lived around the marketplace and on nearby streets. During World War II, 282 Jews were murdered in a mass execution: 86 men, 110 women, and 86 children.

Most-observed species

• Common Raven

  Corvus corax Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  47
• Great Tit

  Parus major Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  46
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  41
• Common Chaffinch

  Fringilla coelebs Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  39
• Black-headed Gull

  Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  32
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  27
• White Wagtail

  Motacilla alba Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  27
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  26