Skuodas

History

Skuodas was first mentioned in written sources in 1253. At that time it belonged to Ceklis land. In 1572 Chełmno municipal rights were granted to Skuodas thanks to Jan Hieronimowicz Chodkiewicz who owned the city. The same year after the city rights were granted, a new part of the city started to settle on the right wing of Bartuva river. In the centre of this part there were built a new rectangular square, town hall, commercial buildings. It was a private town, administratively located in the Duchy of Samogitia of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1614, Jan Karol Chodkiewicz, one of the greatest military commanders in the history of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, founded a new parish church with an adjacent school. In 1645, the municipal rights were changed to Magdeburg rights by Władysław IV Vasa. Railway branch line Priekule-Klaipėda was built in 1915 and printing house was established in 1911. The town had a Jewish community in the 19th century, with four synagogues. By 1897, almost 2,300 Jews formed 60% of the population and dominated commerce in the town. During the interwar period Skuodas had about 4410 inhabitants. It was known for its shoe factory Kontinent. Skuodas also had a new cinema with modern equipment. The city suffered severely during World War II. It was occupied by the Soviet Union from 1940, then by Nazi Germany from 1941, and once again by the Soviet Union from 1944. In 1941, following the German invasion, and the establishment of persecutions by Lithuanian collaborators, 500 Jews of the town were massacred. After the war the ruined rectangular square was rebuilt. In 1992 the coat of arms of Skuodas was approved. Nowadays Skuodas has a gymnasium, a primary school, a secondary school and a high school. There is also a museum, post…