Russian troops preparing to move field guns in front of the station of the Russian garrison city of Kaunas in Lithuania.

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Russian troops preparing to move field guns in front of the station of the Russian garrison city of Kaunas in Lithuania in advance of the German army's arrival. First World War postcard. After the January uprising of 1863/4, the Russian built massive fortifications. During the inter-war period Kaunas had a Jewish population of 35,000-40,000, about a quarter of the city's total population. Jews made up much of the city's commercial, artisan, and professional sectors. Kaunas was a center of Jewish learning, and the yeshiva in Slobodka (Vilijampolė) was one of Europe's most prestigious institutes of higher Jewish learning. Kaunas had a rich and varied Jewish culture. There were almost 100 Jewish organizations, 40 synagogues, many Yiddish schools, 4 Hebrew high schools, a Jewish hospital, and scores of Jewish-owned businesses. It was also an important Zionist centre.

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Size: 3764px × 2370px
Photo credit: © C. and M. History Pictures / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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