THE CITY OF KEIDAN: An Historical Memoir by Boruch Chaim (Alter) Cassel

In the mid-1400's, during the height of the attacks on Lithuania by the German Crusaders, a fishing village came into existence near the Neviasha River ³, at its broadest point where the small river Abela flows into it from the south on the left, and where the small rivers Datnovke and Smilga enter it on the right from the north.

This hamlet was surrounded by mountains on the east and west; to its south was the panorama of glorious fields and woods on the shores of the Abela and Neviasha. To the southeast stretched out a dense pine forest with hundred-year-old trees. At the beginning of the forest, right by the Neviasha, was a mount suitable for an altar to the gods. An eternal flame, called "Znitsh," was lit on the mount and was maintained by the priests and the "Videlotkes" - the maidens who attended the priests and made certain the fire was never extinguished.

It is not known exactly when the village was first settled, but it is known that that crusaders passed through there headed to Shat via Labunova in 1379 and that they ignored the unfortified hamlet.

At first the village was called "Kazdan" after the first settler who came from Kvidangen in Courland.

The region of western Lithuania, labeled Samogitia on many maps, is known as Zemaitija in Lithuanian, Zmudz in Polish, Zhmud in Russian, and Zamut or Zamet in Yiddish and Hebrew.

Later the name changed to "Keidaniai," which in the Zamut Lithuanian dialect is "Kwiedajna". In archived documents it is called "Caiodunum" and "Civitas Caiodunenis" and "Keidany" - in Russian and Polish - and Keidan in Yiddish.

The village grew. The temple which had been built on the mount and dedicated to the great god Perkunas attracted a growing population, and Keidan became a city which drew the attention of the Crusaders. There were attacks on Keidan which were heroically repelled, just as in other parts of Lithuania. When Lithuania turned to Roman Catholicism under Jagiello, the Crusaders succeeded in entrenching themselves and built a Christian church on the mount of Perkunas' temple.

When Jagiello joined Lithuania to Poland, he was forced to appoint his cousin Vitautas (Witold, 1388-1430) as ruler of Lithuania. Under the latter's regime, in 1403, the church on the mount was completed. It was one of the most splendid churches in Lithuania, with four great inner columns and a secret underground passage to the river Neviasha. It is likely that the passage was created by the Crusaders when they first built the church as a defense-fortress against the Lithuanians.

The leader Vitautas was very able and devoted to the Lithuanian people and its language. He contributed greatly to the expansion of Keidan. In historical documents of the 15th century Keidan begins to be mentioned quite often, and is attributed to the domain of Pyotr Shukste.

It is not known precisely how Jews settled in Lithuania. There are hints that already in the 8th century there were Jews in some parts of the country. But in the 12th century an immigration of Jews into Lithuania began because of persecutions by Crusaders in various parts of Europe. Heathen Lithuania turned out to be the only secure place for persecuted Jews. Eiragola was founded in 1262, Golshan and Kovno in 1280, Telsh, Vilna and Troki in 1320; all these cities attracted oppressed Jews from western and southern Europe.

After Gedimines' victory over the Russians and the capture of Kiev in 1320 many Jews from southern Russia, especially from Crimea, settled in Lithuania and contributed to the development of the new cities. Gedimines encouraged their immigration, by his noteworthy tolerance of all religions.

In 1338, after the unification of Lithuania with Poland, the leader Vitautas (Witold) granted a charter of equal rights to the Lithuanian Jews under his personal guarantee. Under this charter Jews had autonomy in matters pertaining to religion and property, whereas in criminal and other matters they were subject to outside government authority.

Personal freedom and ability to engage in business helped the Lithuanian Jews to make great strides in commerce and landownership. Wealthy Jews lent money on interest and became collectors for various enterprises, such as the sale of alcoholic spirits. Government taxes were not higher for Jews than for non-Jews. In general the situation for Jews in Lithuania was much better than that of Jews in Poland or Germany. In Germany Jews were "chamber servants" of the ruling classes, whereas in Lithuania they were free citizens.

By the 15th Century Jews were in Keidan, often attracted to this growing city by its yearly market fair. In 1490 Keidan was ceded as a gift to the Lithuanian-Russian Kishko family by the Polish king, Casimir IV, as a reward for unusual contributions to the fatherland.

The Jewish community in Keidan began to properly organize itself after Casimir's death in 1492. His son Albert became king of Poland and his younger son Alexander became the ruler of Lithuania. At the beginning of Alexander's regime he confirmed all the rights and privileges that the Lithuanian Jews had obtained from previous authorities. Keidan expanded as a commercial center and attracted more Jews.

Then, like an unexpected clap of thunder, in April, 1495 Alexander proclaimed that all Jews must leave Lithuania, leaving their possessions behind. The young Jewish community of Keidan was doomed along with the rest. Many Lithuanian Jews journeyed to Crimea, but most, including the Jews of Keidan, resettled in Poland on the Lithuanian border, with the permission of the Polish King Albert.

After Albert's death Alexander became king of Poland. In 1503 he issued a new order allowing Jews to return to Lithuania and reclaim their abandoned possessions. But only part of the Keidan community returned. It took years for the Keidan Jewish community to become viable and begin to grow again.

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