Alternate names: Gruzdžiai [Lith], Gruzd [Yid], Gruzdi [Rus], Gruździe [Pol], Gruzdžių, Gruzdzi, Gruzdi, Gruzdzhay, Grudzhyay, Gruzdzhyay, Russian: Грудзи. גרוזד-Yiddish. 56°06' N, 23°16' E, 12 miles N of Šiauliai (Shavl), 16 miles SW of Joniškis (Yanishok). 1900 Jewish population: 482. Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), II, pp. 880-881: "Gruździe". A few Jews living in Gorzd collected the border duties according to documents from the end of the 16th century. By 1639, a Jewish community existed proven by a charter that guaranteed them civil rights given by the Polish king. The synagogues and cemetery were exempted from taxes. Gorzd was a wealthy town from its trade with neighboring Prussia, a market for their own manufactured goods and for merchandise from other parts of Lithuania. The entire economy of the town was dependent on Prussia. Prior to 1842, the Vilieka Uyezd (District) as well as Lida, Oshmiany and Disna were part of the Minsk Gubernia. From 1842 to 1917 they were governed from Vilna Gubernia. After 1917, these uyezds were in current Belarus.
- Pinkas ha-kehilot; entsiklopediya shel ha-yishuvim le-min hivasdam ve-ad le-aher shoat milhemet ha-olam ha-sheniya: Lithuania (Jerusalem, 1996)
- Encyclopedia of Jewish Life (2001), p. 466: "Gruzdziai".
- Pinkas HaKehilot, Lithuania (1996), p. 195: "Gruzdziai"
- Shtetl Finder (1980), p. 27: "Gruz, Gruzd".
- Słownik Geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego (1880-1902), II, pp. 880-881: "Gruździe".
- LitvakSIG
- Wikipedia.
CEMETERY: photo. In Gruzdiai there is a cemetery at the edge of the town at one end of which is a mass grave. Many of the stones are legible, but many are missing. Source: Len Yodaiken: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. [date?]
MASS GRAVE: In Zagare town park; 90; pic. # 84-85 US Commission for the Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad. and near the Jewish cemetery of Gruzdziai; 158; pic. # 263.
The Nazis from Memel arrived in Gorzd on June 22, 1941. All Jewish men were shot within the first few days. The women were dragged to nearby villages and killed a few months later. They set fire to the town and drove the whole population into the market-place. In the morning, the Lithuanians separated them. The Jews - men and women, young and old - were surrounded with machine guns and prepared for shooting. A motorcyclist arrived from Davli (Dovilai) and told them to delay the shooting. They were all taken to a garden where they were left without food or water until Tuesday morning when they took them toward Laugal (Laugaliai), they were shot on June 24 around 1 PM in the street not far from the barracks where trenches were widened by the men. They were shot in groups of twenty-five. The women and children were taken about 1 km away to Anelishke (Kalniske) where they did forced labor for a few months in the town with very little food. The children ate grass. Again, the women and children were driven to Ashmonishke Forest (Vezaitines Forest) where the children and the young were separated from the elders. Forced to dig their grave, when the pit was ready, all were forced to strip naked. Possibly elderly men were with them, not killed with the other men. This mass grave of the women and children is located in the Ashmonishke forest, not far from the road that leads from Gorzd to Kul {Kuliai}. Very few Gorzd Jews survived. [March 2009]