Varakļāni

Varakļāni (pronunciation^ⓘ; Polish: Warklany, German: Warkland, Yiddish: וואַרקלאַן, Russian: Варакляны) is a town in Madona Municipality and the Latgale historical region of Latvia. The population in 2020 was 1,740.^[3]

Varakļāni
Town
Varakļāni Palace in Varakļāni
Coat of arms
Varakļāni Location in Latvia
Coordinates: 56°36′28″N 26°45′18″E
Country	Latvia
Municipality	Madona Municipality
Town rights	1928
Government
• Mayor	Māris Justs (LA)
Area [1]
• Total	5.33 km2 (2.06 sq mi)
• Land	5.26 km2 (2.03 sq mi)
• Water	0.07 km2 (0.03 sq mi)
Population  (2024)[2]
• Total	1,653
• Density	310/km2 (800/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	LV-4838
Calling code	+371 648
Number of city council members	9
Website	http://www.varaklani.lv/

History

The town of Varakļāni was founded and established in the Russian Empire in the 18th century.

Varakļāni Palace is located in Varakļāni.

Jews in Varakļāni

Varakļāni had a sizeable population of Jews throughout much of its history, ending with the Holocaust. Towards the end of the 19th century, Jews comprised about 75% of the population. Various pogroms, expulsions, WWI and the Russian Revolutions brought the Jewish population down considerably. Several hundred Jews left with the Russians in preparation of the Nazi advance.^[4] The Nazis forced 540 remaining Jews to dig their own graves, and then shot them to death in a mass shooting on 4 August 1941.^[5] Jewish historical records, including online resources, contain much information about community leadership, organizations, and general town information.

Notable people

• Michael Johann von der Borch, (1753–1810) Polish statesman and writer

See also

• List of cities in Latvia