(There was also a small gauge rail line to Pandėlys/Ponidel.) Prior to World War I, only 3 stores had been Christian-owned. After the war, however, many Lithuanians from surrounding villages came to settle in Rokiškis and open stores. Ori Further, Lithuanian cooperatives came into being, trade in flax and produce was nationalized, and other factors caused a severe economic decline for the Jews. Many Jewish businesses went bankrupt in 1925 and between 1926 and 1930 many Jewish families emigrated to South Africa where a landmanschaft was established in Johannesburg, the United States of America, and Palestine. In 1939 there were 3,500 Jews in Rokiškis (40% of the total population). They were mostly Chabad Chasidim. During the period of Lithuanian independence (1918–1940) there were two Hebrew schools. The Soviets annexed Lithuania in 1940 and all Jewish businesses were confiscated. When Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union on June 21–22, 1941, Lithuania was quickly overrun. The Germans soon brought in special assignment squads to arrest and murder Jews. The Jews of Rokiškis and its environs were murdered in nearby woods just north of Bajorai, 400 meters east of the intersection of the northeasterly road to Juodupė and the northerly road to Lukštai. The official German army report (“the Jager Report”) states that on August 15–16, 1941, a total of 3,207 Jews were killed. Other Jews were deported to the ghetto of Joniškis and killed there. People of note Rokiškis is the birthplace of the commander of the Soviet Air Force and Hero of the USSR, Yakov Smushkevich. It is also the birthplace of archaeologist Laima Vaitkunskienė. Twin towns — sister cities Rokiškis is a member of the Douzelage, a town twinning association of towns across the European Union. As of 2019, its members are: Agros, Cyprus Altea, Spain Asikkala, Finland Bad Kötzting, Germany Bellagio, Italy Bundoran, Ireland Chojna, Poland Granville, France Holstebro, Denmark Houffalize, Belgium Judenburg, Austria Kőszeg, Hungary Marsaskala, Malta Meerssen, Netherlands Niederanven, Luxembourg Oxelösund, Sweden Preveza, Greece Rovinj, Croatia Sesimbra, Portugal Sherborne, England, United Kingdom Sigulda, Latvia Siret, Romania Škofja Loka, Slovenia Sušice, Czech Republic Tryavna, Bulgaria Türi, Estonia Zvolen, Slovakia Other twin towns Borșa, Romania Cēsis, Latvia Daugavpils Municipality, Latvia Estenfeld, Germany Harbin, China Jēkabpils, Latvia Ludza, Latvia Ozurgeti, Georgia Pabianice, Poland Provadia, Bulgaria Tamsalu, Estonia Viesīte, Latvia References External links The murder of the Jews of Rokiškis during World War II, at Yad Vashem website. More information on