Šakiai (, ) is a city in the Marijampolė County, Lithuania. It is located west of Kaunas. It is presumed that Šakiai first expanded from Šakaičai village. By 1719 a church in Šakiai was built. By the 19th century Šakiai already had city rights; it also had a school, Catholic and Lutheran churches, a synagogue, and a post office. During World War II the city was destroyed by the German army. History Šakiai is the birthplace of early Zionist philanthropist Isaac Leib Goldberg in 1860. Several massacres of Jewish people are alleged to have taken place in Šakiai in World War II, from July to September 1941. The killings are alleged to have committed by an Einsatzgruppen of German SS troops. The involvement of a small number of Lithuanians is also alleged. Gallery Notable residents Zygmunt Kęstowicz (1921–2007), Polish actor Gvidonas Markevičius (born 1969), basketball player Dainius Adomaitis (born 1974), basketball player and coach Twin towns – sister cities Šakiai is twinned with: Gołdap, Poland References Cities in Lithuania Cities in Marijampolė County Municipalities administrative centres of Lithuania Suwałki Governorate Holocaust locations in Lithuania