ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti θɹˈiː, ðə zˈoʊn wʌz dᵻvˈaɪdᵻd ɐlˈɔŋ ðə mˈɜːkiz ɹˈɪvɚ, lˈiːvɪŋ wˈʌn bˈæŋk tə lˌɪθjuːˈeɪniə ænd ɐnˈʌðɚ tə ðə sˈɛkənd pˈoʊlɪʃ ɹᵻpˈʌblɪk.
In 1923, the zone was divided along the Merkys River, leaving one bank to Lithuania and another to the Second Polish Republic.