Jewish Quarter (Jüdische Volksbank)

A building at the Sukilėlių st. 12 (former Grabenstr.) housed the Jewish Folk Bank. During the interwar period, such banks werw established in almost all the larger towns and cities of Lithuania. Providing small credits to merchants and craftsmen, these banks saved many Jewish families from grave poverty. Due to the peculiar situation of the Territory of Memel (Klaipėda region), the Jewish Folk Bank here also played a rather unusual role – it helped to “Lithuanianize” the region.