BRIEF HISTORY:
Telšiai was famous for its photographers since the end of the 19th century. Telsiai was the second town in Lithuania (after Marijampole) where photographers began to capture images of surrounding people and the world. The majority of the photographers were of Jewish origins, for example – Chaim Kaplanski (1860-1935) was a famous portrait photographer, and his daughter – Feitska Kaplanski, became the first female photographer in Telsiai and one of the first in whole Lithuania.
At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries several Jewish owned photo studios worked in town, such as F. Boruchovičius photo studio “Menas“ and H. Leibovitz studio “Dailė.
CURRENT SITUATION:
Collection images captured by the first Telšiai could be seen in Telšiai “Alkos” museum, and one building, which belonged to Jewish photographers, can be seen in Kęstutis street. Currently, a former photo studio building is used as an exhibition hall. “Alka” museum also organizes an educational program “To Remember, but not to Forget”, in which school children can learn about the history of Telšiai Jewish community and their culture.
LOOKING AROUND:
-Jewish photo studio (Kęstučio str.) 55.983391, 22.249006
-Javne Teachers’ seminary (Stoties str. 4) 55.988229, 22.25025
-Soldiers’ Beth Midrash (Aukštoji str. 3) 55.980779, 22.243785
-Artisans’ Beth Midrash (Telšės str. 5) 55.982636, 22.251196
-The Beth Midrash of the Rich (Sinagogos str. 4) 55.984375, 22.252966
-N. D. Krulis Jewish hospital (Gedimino str. 3) 55.980974, 22.237045
-Javne Girls’ Gymnasium (Respublikos str. 49) 55.981469, 22.245876
-Jewish Cemetery (Stoties str.) 55.988296, 22.250029
