Ablinga | |
Settlement Type: | Village |
Coordinates: | 55.7322°N 21.7006°W |
Pushpin Map: | Lithuania |
Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of Ablinga |
Subdivision Type: | Country |
Subdivision Type1: | Ethnographic region |
Subdivision Name1: | Lithuania Minor |
Subdivision Type2: | County |
Subdivision Name2: | Klaipėda County |
Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
Subdivision Name3: | Klaipėda District Municipality |
Subdivision Type4: | Eldership |
Subdivision Name4: | Endriejavas eldership |
Population Total: | 7 |
Population As Of: | 2011 |
Timezone: | EET |
Utc Offset: | +2 |
Timezone Dst: | EEST |
Utc Offset Dst: | +3 |
Ablinga is a village in Lithuania, located 48km (30miles) east of Klaipėda. First mentioned in the 14th century, it had 87 residents in 1923, 97 in 1950, 57 in 1970 and 20 in 1979. The 2011 census recorded village's population of 7 residents.
On June 23, 1941, the second day of the Nazi invasion of Soviet Union, Nazi punitive squadron executed 42 villagers from Ablinga and nearby (28 men and 14 women) and burned down their houses. The motives for this mass killing are not clear. In 1972, in memory of the massacre a sculpture park was established at the Žvaginiai hill fort. The ensemble consists of 30 wooden statues, carved by various Lithuanian folk artists (see dievdirbys) and measuring some in height. The memorial, as the first monumental display of folk sculptures, was an important development in revival and modernization of the traditional Lithuanian art of wood carving and inspired other similar sculpture parks.