Rokiskis Industrial Heritage

During the interwar period, Jews actively developed business in Rokiškis ‒ the vicinity to Latvia presented an excellent opportunity to develop export and import activities. Jews soon established numerous factories and workshops in this crafts and trade hub: to this day, there is a house on Vytauto str. 37 which until the Second World War belonged to Panemunėlis teacher Katelė, who lived with his family on the first floor, and had given up the ground floor to the Jew named Meler, who owned a candy and cardboard factory. The Meler brothers also owned the “London” hotel and this building has survived to this day (Vytauto str. 5). Other business-minded brothers from Rokiškis were I. and Ch. Zametai. In 1928 they established their company “Lietmetalas” in a manor building. The company specialized in the production of agricultural machinery. Thus, the Rokiškis ironware factory “Lietmetalas” and the steam mill are the forerunner of today’s “AB Rokiškio mašinų gamyklos”. It is said that at that time the Zametai brothers were probably the richest people in Rokiškis town, their lavish house stood out in the city and has survived in good condition to this day (Nepriklausomybės sq. 10).

Location: The buildings of the former factory remain in Laisvės str. 19, as well as some of the facilities in Taikos str. 12 and 14.