Kapyĺ

• Type — Town • Name — Kapyl • Other Name — Kopyl • Shield Size — 75 • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Belarus • Subdivision Type1 — Region • Subdivision Name1 — Minsk Region • Subdivision Type2 — District • Subdivision Name2 — Kapyl District • Established Title — First mentioned • Established Date — 1274 • Established Title2 — Town rights • Established Date2 — 1652 • Population As Of — 2026 • Population Total — 9,767 • Time Zone — MSK • Utc Offset — +3 • Postal Code Type — Postal code • Postal Code — 223 910, 223 927 • Area Code — +375 1719 • Custom Label Sec1 — License plate • Custom Data Sec1 — 5

Kapyl, first mentioned in 1274, was a walled town that was noteworthy by the 14th century, and is listed in the atlas of Ortelius of 1574. During the 14th century the town was part of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In 1395 it came into the possession of Prince Vladimir Olgerdovich and his heirs, the Olelkovich family, where it remained until 1612. Kapyl was part of the dowry of Zofia Olelkowicz Słucka and was one of the seven fortified towns left to her husband Janusz Radziwill upon her death in 1612. Kapyl was attacked by the Tatars numerous times and was sacked on at least one occasion during the 16th century. On August 27, 1652, King King John II Casimir Vasa granted Kapyl Magdeburg rights and its own seal, a coat of arms depicting a hunting horn on a gold field. John II Casimir also established local markets and annual horse and cattle fair. During the 16th century weaving became established in the town, including the production of velvet. Six guilds came into existence as a result of the growth of the weaving industry. The town rights were confirmed in 1658, 1665 and 1706. • Illustration — Former Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul After the Second Partition of Poland in 1793 Kapyl became part of the Russian Empire. From 1832 it became a personal holding of Prince Wittgenstein. During the 19th century local businesses included a brewery, 2 water mills, and 6 shops. Other local institutions included 3 schools, churches (including a Calvinist church), and 2 Jewish synagogues. Towards the end of the 19th century Kapyl had over 350 houses and over 2000 inhabitants. At that time a majority of the town's population was Jewish. By 1900 the Jewish population was 2,671. In 1924, Kapyl became the capital city of the Kapyl District. During World War II the Slutsk-Kapyl area was the subject of a German military operation code-named Erntefest II (Harvest Festival) which ended in February 1943. Although ostensibly aimed at suppressing the activities of Soviet partisans in the area the operation resulted in the deaths of 2,325 of the local inhabitants (against the loss of six German soldiers), which can only be characterized as a campaign of genocide and terror. One of Kapyl district's major architectural monuments is a 19th-century church in the town itself. • Illustration — Local museum

• Abraham Jacob Paperna, educator and author • Mendele Mocher Sforim, author • Renald Knysh, gymnastics coach • Zmicier Zhylunovich, writer and political leader

• Joniškis, Lithuania