Varakļāni

• Name — Varakļāni • Type — Town • Image Shield — Varaklani COA.svg • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — Latvia • Subdivision Type1 — Municipality • Subdivision Name1 — Madona Municipality • Established Title — Town rights • Established Date — 1928 • Pushpin Map — Latvia • Pushpin Label Position — above • Pushpin Map Size — 300 • Pushpin Caption — Location in Latvia • Leader Party — LA • Leader Title — Mayor • Leader Name — Māris Justs • Custom Label Sec1 — Number of city council members • Custom Data Sec1 — 9 • Population As Of — formatDate • Population Density Km2 — auto • Population Density Metro Km2 — auto • Postal Code Type — Postal code • Postal Code — LV-4838 • Area Code Type — Calling code • Area Code — +371 648 • Time Zone1 — EET • Utc Offset1 — +2 • Time Zone1 Dst — EEST • Utc Offset1 Dst — +3 • Website — http: www.varaklani.lv/ Varakļāni (Warklany, Warkland) is a town in Madona Municipality and the Latgale historical region of Latvia. The population in 2020 was 1,740.

The town of Varakļāni was founded and established in the Russian Empire in the 18th century. Varakļāni Palace is located in Varakļāni.

Varakļāni had a sizeable population of Jews throughout much of its history, ending with the Holocaust. Towards the end of the 19th century, Jews comprised about 75% of the population. Various pogroms, expulsions, WWI and the Russian Revolutions brought the Jewish population down considerably. Several hundred Jews left with the Russians in preparation of the Nazi advance. The Nazis forced 540 remaining Jews to dig their own graves, and then shot them to death in a mass shooting on 4 August 1941. Jewish historical records, including online resources, contain much information about community leadership, organizations, and general town information.

• Michał Jan Borch, (1753–1810) Polish-Livonian statesman, naturalist and writer • Ray Alexander Simons, (1913–2004) Anti-apartheid activist