- Iecava
Iecava is a town on the via Baltica in
Bauska County , in theZemgale region of southernLatvia . The town and surrounds has a population of around 15,000.Historically it was called [http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gro%C3%9F_Eckau Gross Eckau] and part of
Courland . It was the scene of a victory over Russian forces by Prussian troops fighting forNapoleon during his invasion of Russia and was also the scene of fighting during the Second World War German retreat from the Soviet Union.Iecava lies 40 km south of
Riga and 23 km north ofBauska and was mentioned in historical documents as early as1492 .South of the city centre lies a park around the former Gross Eckau Estate of the Graf
Pahlen family . Only the foundation walls and some yard buildings remain. The French General Marshal MacDonald, who commanded the Prussian troops who were fighting as part of the Grand Armée, occupied the Gross-Eckau castle during the Napoleonic War with Russia. [http://home.comcast.net/~juneblum/GrossEckau.htm]The church of Iecava dates from the 17th Century but was damaged in various wars and incidents from the Battle at Gross-Eckau 7 July 1812 [http://home.comcast.net/~juneblum/GrossEckau.htm] to the
Second World War and a 1972 fire.Prominent Latvians born there include Friedrich Wilhelm Matisohn (1871-1913).
In addition to farming, the town supports manufacturing enterprises including vegetable oil and white spirits.
References
*Iecavas muiza. Groß Eckau. By I. Lancmanis. Edited by the Rundale Palace Museum, 2001, 72 p., 75 ill. A monographic study devoted to the history of the estate, architecture, works of art and the family of the counts von der Pahlen. Text in Latvian and German with a summary in English and Russian.
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