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Subate
Town
Subate Saint Michael Roman Catholic Church
Subate Saint Michael Roman Catholic Church
Coat of arms of Subate
Coat of arms
Subate is located in Latvia
Subate
Subate
Location in Latvia
Country  Latvia
Municipality Ilūkste municipality
Town rights 1917
Population
 • Total 1,222
Time zone UTC+2 (EET)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code
LV-5471
Calling code +371 654

Subate is a small town in Latvia, close to the border with Lithuania. About 1,222 people live there. Subate is located in the eastern part of the Zemgale region, about 40 kilometers west of Daugavpils.

History of Subate

Early Beginnings

Subate started as a settlement near a lake. In 1570, a powerful leader named Gotthard Kettler gave land around the lake to the Plater family. They were a very important noble family in southeastern Latvia. This is how "Old Subbath" began.

Two Towns Become One

Over time, the Plater family changed their religion to Catholicism. They wanted to help the people living on their land also become Catholic. Because of this, some people who were Lutheran moved across the lake. They started a new settlement called "New Subbath."

For many years, there were two separate towns: Old Subbath and New Subbath. But in 1894, these two towns officially joined together to form one Subate.

Life in the Town

By the late 1800s, Subate was a busy place. Many Jewish people lived there, making up about half of the population. In 1914, about 2,300 people lived in Subate. The town was known for trading flax, which is a plant used to make fabric. This trade was especially strong with Lithuania.

Subate During Wartime

After World War I, the flax trade became less important for Subate. Sadly, during World War II, the Jewish community in Subate suffered greatly. Most of them did not survive the terrible events of 1941.

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