Hollywood star Sean Penn’s grandfather came from which town in Lithuania?

Penn’s grandfather was at that time not called Penn, but Pinon, and was born in 1897 on October 12 in the picturesque town of Merkinė in the south of Lithuania.

Merkinė is a town in the Dzūkija National Park, located at the confluence of the Merkys and Neman Rivers. The town is the location of The Mount of Queen Bona, a mound which was the site of an ancient hill-fort overlooking the rivers.

Related Post

The PBS show in the United States, the History Detectives, helped Penn discover his Lithuanian roots but the investigators were not able to find the exact house where his grandfather lived in the southern Lithuanian town.

Merkinė had a large Jewish (Litvak) population before World War II but most were killed in the Holocaust in Lithuania. Penn’s grandfather escaped that fate by moving to the United States.

Share

Recent Posts

  • Tribune

Historical novel by Kazakh writer Ermek Tursunov “Mamluk”in Lithuanian language presented in Vilnius

On the eve of the Independence Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on December 13,…

4 days ago
  • Foreign affairs

After Nausėda meeting with Budrys, the opposition retorts to the candidate’s “cooling off “

Kęstutis Budrys, the President's Senior Adviser, who has been nominated for the post of Minister…

1 month ago
  • Tribune

Rediscover Bulgaria’s Ancient Heritage: Plovdiv’s Restored Eastern Gate and Nebet Tepe

In the heart of Bulgaria, the city of Plovdiv reveals a rich tapestry of ancient…

1 month ago
  • Foreign affairs

“No need to mince words”: an assessment of what Trump’s victory means for Lithuania

"We can shout very loudly, but it won't change the position of the American people,"…

2 months ago
  • Latest

Lies, disrespect and mockery: experts assess Blinkevičiūtė’s “gift” to voters without scruples

From mocking messages flooding social networks to harsh criticism from political experts, the decision of…

2 months ago
  • Foreign affairs

Another year in the sovereign history of Kazakhstan

Republic Day has been celebrated in Kazakhstan as the main national date since 2022, giving…

2 months ago