Klaipeda District Tourism Information Center

7. Priekule Parish Courthouse complex

The establishment of the courthouse in Priekule is connected with the development of the court system in East Prussia. The Priekule courthouse was established in the first half of the 19th century. Until then, court officials used to come from Klaipėda when necessary. In 1849, the Klaipėda County Court Commission was established in Priekulė. In the second half of the 19th century the Royal County Court was established in Klaipėda. In 1913, there was a county court, a prison, a bailiff, a lawyer and a notary in Priekulė.
Ernst Alexander August Georg Wichert (1831 - 1902) - lawyer, writer, playwright, public figure. He grew up in the large family of the lawyer Johann Friedrich Ernst and Louise (née Marenski) Wichert.  To honour the memory of Ernst Wichert, a memorial plaque was unveiled in 2009 in Priekulė in front of the house at 3 Naujoji gatvė, where he worked as a judge in 1860-1863. In the same year, the amateur theatre of the Priekulė Cultural Centre was given the name of Ernst Vichert. In 2011, on the occasion of the 180th anniversary of Ernst Wichert's birth, the Priekulės Culture Centre established the Ernst Wichert Young Talent Prize funded by the Klaipėda District Municipality, which is awarded annually to schoolchildren from the Klaipėda District for the best achievements in the fields of art, science, sports and social activities.

55.554158, 21.31978 (WGS)