In the interwar period, Podbrodzie, as it was known in Polish, was administratively located in the Święciany County in the Wilno Voivodeship of Poland.

After the joint German-Soviet invasion of Poland, which started World War II in September 1939, the town was occupied by the Soviets, who handed it over to Lithuania, to eventually re-occupy it in 1940.

On September 1, the rest of the Jewish population was moved into a ghetto that was established on two streets, previously inhabited by Christians.

The ghetto was open, so many of its residents escaped at the end of the month, after rumors about the forthcoming Aktion had spread.

[1] Policemen continued searching for Jewish escapees, gathered them in groups and shot them on the outskirts of town.