The Jews of Kovno who survived the violent rampage that accompanied the occupation of this town on June 24 were given a month to move to two ghetto districts in Slobodka, on either side of the main street—the "large ghetto" and "small ghetto." The area was encircled with barbed wire and heavily guarded, including German soldiers stationed at the gates. Some 29,760 Jews lived in the sealed ghetto before mass murder operations began in August.