Many Lithuanian Jews - who could afford it - sent their wives to
Koenigsberg to give birth. The reason? - quality of medical care. I
heard it >from a woman who grew up in the 1920's-30's in Kovno, but the
"tradition" must have started much earlier.

Regarding Memel, there were relatively few Jews as permanent
residents. Memel was a port city and a point of departure for many,
but not a destination city to "emigrate easily" >from in the future.
Nearby Shavli, *in* the Pale of Settlement, was home to twice as many
Jews.

Boris Feldblyum