Kaliningrad is the most contrasting Russian city. The history of Kaliningrad-Konigsberg is rich interesting facts, outstanding names, significant world events and legends.
The westernmost region of Russia
The Kaliningrad region is the most western point Russian Federation, which is completely cut off from the country. It was formed in 1945 after the Potsdam Conference, by the decision of which the northern part of the liquidated East Prussia passed to the Soviet Union.
The first inhabitants of the territory were Prussians
One of the first inhabitants of this territory (early Middle Ages) were the Prussians, who got their name from ancient name Curonian Lagoon – Rusna. Prussian culture was close to the Letto-Lithuanians and the ancient Slavs.
Founding date of Königsberg: September 1
The founding day of Königsberg is considered to be September 1, 1255 - the date when the Königsberg fortress was built on the site of the burned settlement of Twangste. The fortress was founded by the Master of the Teutonic Order Peppo Ostern von Wertgaint and the King of the Czech Republic Přemysl I Otakar.
City name: Royal Mountain
Until 1946, the city of Kaliningrad was called Königsberg, which translates from German as “royal mountain.” This name is associated with Royal castle on a hill, which the surrounding peoples called differently: Lithuanians Karaliaučius, Poles Krulevec, Czechs Kralovec.
What is the oldest surviving building?
The oldest surviving building in Kaliningrad is the Judditen Church (1288). Located on the street. Tenistaya Alley 39 b.
How long did it take to build the Cathedral?
The most significant historical and architectural object of Kaliningrad is the Cathedral, which was founded on September 13, 1333 and took half a century to build.
Whose residence was Königsberg in the 15th century?
In 1457, the Königsberg fortress became the capital and residence of the leader of the Teutonic Order after the loss of Marienburg during the Thirteen Years' War.
Königsberg was formed by the merger of which cities and when?
The city of Königsberg was formed on July 13, 1724 by merging the cities of Altstadt, Löbenicht and Kneiphof by order of the Prussian king Frederick William I. Before that, it consisted of many small towns.
How many forts did Königsberg have in 1900?
Königsberg is called the museum of fortification due to the construction of a fortification system in 1900, consisting of 12 large and 5 small forts.
Who and when destroyed Koenigsberg?
In 1944, Königsberg was hit by a devastating bombing during Operation Retribution. British bombers shelled the city center - injured civilians, the old city and many cultural sites were destroyed. The four-day assault forced the city commandant, General Otto von Lyasch, to capitulate, and in 1945 Königsberg was stormed Soviet troops.
Ratings of the Kaliningrad region by area and population
The Kaliningrad region has the most modest area in Russia - 15.1 thousand square meters. km. But in terms of population density, the region is the third in the federation - 63 people/sq. km.
How many streets are there in Kaliningrad?
Kaliningrad is small in population - less than 500 thousand people. But at the same time, the city is rich in streets - more than 700 streets have Russian and old German names.
What fossils are remarkable in the Kaliningrad region?
The Kaliningrad region has been dubbed the “land of amber” - the world’s largest deposit of this stone is located here (the village of Yantarny). This is evidenced by pieces of amber that are constantly washed ashore.
Which Kaliningrad museum has the largest collection in the world of one type of exhibit?
The city has an Amber Museum, which has the largest collection in the world “ sun stone"in more than 1.5 thousand copies. Among them is the largest piece of this mineral in Russia (4.5 kg), as well as the world’s largest panel of amber “Rus” (70 kg, 2984 fragments, 276 by 156 cm).
What is the most famous lake in the Kaliningrad region?
The oldest lake is located in the Kaliningrad region glacial origin- Vishtynets. It is believed that it is 10 thousand years older than the Baltic Sea.
Birds of Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad is a bird-loving region where there are many storks and swans, including rare black swans. Through the Curonian Spit, which is called the “bird bridge”, passes the most ancient path bird migration from northern regions Europe to the south.
German architecture and infrastructure
The city and region have preserved many German parks, roads with paving stones, communications and houses with characteristic tiles. These German islets explain why private sector is not located on the outskirts, but is dispersed throughout the city.
What was the name of the very first university on the territory of modern Russia?
The Albertina University of Königsberg, founded in 1542, is the first higher education institution on the territory of modern Russia.
The most famous philosopher of Königsberg?
Koenigsberg is the birthplace of the outstanding philosopher Immanuel Kant, who never left his beloved city.
Which of the most famous German cultural figures lived in Königsberg?
The romantic writer Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann was born and studied in Königsberg, who changed his name “Wilhelm” to “Amadeus” in honor of Mozart. Famous German scientific and cultural figures also worked here: composer Wagner, philosophers Johann Gottfried Herder and Johann Gottlieb Fichte, artist-sculptor Käthe Kollwitz and sculptor Hermann Brachert.
Prominent personalities of Russia in Konigsberg
Many people have left their mark on the history of the city. outstanding personalities Russia. Peter I, Catherine II, commander M.I. visited here. Kutuzov, poets N.A. Nekrasov, V.V. Mayakovsky, V.A. Zhukovsky, writer A.I. Herzen, historian N.M. Karamzin and artist K.P. Bryullov.
Place of peace of Napoleon and Alexander I
On the territory of today's Sovetsk (Tilsit), one of the cities of the Kaliningrad region, the Peace of Tilsit was concluded between Napoleon and Alexander I.
Russian historical ally
Historically, Prussia has more often acted as an ally of Russia than as an enemy. After Seven Years' War Russia ruled the city for 4 years. It was on this territory that Napoleon was first defeated in the 1807 Battle of Preussisch-Eylau (Bagrationovsk).
Proximity to Europe
From Kaliningrad to the border with Poland 35 km, with Lithuania - 70 km, and to the Russian city of Pskov as much as 800 km. It is not surprising that there is no Russian accent in the local dialect, but there is a German, Polish or Lithuanian word.
Kaliningrad weather
The Kaliningrad climate is characterized by high humidity and frequent rain (approximately 185 days a year). At the same time, the climate is mild with an average annual temperature of 8 °C - higher only in the most southern cities Russia.
Kaliningrad time
Kaliningrad time is plus 1 hour to Moscow time, so Kaliningraders celebrate the New Year an hour later.
Green city
The city is surrounded by greenery due to numerous parks, there are botanical garden and arboretum, orchards. In spring, everything turns into a blooming paradise - trees bloom, a lot of snowdrops.
Diversity of cultures and traditions
Kaliningrad is a city in which residents of the entire territory live former USSR. From 1945 to the present day they work special programs for migrants.
About cars
In Kaliningrad you rarely see a domestic car - the majority of city residents drive imported cars.
International passports
The special location of the city forces every Kaliningrader to apply for a foreign passport almost from birth. Otherwise, they will not be able to get to Russia by land, but only by plane.
Kaliningrad-Konigsberg is an amazing city that you want to unravel and study.
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Western outpost of Russia: On April 7, 1946, the Königsberg region was formed as part of the RSFSR, today - the Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation
The westernmost point of Russia, an enclave surrounded by the territories of Poland and Lithuania, which are not very friendly to us, a military trophy received by right of the winner in World War II...
It would be a mistake to call part of the former East Prussia, which became the Kaliningrad region first of the USSR, and later of Russia, exclusively a trophy - lands taken, albeit by right of the winner, but by force. Two centuries earlier, Königsberg had already managed, although not for long, to be part of Russian Empire, and of their own free will: during the Seven Years' War in 1758, the townspeople swore allegiance to Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, the city and the surrounding area became the Russian General Government.
Later, when Kursk Bulge a turning point had already occurred during the Second World War, and the defeat of Germany became inevitable, during a meeting on December 1, 1943 at Tehran Conference Joseph Stalin justified the need for the Allies to transfer this territory to the USSR: “The Russians do not have ice-free ports on the Baltic Sea. Therefore, the Russians would need the ice-free ports of Königsberg and Memel and the corresponding part of the territory of East Prussia. Moreover, historically these are primordially Slavic lands.”
“The Russians have a historical and well-founded claim to this German territory,” Churchill agreed, “(even during the First World War) the soil of this part of East Prussia was stained with Russian blood.” Anti-Hitler coalition recognized Russia's right to Königsberg and adjacent lands in absentia. All that was left to do was to recapture East Prussia from Germany.
The assault on the Königsberg fortifications began on April 6, 1945. There was only a month left until victory, German forces were running out, but the city, considered a first-class fortress, did not give up without a fight. Tempered over many years of war soviet army, having lost about 3,700 people killed against 42,000 enemy losses, took Königsberg “not by numbers, but by skill.” On April 9, the garrison of the fortress capitulated on the square, today named after Victory, and the red banner of the winners was raised on the Der Dona tower (now the Kaliningrad Amber Museum is located there).
Consolidating the results of World War II, the Potsdam Conference first transferred the north of East Prussia to the temporary administration of the USSR, and soon, during the signing of the border treaty, it finally legitimized the right Soviet Union to this territory. April 7, 1946 By Decree of the Presidium Supreme Council The USSR formed the Königsberg region as part of the RSFSR on the territory of the district.
It was necessary to rename the conquered city in order to finally close the page of its German history. Initially, it was intended to name Königsberg with the neutral name Baltiysk, and even a draft of a corresponding decree was prepared. But on July 3, 1946, the “all-Union headman” Mikhail Kalinin died and, although there was already a city in the Moscow region named in his honor (the current Korolev), the decision to rename it was made: so the city became Kaliningrad.
IN post-war years Kaliningrad became one of the most militarized regions of the Soviet Union. The region's ice-free ports remain largest base The Baltic Fleet of the USSR, and later Russia. During the collapse of the Union, the Kaliningrad region, although cut off from the rest of the country by the territory of Lithuania and Poland, remained part of Russia: unlike Crimea, which was transferred to Ukraine in 1991, Kaliningrad always remained part of the RSFSR.
The creation of the Schengen zone, the gradual deterioration of relations with EU countries, and international sanctions have complicated the life of the “Russian island on the map of Europe.” Against the backdrop of the annexation of Crimea to Russia, some European politicians lately allow themselves to come up with a proposal to “reconsider the provisions of the Potsdam Treaty” and return the Kaliningrad region to Germany. There is only one answer to this: to those who propose to “reconsider” the results of the Second World War, Russia can “re-show” them.
There was a Prussian fortress Tuvangste (Tvangste, Tvangeste). History has not left reliable information about the founding of Tvangste and descriptions of the fortress itself. According to legend, the Tvangste fortress was founded by Prince Zamo in the middle of the 6th century. There is information about an attempt to establish a settlement near the mouth of the Pregel, undertaken at the end of the 10th century by Khovkin, the son of the Danish king Harald I Blue-lipped. German chronicles for 1242 contain information about negotiations between the deputies of the city of Lübeck and the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Gerhard von Malberg, about the founding of a free trading city on a mountain on the banks of the Pregel.
In the mid-13th century, the toponym Twangste extended to the Prussian fortified settlement, the mountain on which it was located, and the surrounding forest.
The Tvangste fortress was taken and burned at the beginning of 1255 during the campaign of the united army of the knights of the Order and the Bohemian king Přemysl Otakar II. There is a legend according to which King Otakar II advised the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Poppo von Osterne, to build an order fortress on the site of Tvangste. The foundation of the Koenigsberg fortress took place in early September 1255. The first commander of Königsberg was Burkhard von Hornhausen.
There are several versions of the origin of the name Königsberg. The most common version associates the name of the Königsberg fortress, Royal Mountain, with King Otakar II. According to her, the fortress and future city were named after the King of Bohemia. Other versions of the origin of the toponym associate it with the Vikings or Prussians. Perhaps “Konigsberg” is a form of “Konungoberg”, where “konung”, “kunnigs” are “prince”, “leader”, “head of the clan”, and the word “berg” can mean both “mountain” and “steep, high bank" In Russian chronicles and maps until the end of the 17th century, the toponym Korolevets was used instead of the name Koenigsberg.
The first two wooden blockhouses were built on the mountain on the right bank of the Pregel in 1255. Koenigsberg was first mentioned in a document dated June 29, 1256. In 1257, construction of stone fortifications began to the west of the blockhouses. In 1260, 1263 and 1273, the castle was besieged by the rebel Prussians, but was not taken. Since 1309, Königsberg Castle has been the residence of the Marshal of the Teutonic Order.
On February 28, 1286, the Landmaster of Prussia, Konrad von Thirberg, granted the settlement that arose near the castle walls the status of a city based on the Kulm law. Most likely, the settlement was originally named after the castle - Koenigsberg. However, later, with the emergence of neighboring settlements, it received the name Altstadt, translated from German language meaning "old city". The settlement that arose east of the castle was named Neustadt (New Town). Neustadt was later renamed Löbenicht, and on May 27, 1300, Löbenicht received city rights from the commander of Königsberg, Berthold von Brühaven. On an island located south of Altstadt, a settlement was formed, originally called Vogtswerder. In 1327, the settlement on the island received city rights. In the charter granting city rights it is called Knipav, which most likely corresponds to the original Prussian toponym. Since 1333, the city was called Pregelmünde, but gradually the original name in the Germanized form – Kneiphof – was established.
The cities of Altstadt, Löbenicht and Kneiphof had their own coats of arms, city councils, burgomasters, and were members of the Hanseatic Trade Union from the 14th century.
In 1325, under the leadership of Bishop Johannes Claret, construction of the Cathedral began on the island of Kneiphof. In a document dated September 13, 1333, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Luther von Brunswick, agreed to continue construction of the cathedral; this date is considered the official start date of construction. The construction of the Cathedral was completed in 1380. In the winter of 1390-1391, an English detachment under the command of the Earl of Derby, the future King of England Henry IV Lancaster, stayed in Konigsberg.
After the loss of Marienburg (Malbork, Poland) in the Thirteen Years' War in 1457, Grand Master Ludwig von Erlichshausen moved the capital of the Teutonic Order to Königsberg. In 1523, Hans Weinreich, with the assistance of Grand Master Albrecht, opened the first printing house in Königsberg in Löbenicht, in which the first book was printed in 1524. On April 8, 1525, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order Albrecht of Brandenburg-Ansbach concluded the Peace of Krakow with the King of Poland Sigismund I, as a result of which Teutonic Order was secularized and the Duchy of Prussia was formed. Königsberg became the capital of Prussia. In 1544, a university was opened in Königsberg, which later received the name Albertina in honor of Duke Albrecht. Since 1660, publishing began in Königsberg. city newspaper. In May 1697, as part of the Great Embassy, Russian Tsar Peter I visited Koenigsberg under the name of nobleman Peter Mikhailov, having lived in the city for about a month. Later, Peter I visited the city in November 1711, June 1712, February and April 1716.
On January 27, 1744, Sophia Augusta Frederica von Anhalt-Zerbst-Dornburg, the future Russian Empress Catherine II, passed through Königsberg from Stettin to St. Petersburg. On January 11, 1758, during the Seven Years' War, Russian troops entered Königsberg, after which, on January 24, in the Cathedral, representatives of all city classes took the oath of allegiance Russian Empress Elizaveta Petrovna. Until 1762, the city was part of the Russian Empire. In 1782, the city's population was 31,368. In 1793, the first obstetrics and gynecology institution opened in the city. On August 8, 1803, an earthquake occurred in Königsberg.
After the battles of Preussisch-Eylau in January and Friedland in June, Königsberg was occupied by the French army on June 15, 1807. On July 10-13, 1807 and June 12-16, 1812, Napoleon Bonaparte stayed in the city. On the night of January 4–5, 1813, the French army left Königsberg, and around noon on January 5, troops of the Russian corps under the command of Pyotr Christianovich Wittgenstein entered the city.
In 1813, a astronomical observatory, of which he became director outstanding mathematician and astronomer Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel. In 1830, the first (local) water supply system appeared in the city. In 1834, in the Königsberg laboratory, Moritz Hermann Jacobi demonstrated the world's first electric motor. On July 28, 1851, the Königsberg Observatory astronomer August Ludwig Busch took the first photographic photograph of a solar eclipse in history. On October 18, 1861, Wilhelm I, the future Kaiser of Germany, was crowned in Königsberg. In 1872-1874, the first city water supply network was built, and in 1880 work began on laying the city sewerage system. In May 1881, the first horse-drawn route opened in Königsberg; in 1888, the city’s population was 140.9 thousand people; in December 1890, 161.7 thousand people. To protect the city, a defensive ring of 15 forts was built along its perimeter by the mid-1880s. In May 1895, the first trams ran along the streets of Königsberg. In 1896, the Königsberg Zoo was opened, with Hermann Klaas (1841-1914) becoming its director.
The population of Königsberg in 1910 was 249.6 thousand inhabitants. In 1919, Germany's first airport, Devau Airport, was opened in Königsberg. On September 28, 1920, German President Friedrich Ebert opened the first East Prussian fair in Königsberg, located on the territory of the zoo, and later in special pavilions. In 1939, the city had 373,464 inhabitants.
During World War II, Koenigsberg was repeatedly bombed from the air. The first raid on the city was carried out by Soviet aviation on September 1, 1941. 11 Pe-8 bombers took part in the raid, none of which were shot down. The bombing produced a certain psychological effect, but no significant casualties or destruction were caused. April 29, 1943 Pe-8 bomber from the Aviation long range The USSR dropped a bomb weighing 5 tons on Koenigsberg for the first time. On the night of August 27, 1944, the 5th Group of the Royal Air Force Great Britain, consisting of 174 Lancaster bombers, carried out a raid on the city, during which the eastern outskirts were bombed, and the Royal Air Force lost 4 aircraft. The most massive and terrible raid on Koenigsberg was carried out by the British Air Force on the night of August 30, 1944. 189 Lancasters dropped 480 tons of bombs, killing 4.2 thousand people, destroying 20% of industrial facilities and 41% of all buildings in the city, and the historical center of the city was razed to the ground. During the raid, napalm bombs were used for the first time. Losses Royal Air Force amounted to 15 bombers.
As a result of the East Prussian offensive operation of the Red Army, by January 26, 1945, Koenigsberg found itself under siege. However, already January 30 tank division "Greater Germany"and one infantry division from the side of Brandenburg (now the village of Ushakovo) and the 5th tank division and one infantry division from the side of Königsberg pushed back the troops of the 11th Guards Army 5 kilometers from Frisches Haff Bay, releasing Königsberg from the southwest. 19 February, counter attacks along the northern shore of the Frisches Huff Bay from Fischhausen (now the city of Primorsk) and Koenigsberg broke through the defenses of the 39th Army and restored communication between Koenigsberg and the Zemland Peninsula.
From April 2 to April 5, 1945, Koenigsberg was subjected to massive artillery strikes and air raids. On April 6, troops of the 3rd Belorussian Front began an assault on the fortress city. The bad weather did not allow the full use of aviation; by the end of the day, assault troops and groups had reached the outskirts of the city. On April 7, the weather improved and Königsberg was subjected to massive bombardment. On April 8, the Red Army troops advancing from the north and south split the enemy group into two parts. 4th german army General Müller attempted to assist the Koenigsberg garrison with a strike from the Zemland Peninsula, but these attempts were stopped Soviet aviation. By evening, the defending Wehrmacht units found themselves sandwiched in the city center under continuous attacks from Soviet artillery. On April 9, 1945, the commandant of the city and fortress of Königsberg, General Otto von Lyash, ordered the garrison to lay down their arms, for which Hitler was sentenced in absentia to death penalty. The last pockets of resistance were eliminated on April 10, and the Red Banner was hoisted on the Don tower. More than 93 thousand German soldiers and officers were captured, about 42 thousand died during the assault. Irrevocable losses The Red Army directly during the assault on Koenigsberg amounted to 3.7 thousand people.
The capture of Königsberg was celebrated in Moscow with 24 artillery salvoes from 324 guns, and a medal “For the Capture of Königsberg” was established - the only one Soviet medal, established for the capture of a city that was not the capital of the state. After the end of World War II, according to the decisions of the Potsdam Conference, the city of Königsberg was transferred to the Soviet Union.
On June 27, 1945, the Koenigsberg Zoo, in which after the April assault only five animals remained: a badger, a donkey, a fallow deer, a calf elephant and the wounded hippopotamus Hans, received its first post-war visitors.
By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on July 4, 1946, Koenigsberg was renamed Kaliningrad. The city was populated by settlers from other regions of the Soviet Union, German population by 1948 he was deported to Germany. Due to the important strategic location and a large concentration of troops, Kaliningrad was closed to visitors foreign citizens. In the post-war years special attention was paid to the restoration of production, issues of preserving historical and cultural values were of secondary importance and were often completely ignored. In 1967, by the decision of the first secretary of the Kaliningrad regional committee of the CPSU N.S. Konovalov Konigsberg Castle, seriously damaged during the British air raid in August 1944 and the assault on the city in April 1945, was blown up. The demolition of ruins and a significant part of the surviving buildings continued until the mid-1970s, which caused irreparable damage to the architectural appearance of the city.
Since 1991, Kaliningrad has been open to international cooperation.
by Notes of the Wild MistressKaliningrad is a unique city in many ways, with an amazing history, shrouded in many mysteries and secrets. The architecture of the Teutonic Order is intertwined with modern buildings, and today, walking along the streets of Kaliningrad, it is difficult to even imagine what kind of view will open around the corner. This city has more than enough secrets and surprises - both in the past and in the present.
Königsberg before the war
Koenigsberg: historical facts
The first people lived on the site of modern Kaliningrad back in the first millennium BC. Remains of stone and bone tools were discovered at tribal sites. A few centuries later, settlements were formed where artisans who knew how to work with bronze lived. Archaeologists note that the finds most likely belong to Germanic tribes, but there are also Roman coins issued approximately in the 1st-2nd centuries AD. Until the 12th century AD These territories also suffered from Viking raids.
War-torn fort
But the settlement was finally captured only in 1255. The Teutonic Order not only colonized these lands, but also gave the city a new name - King's Mountain, Königsberg. The city first came under Russian rule in 1758, after the Seven Years' War, but less than 50 years later, Prussian troops recaptured it. During the time that Königsberg was under Prussian rule, it was radically transformed. A sea canal, an airport, many factories, a power plant were built, and a horse-drawn horse was put into operation. Much attention was paid to education and support of art - the Drama Theater and the Academy of Arts were opened, and the university on Parade Square began accepting applicants.
Kaliningrad today
He was born here in 1724 famous philosopher Kant, who did not leave his beloved city until the end of his life.
Monument to Kant
World War II: battles for the city
In 1939, the city's population reached 372 thousand people. And Koenigsberg would have developed and grown if the Second World War had not begun. world war. Hitler considered this city one of the key ones, he dreamed of turning it into impregnable fortress. He was impressed fortifications around the city. German engineers improved them and equipped concrete pillboxes. The assault on the defensive ring turned out to be so difficult that for the capture of the city, 15 people received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
Soviet soldiers storm Königsberg
There are many legends telling about the secret underground laboratories of the Nazis, in particular about Konigsberg 13, where psychotropic weapons were developed. There were rumors that the Fuhrer's scientists were actively studying the occult sciences, trying to exert an even greater influence on the consciousness of people, but there was no documentary evidence of this.
Such fortifications were erected along the perimeter of the city
During the liberation of the city, the Germans flooded the dungeons and blew up some of the passages, so it still remains a mystery - what is there, behind tens of meters of rubble, maybe scientific developments, or maybe untold riches...
Ruins of Brandenburg Castle
It is there, according to many scientists, that the legendary amber room, taken from Tsarskoe Selo in 1942.
In August 1944, the central part of the city was bombed - British aviation implemented the “Retribution” plan. And in April 1945 the city fell under the onslaught of Soviet troops. A year later it was officially annexed to the RSFSR, and a little later, five months later, it was renamed Kaliningrad.
View of the surrounding area of Königsberg
To avoid possible protest sentiments, new city it was decided to settle with those loyal to Soviet power population. In 1946, more than twelve thousand families were “voluntarily and forcibly” transported to the Kaliningrad region. The criteria for selecting migrants were specified in advance - the family must have at least two adults, able-bodied people, it was strictly forbidden to relocate “unreliable” people, those who had a criminal record or family ties with "enemies of the people".
Gate of Königsberg
The indigenous population was almost completely deported to Germany, although they lived for at least a year, and some even two, in neighboring apartments with those who had recently been sworn enemies. Clashes happened often, cold contempt gave way to fights.
The war caused enormous damage to the city. Most of the agricultural land was flooded, 80% industrial enterprises were either destroyed or seriously damaged.
The terminal building was seriously damaged; all that remained of the grandiose structure were the hangars and the flight control tower. Considering that this is the first airport in Europe, enthusiasts dream of reviving its former glory. But, unfortunately, funding does not allow for a full-scale reconstruction.
Plan of Königsberg 1910
The same sad fate befell the Kant House Museum; a building of historical and architectural value is literally falling apart. It is interesting that in some places the German numbering of houses has been preserved - the counting is not by buildings, but by entrances.
Many ancient churches and buildings are abandoned. But there are also completely unexpected combinations - several families live in the Taplaken castle in the Kaliningrad region. It was built in the 14th century, since then it has been rebuilt several times, and is now recognized as an architectural monument, as stated on the sign on the stone wall. But if you look into the courtyard, you will find a children’s playground and modern double-glazed windows installed. Several generations have already lived here and have nowhere to move.
70 years ago, on October 17, 1945, by decision of the Yalta and Potsdam conferences, Koenigsberg and the surrounding lands were included in the USSR. In April 1946, a corresponding region was formed as part of the RSFSR, and three months later its main city received a new name - Kaliningrad - in memory of the “All-Union Elder” Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin, who died on June 3.
Inclusion of Königsberg and surrounding lands in Russian-USSR composition had not only military-strategic and economic importance, and was Germany’s payment for the blood and pain inflicted on the Russian superethnos, but it also had a deep symbolic and historical significance. After all, since ancient times, Prussia-Porussia was part of the huge Slavic-Russian world (superethnos of the Rus) and it was inhabited by the Slavic Porussians (Prussians, Borossians, Borussians). Later, the Prussians living on the shores of the Venedian Sea (Wends is one of the names of the Slavic Russians inhabiting Central Europe) were recorded as Balts by “historians” who rewrote them to suit the needs of the Romano-Germanic world. However, this is a mistake or deliberate deception. The Balts were the last to emerge from the single superethnos of the Rus. Back in the XIII-XIV centuries. The Baltic tribes worshiped gods common to the Rus, and the cult of Perun was especially powerful. The spiritual and material culture of the Rus (Slavs) and the Balts was almost the same. Only after the Baltic tribes were Christianized and Germanized, suppressed by the matrix Western civilization, they were separated from the superethnos of the Rus.
The Prussians were slaughtered almost completely, as they showed extremely stubborn resistance to the German “dog knights”. The remnants were assimilated, deprived of memory, culture and language (finally in the 18th century). Just as before this, their kindred Slavs, the Lyutichs and the Obodrichs, were exterminated. Even during the centuries-old battle for Central Europe, where the western branch of the superethnos of the Rus lived (for example, few people know that Berlin, Vienna, Brandenburg or Dresden were founded by the Slavs), many Slavs fled to Prussia and Lithuania, as well as to the Novgorod land. And the Novgorod Slovenes had thousands of years of ties with the Rus Central Europe, which is confirmed by anthropology, archeology, mythology and linguistics. It is not surprising that it was the Western Russian prince Rurik (Falcon) who was invited to Ladoga. He was no stranger to Novgorod land. And during the battle of the Prussians and other Baltic Slavs with the “dog knights,” Novgorod supported its relatives and supplied.
In Rus' the memory of common origin with the Porussians (Borussians) remained for a long time. The greats traced their origins to the Rus (Prussians) of Ponemanya. Vladimir princes. Ivan the Terrible, an encyclopedist of his era, wrote about this, having access to chronicles and annals that did not survive to our time (or were destroyed and hidden). Many noble families The Russians traced their ancestry to Prussia. So, according to family tradition, the ancestors of the Romanovs left for Rus' “from Prussia.” The Prussians lived along the Rossa (Rusa) River, as the Neman was called in its lower reaches (today the name of one of the river branches is preserved - Rus, Rusn, Rusne). In the 13th century, the Prussian lands were conquered by the Teutonic Order. The Prussians were partly destroyed, partly driven out to neighboring regions, and partly reduced to the status of slaves. The population was Christianized and assimilated. The last speakers of the Prussian language disappeared in early XVIII century.
Königsberg was founded on a hill on the high right bank in the lower reaches of the Pregel River on the site of a Prussian fortification in 1255. Otakar and Grand Master Teutonic Order Poppo von Ostern founded the Order fortress of Königsberg. The troops of the Czech king came to the aid of those who were defeated by local population knights, who, in turn, were invited to Prussia Polish king to fight the pagans. Prussia for a long time became a strategic springboard for the West in the fight against Russian civilization. First against Rus'-Russia, including Lithuanian Rus' ( Russian state, in which official language was Russian), fought the Teutonic Order, then Prussia and German Empire. In 1812, East Prussia became the focus of a powerful group of French troops for a campaign in Russia, shortly before the start of which Napoleon arrived in Königsberg, where he held the first reviews of troops. The French troops also included Prussian units. During the First and Second World Wars, East Prussia was again a springboard for aggression against Russia and more than once became the scene of brutal battles.
Thus, Rome, which was then the main command post Western civilization, acted on the principle of “divide and conquer,” pitting the peoples of the Slavic civilization against each other, weakening them and “absorbing” part by part. Some Slavic Russians, like the Lyutichs and Prussians, were completely destroyed and assimilated, others, like the Western Glades - Poles, Czechs, submitted to the Western “matrix”, becoming part of European civilization. We have observed similar processes in the last century in Little Rus' (Little Russia-Ukraine), especially accelerated in the last two or three decades. The West is rapidly turning the southern branch of the Russians (Little Russians) into “Ukrainians” - ethnographic mutants, orcs who have lost the memory of their origin, are quickly losing native language, culture. Instead, the death program is loaded, the “orc-Ukrainians” hate everything Russian, Russians and become the spearhead of the West for a further attack on the lands of Russian civilization (the superethnos of the Rus). The masters of the West gave them one goal - to die in battle with their brothers, weakening Russian civilization with their death.
The only way out of this civilizational, historical catastrophe is the return of Little Rus' to a single Russian civilization and the denazification of the “Ukrainians”, the restoration of their Russianness. It is clear that this will take more than one decade, but as history and the experience of our enemies show, all processes are manageable. Kharkov, Poltava, Kyiv, Chernigov, Lvov and Odessa must remain Russian cities, despite all the machinations of our geopolitical opponents.
The first time Koenigsberg almost became Slavic again was during the Seven Years' War, when Russia and Prussia were opponents. In 1758, Russian troops entered Königsberg. Residents of the city swore allegiance to the Russian Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Until 1762 the city belonged to Russia. East Prussia had the status of a Russian general government. However, after the death of Empress Elizabeth, Peter III came to power. Once in power, Emperor Peter III, who did not hide his admiration for the Prussian king Frederick II, immediately stopped military operations against Prussia and concluded the St. Petersburg Peace Treaty with the Prussian king on conditions extremely unfavorable for Russia. Pyotr Fedorovich returned to Prussia the conquered East Prussia (which by that time had already been four years integral part Russian Empire) and abandoned all acquisitions during the Seven Years' War, which was practically won by Russia. All the sacrifices, all the heroism of the Russian soldiers, all the successes were wiped out in one fell swoop.
During World War II, East Prussia was the Third Reich's strategic springboard for aggression against Poland and the Soviet Union. East Prussia had a developed military infrastructure and industry. The German Air Force and Navy bases were located here, which made it possible to control most of Baltic Sea. Prussia was one of the most important regions of the German military-industrial complex.
The Soviet Union suffered enormous losses, human and material, during the war. Not surprisingly, Moscow insisted on compensation. The war with Germany was far from over, but Stalin looked to the future and expressed the Soviet Union's claims to East Prussia. Back on December 16, 1941, during negotiations in Moscow with A. Eden, Stalin proposed to attach an agreement on joint actions to the draft secret protocol(were not signed), which proposed separating East Prussia and part of it with Koenigsberg to be transferred to the USSR for a period of twenty years as a guarantee of compensation for losses incurred by the USSR from the war with Germany.
At the Tehran Conference, in his speech on December 1, 1943, Stalin went further. Stalin emphasized: “The Russians do not have ice-free ports on the Baltic Sea. Therefore, the Russians need the ice-free ports of Königsberg and Memel and the corresponding part of East Prussia. Moreover, historically these are primordially Slavic lands.” Judging by these words, Soviet leader not only realized strategic importance Koenigsberg, but also knew the history of the region (the Slavic version, which was outlined by Lomonosov and other Russian historians). Indeed, East Prussia was an “original Slavic land.” During the conversation between the heads of government during breakfast on November 30, Churchill said that “Russia needs to have access to ice-free ports” and “... the British have no objections to this.”
In a letter to Churchill dated February 4, 1944, Stalin again addressed the problem of Königsberg: “As for your statement to the Poles that Poland could significantly expand its borders in the west and north, then, as you know, we agree with this with one amendment. I told you and the president about this amendment in Tehran. We claim that the north-eastern part of East Prussia, including Königsberg, as frost-free port, went to the Soviet Union. This is the only piece German territory, which we claim. Without satisfying this minimal claim of the Soviet Union, the concession of the Soviet Union, expressed in recognition of the Curzon line, loses all meaning, as I already told you about this in Tehran.”
Moscow's position on the issue of East Prussia on the eve of the Crimean Conference is set out in a brief summary of the note of the Commission on Issues peace treaties And post-war structure“On the Treatment of Germany” of January 12, 1945: “1. Changing the borders of Germany. It is assumed that East Prussia will go partly to the USSR, partly to Poland, and Upper Silesia to Poland...”
UK and USA for a long time tried to push the idea of decentralizing Germany, dividing it into several state entities, including Prussia. At the Moscow Conference of the Foreign Ministers of the USSR, USA and Great Britain (October 19-30, 1943), British Foreign Minister A. Eden outlined the British government's plan for the future of Germany. “We would like,” he said, “to divide Germany into individual states"In particular we would like the separation of Prussia from the rest of Germany." At the Tehran Conference American President Roosevelt proposed discussing the issue of dismembering Germany. He said that in order to “stimulate” discussion on this issue, he would like to outline the plan he personally drew up two months ago for the dismemberment of Germany into five states. So, in his opinion, “Prussia should be as weakened as possible and reduced in size. Prussia should be the first independent part Germany..." Churchill put forward his plan to dismember Germany. He proposed, first of all, to “isolate” Prussia from the rest of Germany. “I would keep Prussia in harsh conditions,” said the head of the British government.
However, Moscow was against the dismemberment of Germany and eventually achieved the concession of part of East Prussia. England and the United States agreed in principle to satisfy Moscow's proposals. In a message to J.V. Stalin received in Moscow on February 27, 1944, Churchill indicated that the British government considered the transfer of Koenigsberg and the surrounding territory to the USSR “a fair claim on the part of Russia... The land of this part of East Prussia is stained with Russian blood, generously shed for a common cause... Therefore, the Russians have a historical and well-founded claim to this German territory.”
In February 1945 it took place Crimean Conference, at which the leaders of the three allied powers practically resolved issues related to the future borders of Poland and the fate of East Prussia. During the negotiations, British Prime Minister W. Churchill and American President F. Roosevelt stated that, in principle, they were in favor of the dismemberment of Germany. The British Prime Minister, in particular, again developed his plan for the separation of Prussia from Germany and “the creation of another large German state in the south, the capital of which could be in Vienna.”
In connection with the discussion at the conference " Polish question" it was essentially decided that "all of East Prussia should not be transferred to Poland. The northern part of this province with the ports of Memel and Koenigsberg should go to the USSR. The delegations of the USSR and the USA agreed to provide compensation to Poland “at the expense of Germany,” namely: parts of East Prussia and Upper Silesia “up to the line of the Oder River.”
Meanwhile, the Red Army had practically resolved the issue of liberating East Prussia from the Nazis. As a result of successful offensives in the summer of 1944, Soviet troops liberated Belarus, part of the Baltic states and Poland and approached the German border in the region of East Prussia. In October 1944, the Memel operation was carried out. Soviet troops not only liberated part of the territory of Lithuania, but also entered East Prussia, surrounding the city of Memel (Klaipeda). Memel was captured on January 28, 1945. The Memel region was annexed into the Lithuanian SSR (a gift from Stalin to Lithuania). In October 1944, the Gumbinnen-Goldapskaya offensive. The first assault on East Prussia did not lead to victory. The enemy had too strong a defense here. However, the 3rd Belorussian Front advanced 50-100 kilometers and took over a thousand settlements, preparing a springboard for a decisive push towards Königsberg.
The second assault on East Prussia began in January 1945. During the East Prussian strategic operation (it was divided into a number of front-line operations), Soviet troops broke through German defense, reached the Baltic Sea and eliminated the main enemy forces, occupying East Prussia and liberating northern part Poland. On April 6 - 9, 1945, during the Königsberg operation, our troops stormed the fortified city of Königsberg, defeating the Königsberg Wehrmacht group. The 25th operation was completed with the destruction of the Zemland enemy group.
Soviet soldiers storm Koenigsberg
At the Berlin (Potsdam) conference of the leaders of the three allied powers on July 17 - August 2, 1945, which took place after the end of hostilities in Europe, the issue of East Prussia was finally resolved. On July 23, at the seventh meeting of the heads of government, the issue of transferring the Königsberg region in East Prussia to the Soviet Union was considered. Stalin stated that “President Roosevelt and Mr. Churchill gave their consent on this matter at the Tehran Conference, and this issue was agreed upon between us. We would like this agreement to be confirmed at this conference.” During an exchange of views, the US and British delegations confirmed their agreement, given in Tehran, to transfer the city of Königsberg and the surrounding area to the USSR.
The minutes of the Potsdam Conference stated: “The Conference considered the proposals of the Soviet government that from now on final decision territorial issues during a peaceful settlement, the part of the western border of the USSR adjacent to the Baltic Sea ran from a point on the Eastern shore of the Bay of Danzig to the east - north of Braunsberg-Holdan to the junction of the borders of Lithuania, Polish Republic and East Prussia. The Conference agreed in principle to the Soviet Union's proposal to transfer to it the city of Königsberg and the surrounding area, as described above. However, the exact boundary is subject to expert research.” In the same documents, in the “Poland” section, the expansion of Polish territory at the expense of Germany was confirmed.
Thus, the Potsdam Conference recognized the need to exclude East Prussia from Germany and transfer its territory to Poland and the USSR. “Expert studies” did not follow this due to changes in the international situation, but this does not change the essence of the matter. There are no deadlines (“50 years”, etc., as some anti-Soviet historians claim) for which Königsberg and the surrounding area were supposedly transferred to the USSR, allied powers not installed. The decision was final and indefinite. Koenigsberg and the surrounding area became Russian forever.
On August 16, 1945, an agreement on the Soviet-Polish state border was signed between the USSR and Poland. In accordance with this document, the Mixed Soviet-Polish Demarcation Commission was formed, and demarcation work began in May 1946. By April 1947, the state border line was demarcated. On April 30, 1947, the corresponding demarcation documents were signed in Warsaw. On April 7, 1946, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issued a Decree on the formation of the Koenigsberg region on the territory of the city of Koenigsberg and the adjacent region and on its inclusion in the RSFSR. On July 4, it was renamed Kaliningradskaya.
Thus, the USSR eliminated a powerful enemy bridgehead in the northwestern direction. In turn, Königsberg-Kaliningrad became a Russian military-strategic bridgehead in the Baltic. We have strengthened the naval and air capabilities of our armed forces in this direction. As Churchill rightly noted, former enemy Russian civilization, but a smart enemy, it was a fair act: “The land of this part of East Prussia is stained with Russian blood, generously shed for a common cause... Therefore, the Russians have a historical and well-founded claim to this German territory.” The Russian superethnos returned some Slavic land, which was lost many centuries ago.
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