Koenigsberg now. "Historically, these are primordially Slavic lands"

The climate in Kaliningrad is transitional from maritime to temperate continental, with an abundance of cloudy days and precipitation. Due to the influence of the Gulf Stream, the world's largest warm current, winter in Kaliningrad is somewhat milder than in other cities at the same latitude, with frequent thaws and precipitation. Summer will appeal to those who do not tolerate heat above 35 ° C - here such marks are rare, and the average temperature in July-August is 22 ° C.

Story

The history of the city on Pregolya can be divided into two main periods - Prussian-German and Russian - they are qualitatively different from each other, but are closely interconnected. Such a combination of such different historically significant cultures determines the original and unique image of modern Kaliningrad.

Where did it all start? Mentions of the inhabited eastern coast of the Baltic Sea are found in many ancient Greek historians and date back to the 4th-3rd centuries BC. e. More developed southern civilizations called the inhabitants of the Pregolya valley "estia", which means "living in the east". Romans and Greeks were attracted by trade relations with local communities: for many centuries they sailed to these lands for the sun stone - amber.

In the ninth century A.D. e. for the peoples living in the east, the nickname "Prussians" was gradually assigned, which is directly related to our ancestors. The fact is that after Kievan Rus joined European civilization, the inhabitants of the Baltic countries ceased to be the most eastern people. They became those who live "before the Russians", in other words - the Prussians.

By the 10th century, at the confluence of the Pregol River into the Baltic Sea, a permanent settlement of Tvangste took shape. Its inhabitants were engaged in farming on the fertile lands of the river valley, and also collected amber and sold it to foreign merchants, whose ships called into the local port.

The first turning point, which abruptly changed the vector of historical development, was 1255, when the crusaders paid attention to the prosperous trading town. The powerful Teutonic Order easily conquered peaceful lands and, as a sign of their power, founded the castle of Konigsberg on a rocky shore. The name of the medieval fortress, which later became fixed outside the city, is translated from the Germanic language as "King's Mountain".

In the following decades, in order to avoid Prussian uprisings against the new government, the lands near the castle were actively settled by the Germans, who successfully assimilated with the local people. The favorable location of Koenigsberg contributed to the growth of the city near the fortress and even the emergence of new settlements in the immediate vicinity. So, in 1300, Lebenicht appeared, which, although closely adjacent to the original building, had the status of an autonomous settlement. At the same time, Koenigsberg began to be called Altstadt ("old town"). In 1327, the duet of towns near Pregolya turned into a trio: Kneiphof, a settlement on the island of the same name (now Kant Island), formed by the river and its tributary, joined them. This ensemble successfully existed until 1724, until it was united into a single city of Koenigsberg.

The year 1724 became notable for present-day Kaliningrad not only as a long-awaited unification. On April 22, a boy was born in a completely ordinary family of artisans, who became the most famous and revered resident of the city. We are talking, of course, about the founder of classical German philosophy, Immanuel Kant, who lived all his life in his native Königsberg, where he died at the age of 79.

During the Seven Years' War in 1758, the city was captured by the Russians and belonged to them until 1762, when Catherine II, who came to power, liberated the occupied lands as a sign of reconciliation.

The 19th and early 20th centuries were a period of active cultural and economic growth for Koenigsberg. At this time, the city acquired a number of public and residential buildings in the Art Nouveau and Neo-Gothic styles, pleasing to the eye with natural lines and intricate patterns. Many gardens and parks appeared with seating areas, and a railway station was built and one of the first airports in Europe called Devau (1919).

On the night of November 9-10, 1938, which went down in world history as "Crystal", the Jewish districts of Koenigsberg suffered at the hands of the Nazis who came to power. During mass pogroms and fires, the New Liberal Synagogue was completely destroyed - one of the most beautiful buildings not only in the city, but throughout Germany.

The restoration (more precisely, the construction of a new one on the site of the destroyed one) of the Jewish shrine was discussed only in 2011.

In August 1944, the city was bombed by British aircraft as part of Operation Retribution: many architectural monuments, including the Königsberg Castle, suffered significant damage.

On April 6, 1945, Soviet troops under the command of Marshal A.M. Vasilevsky came close to Koenigsberg. Fierce fighting continued for more than 3 days, but on the evening of April 9, a red banner was already fluttering over the city. The victory cost our army 3,700 lives, while the Germans paid for the loss with 42,000 killed soldiers.

April 9, 1945 is the second, and, to date, the last, turning point in the history of Kaliningrad, marking the end of the Prussian-German period. Later in the same year, the heads of state of the anti-Hitler coalition decided to transfer East Prussia to the Soviet Union.

On July 4, 1946, the already domestic Koenigsberg was renamed Kaliningrad in memory of the great revolutionary and party leader M. I. Kalinin, whose monument to this day majestically rises on the square in the city center.

In 1946-1949. the active deportation of the German population and the settlement of the Kaliningrad region by Soviet residents took place here.

The period of Soviet power for the culture and history of Kaliningrad can hardly be called favorable. At this time, monuments of German architecture, the legacy of ancient Prussia, were actively destroyed. Among other things, in 1968, the Königsberg Castle was completely destroyed, the walls of which were witnesses to more than 700 years of the city's history. The main direction of the development of Kaliningrad in the 20th century was the strengthening of industrial power and the consolidation of the region as a Russian territory.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kaliningrad became the westernmost region of the country, its "representation" in Europe. Since 1991, the former Koenigsberg has been open to international economic and socio-cultural relations. Honoring the history of the past days, the inhabitants of the city are proactively restoring its historical appearance, from which it exudes a certain intelligence and high taste.

Attractions

Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Kaliningrad, and it is not surprising, because there are more than 500 cultural heritage sites collected on the principle of "a little bit of everything". A variety of interesting places allows you to get acquainted with the history and unique cultural content of Kaliningrad in a relatively short time, enjoy the beauty of nature and relax on the friendly Baltic coast (provided that the traveler is not too lazy to spend an hour and a half on the road to the Curonian Spit, because in the very there is no sea city).

Amber Museum

The most famous landmark of the city is the Amber Museum, located on the shores of Lake Superior on Marshal Vasilevsky Square, 1. The building itself - the Don Tower - is of considerable interest to tourists. This is a wonderful example of fortification architecture of the mid-19th century with elements of medieval decor, which visually gives the tower a couple of hundred years.

The museum includes two groups of expositions: natural-science and cultural-historical. Here, inquisitive tourists can not only get comprehensive information about the origin and industrial use of the most beautiful and mysterious mineral, but also enjoy ancient and modern jewelry collections made from the “tears of the sea goddess Jurata”. Especially for the youngest visitors, employees regularly organize educational contests, quizzes and master classes.

The Amber Museum in Kaliningrad is open to the public from May to September seven days a week, and from October to April on all days except Mondays. The cost of visiting is 200 rubles for adults, 100 rubles. - for students, 80 rubles. - for students. There are also a large number of preferential days, the schedule of which can be found on the website www.ambermuseum.ru.

It is worth starting acquaintance with the history of the city from the Kaliningrad Regional Museum of History and Art, located on the banks of the Lower Pond (Klinicheskaya St., 21). The exposition is divided into 5 thematic parts, each of which occupies a separate room:

• nature - a description of the flora and fauna of the Kaliningrad region, ecosystems of rivers and numerous lakes. Here you can also enjoy a faithfully recreated panorama of the Baltic Sea;
• archeology - the oldest chronicle of the surroundings, from the time of the Vikings and the ancient Prussians to the period of the conquest of territories by the crusaders;
• the history of the region - the life of the region during the reign of the Teutonic Order and further, before the start of the Second World War, here visitors can learn about the life, traditions and rituals of this era;
• the war is perhaps the most emotional part of the exposition, illustrating the difficult and tragic events of 1938-1945;
• "Horizons of Memory" is a story about the history of Kaliningrad as a Russian city, the peculiarities of the settlement of the region in the post-war period, the development of industry and culture in the Soviet era.

This museum is open daily, except Monday, from 10.00 to 18.00. The cost of visiting for adults is 60 rubles, there are discounts for schoolchildren and students.

The Kaliningrad Regional Museum of History and Art has a developed network of branches, visiting which can reward tourists with many memorable experiences. It is recommended to visit at least the following:

• Museum "Dugout" (ul. Universitetskaya, 1) - located in the bomb shelter of the headquarters of the German troops. The exposition reveals many unique and dramatic details of the storming of the city and post-war events: about the help of the anti-fascist Germans, about the fate of civilians and the fate of prisoners of war, about the identification of nameless graves from the Second World War.
• Museum "Sculpture Park" (Kant Island or Central) is a favorite place for relaxation and evening walks. Here is a collection of 30 statues of different authors from all over the post-Soviet space. All the sculptures, one way or another, are connected with the life of the city. Each of them has its own story, which you can get acquainted with by ordering a thematic tour. If facts and legends are not of much interest to visitors, you can simply walk along the shady alleys, enjoying the silence and species diversity of the arboretum, open around the clock for free visits.

It is impossible to pass by the unique Museum of the World Ocean - the only marine complex of this scale in all of Russia. The main pavilion is located on the embankment of Peter the Great, but the expositions of the historical and cultural centers "Great Embassy" (King's Gate, Frunze St., 112) and "Ship's Sunday" (Friedrichsburg Gates, Portovaya St., 39) are also branches. The unique museum introduces guests to the nuances of the relationship between man and the ocean in many ways: it presents collections of marine flora and fauna, including a beautiful aquarium, highlights the history of the study of world waters, shows the best examples of the Russian navy, and much more. The features of visiting, the cost and ordering of excursions can be found on world-ocean.ru.

State Center for Contemporary Art

city ​​gate

For those who are attracted by architecture - a monumental trace of civilizations - it will be useful to know that, despite all the destruction and reconstruction, there is something to see in Kaliningrad. First of all, these are 7 city gates - traces of fortifications designed to protect the settlement from enemies. To look at them, you have to pretty much travel around the city, but it is certainly worth it.

1. Rossgarten Gate (1852-1855) - a typical example of fortification architecture, with turrets, an observation deck and embrasures on the outside.

2. The Brandenburg Gate was created in 1657, and in 1843 it underwent a major restoration, despite which signs of the Gothic style with its pointed peaks are clearly visible in them.

3. Sackheim Gate - is a cultural and historical monument of national importance, made in neo-Gothic style. Since 2013, the Gates art platform has been operating here, on the basis of which photo exhibitions, meetings of contemporary artists, master classes and lectures are regularly organized.

4. Ausfalsky (exit) gates are the most modest gates in Kaliningrad in terms of architectural design, due to their “economic” purpose at the time of construction in the first half of the 17th century.

5. Railway gates (1866-1869) - one of the branches of the Koenigsberg railway used to pass under them, which lost its significance after the Second World War. Today, these gates symbolically separate the 1200 Guardsmen memorial and the park area for recreation.

6. Friedland Gate - the latest neo-Gothic gate-type structure in Kaliningrad, decorated with pointed peaks and sculptures of famous figures of the German past of the city. Today, the Friedland Gate municipal museum functions here, where tourists can get acquainted with the history of pre-war Koenigsberg.

7. King's Gate - outwardly reminiscent of a small castle and are the most prominent representative of neo-Gothic in Kaliningrad. In addition to the patterned turrets, guests are attracted to this gate by the cultural and historical center "Great Embassy", the exposition of which tells about the foreign relations of the old city.

Ruins of the Royal Castle and ancient streets

To feel the atmosphere of the first settlement built on the site of Kaliningrad in the distant 13th century, you must definitely visit the ruins of the Royal (Koenigsberg) castle, now located along Shevchenko Street, 2. Unfortunately, almost nothing remains of the majestic fortress, but since the beginning of the 21st century active archaeological excavations are underway, thanks to which you can get acquainted with fragments of the ancient foundation and elements of the life of the privileged persons of the Middle Ages. The open-air exposition belongs to the Kaliningrad Regional Museum of History and Art.

To create a complete impression of the pearl of the Baltic, it is worth strolling through the quiet streets of the old German districts, the best of which are Amalienau and Maraunenhof. Here, tourists will not find ancient fortresses or majestic monuments, but small villas of the early 20th century, which are found everywhere here, very accurately reflect the aristocratic character of the city.

Central Park of Kaliningrad

For active recreation and entertainment, you need to go to the Central Park, located at the address: Pobeda Avenue, 1. Here you can ride a Ferris wheel and enjoy bird's-eye views of the city, visit the Puppet Theater, relax after a day full of new impressions in a cozy coffee shop or just eat sweets on a bench in the shade of trees. Also, for young and adult visitors, Central Park has prepared many attractions and entertainment events.

What tourists need to know

Kaliningrad is an extraordinary piece of our beautiful homeland, which definitely deserves the attention of even seasoned travelers. Here you don’t have to carry a dictionary with you everywhere, get into trouble because of ignorance of local traditions and customs, endure the pangs of acclimatization, and so on. But, as elsewhere, there are nuances, the knowledge of which can make your stay in this city as comfortable and relaxing as possible.

Accommodation

It’s worth taking care of where to stay in advance, our website can help with choosing an institution and booking rooms. Kaliningrad has an excellent choice of 3- and 4-star hotels, and the prices of apartments will pleasantly surprise tourists. Here you can also find cozy budget hostels. And in order to fully enjoy the atmosphere of an aristocratic city, it is worth renting one of the villas in the old German districts, the prices for which can hardly be called exorbitant.

Kitchen

There are absolutely no problems with food in Kaliningrad, here you can find everything - from street fast food to gourmet restaurants. The cuisine of the region is Russian national dishes seasoned with German traditions. For example, Koenigsberg bugs - they look like ordinary meatballs, but once you try them, you feel something overseas in the shades of taste. There is even an exotic dish in Kaliningrad - smoked Baltic eel - which is unforgivable for tourists not to try. You should also enjoy the delicate almond aroma of Koenigsberg marzipans.

What to bring to memory

In memory of the Baltic pearl of Russia, you should definitely buy amber jewelry. There are also many fancy antiques here, smoked and dried fish are popular with visitors, and, of course, traditional souvenirs with the symbols of the city.

How to get there

The first and most demanding question is: how to get to Kaliningrad? The most convenient option is a plane, regular flights are made here from many air stations in the country. In this case, no additional documents are required to cross a foreign border. Khrabrovo Airport is located 25 km from the city and is connected to it by public transport.

You can get to Kaliningrad by train through the territory of Belarus or Lithuania. If the train goes through Belarus, passengers need to carry only a ticket and a passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation. To cross the Lithuanian border, you will additionally need a special permit, a request for which is automatically sent when buying a ticket. After 26 hours after the issuance of the travel document, it is necessary to find out if the passenger was denied travel through the territory of the Baltic state. You can do this at the box office or at the RZD information desk. Unfortunately, there are no direct bus flights from the main part of Russia to Kaliningrad, so fans of this type of travel will have to travel with transfers in Minsk, Gdansk or Riga. Do not forget about the documents allowing you to stay on the territory of Lithuania or Poland - Schengen or transit visas.

You can also get to Kaliningrad by ferry, which departs from the port of Ust-Luga (150 km from St. Petersburg) and arrives in Baltiysk (about 45 km from Kaliningrad), the journey in this way will take an average of 38 hours.

If you are told that there is nothing to see in Kaliningrad, do not believe it. Yes, his old city with world masterpieces has sunk into oblivion and is built up with the worst examples of Soviet architecture, and yet, in modern Kaliningrad, somewhere around 40% of Koenigsberg. The city is now only slightly larger than it was on the eve of the war (430,000 against 390), and, as it were, turned inside out: there is almost no antiquity in the center, but on the outskirts there is enough for several provincial cities. Yes, and this antiquity itself is not ours, and since in its very essence, it is interesting and unusual here that which in Russia would have passed by without noticing. Here - and.

Two medieval buildings have survived from Königsberg (including the Cathedral), a bit of the 18th century, a grandiose belt of fortifications of the 19th century, but most of its architecture dates back to the 1870-1930s, be it the garden city of Amalienau, the villas of Marauniengof, the proletarian Rathof and Ponart , airfield Devau, stations and railway infrastructure and individual buildings are everywhere. There is also the grandiose Museum of the World Ocean, where there are four ships alone. I suddenly accumulated materials about Kaliningrad for about 12-15 posts, a little less than about Lvov. And in the first of them - basically what did not fit in the rest: I deliberately do not show bright monuments yet - only the everyday buildings of pre-war Königsberg.

The center of Königsberg was destroyed by three blows.
The first was an Anglo-American Air Force raid in August 1944. Like Dresden, Hamburg, Pforzheim and many others, Koenigsberg got into the program of "psychological bombing": the Anglo-Saxons knocked out the historical center with precision. without touching either the stations, or the port, or the factories, or the forts. The scale was, of course, not Dresden - and yet 4,300 people died here in one night ... and most of the historical center.
The next blow was the assault on the city by the Red Army in 1945. Königsberg was one of the most powerful fortresses in the world, and the destruction in that assault was especially large-scale in the north and east. However, oddly enough, this blow to the old city was the least destructive of the three. However, after the war, the city seemed to have shifted to the west, to the former Amalienau, Hufen, Rathof, Juditten. It was these areas, built up at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, that became the historical center of Kaliningrad, while the old Königsberg lay in ruins for another twenty years. Indeed, even 10 years after the war, the city was about half the size of the pre-war one, and therefore there were quite enough surviving houses. In the ruins they searched for valuables; children played; they shot a movie about the war, the houses were gradually dismantled into bricks, and in general, many here still remember what the Royal Castle looked like.
Only in the 1960s did the authorities take care of using the "dead city", and this was the third, control strike on the old Königsberg - its ruins were simply demolished, and the vacant place was built up with high-rise buildings. And in general, having arrived in Kaliningrad and found a panel district of the worst kind on the site of Altstadt, Lobenicht, Kneiphof, it is easy to think that there is nothing more interesting further. And this is not true at all:

I lived for two weeks north of Amalienau, in a kind of "dormitory area" of the 1920s and 30s between Karl Marx Avenue and Borzov Street. Their architecture in German is simple and rhythmic. On the first day of my stay, it rained cold from morning to evening. Katerina taiohara led me deep into an unfamiliar and incomprehensible city, talking about how, after the First World War, the devastated, but not broken in spirit, Germans invented an "ideal city" for ordinary people:

As you can see, there is a lot in common between the German pre-war period (mainly of the "Weimar" era) and early Soviet architecture - the same low-rise buildings, the same spacious courtyards-squares and wide green streets. But in the USSR, cottages were almost never built - and here they are all outskirts, and I lived in one of these (not these specifically):

One of the first discoveries for me was these houses - sort of townhouses of the 1920s:

The main "feature" of which is the bas-reliefs and sculptures that adorn each entrance. According to Katerina, there was an art academy nearby, and the workshops attached to it supplied the entire area with such decorations. Most of the sculptures have long been broken, "Child and Cat" from the opening frame - one of just a few surviving examples. But the bas-reliefs - what will happen to them? Interesting - the owner of each apartment hung them to his liking, or was the house originally designed that way?

Another notable object in the area is the clock tower. It seems to be (for sure, none of those with whom I spoke knows) - a car repair plant of the 1920s:

Such is the realm of types - both German and Soviet. There are also individual houses of individual projects in this area - again, both new buildings and German ones:

The area to the south looks completely different, between Karl Marx and Mira Avenues, connecting the center with Amalienau. It was formed clearly before the First World War, and it can be correlated with the provincial cities of the Russian Empire, only instead of Art Nouveau there is Jugendstil, and instead of stylizations under Ancient Rus' - stylizations under Old Hansa.

However, there are also many houses here, similar to the interwar period - but still not massive, as in the neighboring area.

One of the many old German schools. As I already wrote, in the German Empire they were numerous and grandiose:

An impressive building on Sovetsky Prospekt, a little short of the main square:

And this, for comparison, is literally the opposite end of the former Königsberg, the Haberberg district near the South Station:

Like , Königsberg impressed me with its details. And as has been said more than once, the German and Austrian approaches here were radically different: if the Austrians almost every house was, in fact, a stand for details, the Germans remember the houses with some one - but very catchy detail. The only exception, perhaps, is these wonderful houses on Komsomolskaya Street (formerly Luisenallee) near the intersection with Chekistov Street, literally strewn with "saz" bas-reliefs. Note that it is very easy to mistake them for Stalinists:

On the same "storyteller houses" there are also such metal gizmos - I don’t even know their purpose:

But more often the Koenigsberg house "does" something like this:

If in Lviv I was most impressed with the details of the doors, in Königsberg - portals:

Moreover, the virtuoso mastery of rhythm made it possible to make them beautiful even near completely utilitarian buildings. And here on the right is a modern creative:

There are a lot of German "artifacts" in Königsberg, including inscriptions (they want him far from the small towns of the region here!):

A collection of stone slabs from one of the houses, the location of which I do not remember. They look suspiciously like tombstones...

But the most memorable are the German bomb shelters that mark hundreds of courtyards here. Königsberg was bombed from the first months of the war, its surroundings were the "patrimony" of the Luftwaffe, and Soviet journalism did not call it the "citadel city" for nothing. Bombari (as they are called here) is one of the most characteristic features of Koenigsberg. This one is in front of the school:

The reminders of those who died storming this citadel are also characteristic. Monuments and almost mass graves in the yards here are a common thing:

And there is a military memorial here in almost every district:

A few more random sketches. A street in the former Altstadt, not far from the place where the famous warehouses of Lastadia stood.

One of the rivers crossing the city, not every old-timer knows the names of most of them:

As in the countries of Eastern Europe, graffiti is popular here - compared to "mainland" Russia, they are more numerous, meaningful and noticeable:

Characteristic TV tower-mast. I came across these somewhere in a dozen and a half cities, most of which are in the western regions of the former USSR:

A very unusual building. There is "flaming gothic", and here - "flaming postmodernism":

And from Koenigsberg there was also paving stones, which looks very strange against the backdrop of Khrushchev.

And old mossy trees with the seal of complex destinies. Trees and pavements - they remember everything:

In the next three posts - about the ghosts of Koenigsberg. What was and what is left.

FAR WEST-2013

City of Kaliningrad first claimed its rights to be present on geographical maps on July 4, 1946. Can this date be considered the date of its foundation? - A philosophical question. Kaliningrad arose on the ruins of Koenigsberg. Therefore, in many sources, the official version is the wording that in 1946 Königsberg was renamed Kaliningrad. However, in 1946, Königsberg was an ashes on which the Soviet people had to establish a new life, building a new city in a socialist guise - so that not a trace of the German imperialist past was left. But Königsberg itself did not appear out of nowhere... Therefore, speaking about the history of Kaliningrad, it is impossible not to tell about all its previous rebirths.

Königsberg - Born of the Crusade

The history of the emergence of Königsberg is connected with the Crusade of the Knights of the Teutonic Order against the Prussian tribes that inhabited the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. Preparations for the Crusade by the Teutonic Order began in 1230. And by 1283, the conquest of the Prussian lands came to the final stage, when the last opportunities for organized resistance among the Prussian tribes dried up, and every Prussian faced a simple choice to die or convert to Christianity. At the same time, crowds of German colonists poured into the conquered lands in droves. Subsequently, the surviving indigenous population of Prussia completely dissolved into the German ethnos, leaving only the poetic name Prussia as a memory.

The basis of the strategy of conquest of Prussia by the Teutonic Order was the castles that grew on the Prussian lands in order to establish power and control over the troubled surroundings. And Königsberg was one of such numerous defensive castles. It was founded in 1255 by the Knights of the Teutonic Order on the site of the Prussian settlement Twangste. Koenigsberg - translated from German means "Royal Mountain". The castle itself has not survived to this day, however, on the territory of the Kaliningrad region there are a large number of order castles with a happier fate.

Talking about the history of Kaliningrad, it would be appropriate to recall that world historical science, as one of the popular versions, classifies the Prussians among the Slavic peoples. This fact is confirmed by some historical documents. But Lomonosov went furthest in his conclusions, who firmly believed that Rurik and his entire squad were Prussians. This is the irony of fate: it is possible that Kaliningrad is the birthplace of Rurik, the founder of the first tsarist dynasty of united Rus'.

As for the history of Koenigsberg itself, in a short time it was possible to turn it into an impenetrable obstacle for the Prussians. He was able to withstand three sieges by the Prussian squads in 1260, 1263 and 1273 and was never captured. And since the development of the Prussian lands by the German colonists, the area around the castle began to acquire settlements. Moreover, residential construction went on with such activity that already at the beginning of the 14th century the castle suddenly turned out to be the geographical center of three cities at once, surrounding it from all sides. These cities were called Altstadt, Löbenicht and Kneiphof. The autonomous existence of these cities continued until 1724, when all three cities were administratively merged into one, which became known as Königsberg, in accordance with the name of the castle.

Königsberg - from the citadel of the Teutonic Order to social life

However, the ambitions of the Teutonic Order with the conquest of the Prussians rushed to neighboring lands. So, as a result of the military campaign of 1308-1309, the crusader knights expanded their possessions at the expense of Poland, opening in their favor East Pomerania with Gdansk. And for a whole century, the Teutonic Order turned into an aggressive regional hegemon.

The clear threat looming over Poland from the Teutonic Order provoked its rapprochement with Lithuania. In 1385, two hitherto feuding states concluded the Union of Kreva. And in 1409, Poland and Lithuania opposed the Teutonic Order in a united front in the Great War, which began with an uprising in Samogitia. In the decisive battle on July 15, 1410, which historians called the Battle of Grunwald, the allied army of Poland and Lithuania won. As a result of the defeat, the Teutonic Order was forced to agree to territorial concessions, abandoning Samogitia and the Dobrzyn land. With this defeat began the decline of the Teutonic military glory. And the next major military campaign, which is usually called the war of cities in 1454-1466 in historical literature, was the last in the history of the Teutonic Order.

Without going into details of the course of the war, I note that by 1466, despite the support of some German principalities, the once mighty Teutons turned into helpless whipping boys. As a result, the Teutonic Order was forced to give up vast landholdings and recognize itself as a vassal of Poland. Moreover, the capital of the Teutonic Order, Marienburg Castle, was also on the list of territorial losses. After the loss of Marienburg, the residence of the Grand Master moved to Königsberg, which actually became the new capital.

The next important milestone in the fate of Prussia and Koenigsberg was 1525, when the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order Albrecht of Brandenburg, with the consent and support of Poland, adopted Protestantism and declared Prussia a secular duchy. At the same time, he deprived the Teutonic Order of all property rights, and changed his title of Grand Master to the title of Duke. Thus, the Duchy of Prussia, formed in 1525, became the first Protestant state in Europe. In addition, Duke Albrecht was noted in the history of Königsberg as the main educator, contributing to the opening of the first printing house by Hans Weinreich in 1523, and in 1544 establishing the first university.

Koenigsberg - on the way from Prussia to the German Empire

After the death of Albrecht, the Duchy of Prussia comes under the control of the viceroyal aspirations of the Electors of Brandenburg, which is facilitated by the conclusion of a dynastic marriage between John Sigismund and Anna of Prussia, Albrecht's daughter and sole heiress. True, for the official unification of Brandenburg and Prussia, the consent of Poland was necessary, in relations with which the Prussian duchy still retained vassal dependence. At the same time, Brandenburg did not have enough of his own forces to persuade Poland to agree. However, in 1657, the supreme Brandenburg-Prussian ruler Frederick William I had a lucky chance - during the Swedish-Polish war, he successfully supported the Swedish king Charles X in the three-day battle near Warsaw, which made Poland more accommodating. – And so the united state of Brandenburg-Prussia arose. And in 1701 it was transformed into the Kingdom of Prussia. In this connection, on January 18, 1701, the coronation of the first king of Prussia, Frederick I, took place in Königsberg. True, Berlin was determined to be the actual capital of the united state, where the residence of the Prussian kings was located, and Königsberg was assigned only the honorary mission of the place of coronation. In general, the unification of Brandenburg with Prussia was more like an absorption. By the way, the territories of the Prussian duchy, after joining the united kingdom, were called East Prussia. And from that moment on, Koenigsberg had to get used to the provincial status of the outskirts.

The wars that raged in Europe in the 18th-19th centuries did not greatly disturb the peace of Königsberg. Among all the events of those times associated with him, I see only one episode of interest. - During the Seven Years' War in January 1758, the Russian army occupied Koenigsberg without a fight. After that, the townspeople eagerly swore allegiance to the Russian Empress Elizabeth I. The loyalty of the inhabitants of East Prussia was facilitated by the abolition of the exactions that were levied in favor of the Prussian king, and the abolition of compulsory military service, also established by the will of the Prussian king Frederick William I. East Prussia stayed in the composition Russian Empire until 1762, until Peter III, who ascended the throne after the death of Elizabeth Petrovna, returned all the conquests of the Russian army as part of the truce.

Brandenburg, in turn, did not stop at unification with the Prussian duchy. - On January 18, 1871, as the final chord of the Franco-Prussian war in Versailles, the confused world community was confronted with the fact of the emergence of a new formidable force in the person of the German Empire, which united all German states under the unified authority of the Prussian king. The involvement of East Prussia in the new powerful empire, which was experiencing an economic upswing, had a positive effect on Königsberg, which, like the whole of Germany, rushed along the path of industrial development. The end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries can be considered the point of maximum prosperity of Königsberg. And here is a small digest of the most significant infrastructure achievements of that time in Königsberg:

• In 1874, the first city water supply network was put into operation.
• The stock exchange building was built in 1875
• In 1875, the Greening Union was created, through the efforts of which Königsberg was turned into a garden city with many well-groomed parks and shady streets in the next two decades.
• In 1880, work began on laying the city sewer
• The first tram line opened in 1895
• In 1896, the Königsberg Zoo was opened
• The Queen Louise Theater was built in 1912.

However, the appearance of a powerful circular defense system on the outskirts of the city, which included numerous forts, bastions, ramparts and walls, which turned Königsberg into an impregnable fortress, should be singled out as the most significant construction of the late 19th century. So the German Empire was preparing for new conquests.

Königsberg after World War I

The expansionist mood of the German Empire eventually provoked the outbreak of the First World War. However, Germany overestimated its capabilities, the war ended ingloriously for it: many territories were taken away from it, and its economy, exhausted by long years of war, was additionally burdened with gigantic indemnities. In addition, the revolution that broke out in November 1918 eliminated the monarchy, turning Germany into a republic. However, East Prussia found itself in the most difficult situation - as a result of the redistribution of the German borders by the victorious powers, it was isolated from the rest of the German lands, the so-called "Polish corridor". In addition, East Prussia suffered more than other provinces from the First World War, since from the very beginning it was on the front flank of fierce battles. True, hostilities bypassed Koenigsberg. The formidable appearance of the year-fortress gave peace and tranquility to its inhabitants and complete preservation of the beauty of its streets and squares.

Nevertheless, the post-war years for Koenigsberg were the years of the most acute economic crisis. And to improve the financial well-being of the city, they tried to find any opportunities. The emergence of the tourist brand "Königsberg - the city of Kant" is associated with this period of time, which encouraged tourists from all over the world to come to East Prussia for a holiday. However, the most successful project for Königsberg was the Eastern Fair. For the first time, the Eastern Fair opened in 1920, and since 1922, Soviet Russia has become its permanent participant. The Eastern Fair turned out to be a goldmine for Koenigsberg, and the development of economic ties with Russia became its especially significant direction. The fair occupied an area of ​​60,000 square meters, the entrance to it was located in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe modern Victory Square. At the moment, several buildings related to the Eastern Fair have been preserved in Kaliningrad:

• The building of trade missions - now the mayor's office of Kaliningrad sits in it
• The building of the main restaurant of the Eastern Fair - now it houses the Dynamo gym
• Pavilion "House of Technology" - now it has been turned into a shopping center "Epicenter"

Accession of Königsberg to the USSR

The decline of the history of Königsberg began with the National Socialist Party coming to power in Germany in 1933. However, until the first aerial bombs began to explode in the middle of the old streets, crushing the architectural masterpieces of the old city to dust, Königsberg continued to live in happy ignorance of the impending disaster, sincerely adoring Hitler, resolutely ready to support his adventures. Of the characteristic signs of that time that influenced the appearance of Königsberg, one can cite as an example several burned synagogues and the formation of low-rise forms on the outskirts of workers' quarters with unsightly buildings. The most significant infrastructure project of the Third Reich in Königsberg was the Palmburg Bridge opened in 1935. In other matters, this bridge did not last long ... In January 1945, in order to restrain the advance of the Red Army, it was blown up by order of the commander of the Koenigsberg garrison, Otto Lyash. However, by that time, a wretched ghost, disfigured by landscapes of apocalyptic destruction, remained from the once flourishing garden city.

The greatest destruction to the city was brought by several massive air raids by the British Air Force, carried out in August 1944. Moreover, all the destructive power of the bombing of the British air aces fell not on the defensive fortifications, but on the historical center of the city. He completed the destruction of the capital of East Prussia by storming the city in April 1945 by the forces of the 3rd Belorussian Front under the command of Marshal Vasilevsky. The assault was preceded by a powerful artillery preparation, which lasted 4 days. On April 6, along the entire perimeter of the defensive structures, the Red Army went on the offensive. And already on April 9, 1945, at 21:30, Otto Lyash signed the act of surrender.

With the end of the war, Koenigsberg and the northern part of East Prussia were transferred to the Soviet Union during the division of Germany in accordance with the Potsdam agreements. And finally, the fact of the redistribution of the former Prussian possessions between Poland and the USSR was recorded by the Allied Control Council on February 25, 1947.

Kaliningrad - new life on the ruins of Koenigsberg

However, with the end of the war, the beginning of the time of creation did not come for Königsberg. Unlike thousands of Soviet cities, blessed with peaceful construction, they were in no hurry to restore it. For the Soviet leadership did not have the final certainty that Königsberg would forever be transferred to the USSR. Therefore, in the first post-war years, the attitude towards Königsberg was barbaric - it was used as a source of resources for the restoration of Leningrad and Riga. The entire coastal part of the city was systematically cleaned up: for the sake of building bricks, which were immediately loaded onto barges for transportation to the east, even relatively solid, miraculously surviving buildings were dismantled. In parallel with the cleansing of the city ruins, the process of Russification began - all streets and squares received Russian names, and on July 4, 1946, Koenigsberg itself was named Kaliningrad in honor of Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin, the first Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In order to develop new territories, since 1946, the Soviet government began a large-scale resettlement program. Moreover, the resettlement took place by no means by force and on very attractive terms. Therefore, there turned out to be much more people willing to move than planned, in connection with which they even began to select applicants for resettlement on a competitive basis. By the time the hostilities ended, about 20 thousand Germans remained in Königsberg, at first they were actively involved in cooperation, and they did not experience any oppression. However, in 1947, every one of them was deported to Germany.

The phase of active construction in Kaliningrad began in 1947. Moreover, the priority attention of the Soviet authorities was given to issues of economic development. And the main bet was made on the enterprises of the fishing, processing complex and shipbuilding. Also, some factories that existed during the German Empire were restored - for example: several pulp and paper mills and a car building plant. And of course, a special place in the economy of Kaliningrad was occupied by the Kaliningrad Amber Plant, established in 1948, which became the world's largest enterprise for the extraction and processing of amber. The Soviet government did not disregard the education system, in addition to schools and vocational schools, a powerful scientific base was created in the city for the development of higher education. In particular, in Kaliningrad were opened: Rybvtuz - Kaliningrad Technical Institute of the Fishing Industry and Economy, the Pedagogical Institute, the Higher Nautical School.

In architectural terms, all the lost historical buildings of the city center were eventually filled with typical houses of the Khrushchev and Brezhnev eras. Of course, the main historical loss of Kaliningrad is the Königsberg Castle, the remains of which were finally liquidated in 1967. Only a part of the foundation with cellars now remains on the site of the castle, but this entire territory is surrounded by a blank fence, above which the unfinished House of Soviets rises in a cubic shape. To the greatest extent, the historical buildings of Königsberg have been preserved on the outskirts. The areas that have preserved their historical appearance to the greatest extent include Amalienau, Ratshof, Maraunenhof. Speaking in modern terms, these are areas - in the vicinity of Prospekt Mira and in the northern part of the Upper Pond.

In terms of tourism, throughout the Soviet period, Kaliningrad remained a closed territory for visiting foreign tourists - which was due to the large number of military garrisons in its vicinity.

The latest history of Kaliningrad

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Kaliningrad region, like the whole country, found itself in an economic crisis, which primarily affected the industry, but trade and the service sector were among the favorites of the new economic model. A certain help for the region was the abolition of secrecy, which contributed to the development of tourism. To the delight of tourists, the taste for elegant architectural forms returned to Kaliningrad, a symbol of which was the restoration of the Cathedral on Kant Island. And from the new architectural acquisitions, one can single out Victory Square, on which only a monument to Lenin flaunted in Soviet times, and now a huge white-stone temple with golden domes rises above it, and the square itself is decorated with illuminated fountains, a triumphal column, and, well, several shopping centers are also a composition do not spoil. In general, Kaliningrad, despite all the economic difficulties of the new period, continues to develop, becoming more attractive and hospitable from year to year.

Kaliningrad is a unique city in many respects, with an amazing history, shrouded in many mysteries and mysteries. The architecture of the times of the Teutonic Order intertwined with modern buildings, and today, walking along the streets of Kaliningrad, it is difficult to even imagine what kind of view opens 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 on the site of modern Kaliningrad lived in the first millennium BC. Remains of stone and bone tools were found at the site of tribal camps. 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 the Germanic tribes, but there are also Roman coins issued approximately in the 1st-2nd century AD. Until the XII century AD. these territories also suffered from Viking raids.


Fort destroyed by war

But it was only in 1255 that the settlement was finally captured. The Teutonic Order not only colonized these lands, but also gave the city a new name - King's Mountain, Koenigsberg. For the first time, the city fell under Russian rule in 1758, after the Seven Years' War, but less than 50 years later, Prussian troops recapture it. During the time that Königsberg was under the rule of Prussia, he radically changed. A sea canal, an airport, many factories, a power station were built, and a horse tram was put into operation. Much attention was paid to the education and support of art - the Drama Theater, the Academy of Arts were opened, the university began accepting applicants on Paradnaya Square.


Kaliningrad today

Here, in 1724, the famous philosopher Kant was born, 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 population of the city reached 372 thousand people. And Koenigsberg would have developed and grown if the Second World War had not begun. Hitler considered this city one of the key ones, he dreamed of turning it into an impregnable fortress. He was impressed by the fortifications around the city. German engineers improved them, equipped concrete pillboxes. The assault on the defensive ring turned out to be so difficult that 15 people received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for the capture of the city.


Soviet soldiers storm Koenigsberg

There are many legends about the secret underground laboratories of the Nazis, in particular about Königsberg 13, where psychotropic weapons were developed. There were rumors that the Fuhrer's scientists were also actively studying the occult sciences, trying to have an even greater influence on the minds of people, but there is no documentary evidence of this.


Such fortifications were erected around the perimeter of the city.

During the liberation of the city, the Germans flooded the dungeons and blew up part of the passages, so it still remains a mystery - what is there, behind tens of meters of debris, maybe scientific developments, or maybe untold riches ...


Ruins of Brandenburg Castle

It is there, according to many scientists, that the legendary amber room, taken out of Tsarskoe Selo in 1942, is located.

How a German city became Soviet

In August 1944, the central part of the city was bombed - the 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 attached to the RSFR, and a little later, five months later, it was renamed Kaliningrad.


View of the surroundings of Königsberg

In order to avoid possible protest moods, it was decided to populate the new city with a population loyal to the Soviet regime. In 1946, more than twelve thousand families were transferred to the Kaliningrad region "voluntarily-compulsorily". The criteria for the selection of migrants were agreed in advance - the family must have at least two adults, able-bodied people, it was strictly forbidden to move "unreliable", 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 for two, in neighboring apartments with those who had recently been a sworn enemy. Skirmishes happened often, cold contempt gave way to fights.

The war took a huge toll on the city. Most of the agricultural land was flooded, 80% of industrial enterprises were either destroyed or seriously damaged.

The terminal building was seriously damaged, only the hangars and the flight control tower remained from the grandiose structure. Given that this is the first airport in Europe, enthusiasts are dreaming of a revival of its former glory. But, unfortunately, funding does not allow for a full-scale reconstruction.


Plan of Königsberg 1910

The same sad fate befell the house-museum of Kant, a building of historical and architectural value, literally falling apart. It is interesting that in some places the German numbering of houses has also been preserved - the count goes not by the buildings, but by the entrances.

Many old 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 erected in the 14th century, has been rebuilt several times since then, and is now recognized as an architectural monument, as indicated by a plaque on a stone wall. But if you look into the patio, you can find a playground, installed modern double-glazed windows. Several generations have been living here for several generations, who have nowhere to move.

City of Kaliningrad(former Koenigsberg) occupies the position of a semi-exclave in relation to the Russian Federation: they do not have a common border. The region is adjacent to Lithuania and Poland, has direct access to the non-freezing Baltic Sea. Such a convenient location allows the city to have a sustainable development. In recent years, Kaliningrad has been recognized as the best Russian city several times.

Born in the second half of the 13th century, the castle of Königsberg (“royal mountain”) is closely connected with the history of the knights of the Teutonic Order. It was they who moved their capital here from Poland. And then they contributed to the development of the Duchy of Prussia, where power belonged entirely to the church hierarchy. Cities flourished around the fortress:

• Altstadt
• Lebenicht
• Kneiphof

They were destined to unite with Koenigsberg, which became the capital of the Prussian state in 1724. A few years later, the capital of Prussia became a Russian city for a short time as a result of the defeat of the "Prussians" by the Russian troops in the Seven Years' War.

Historians tend to assess the four-year period of Russian rule as positive for the development of the city. The industrialization of Koenigsberg began later, when woodworking and shipbuilding were developed.

By the beginning of the First World War, the city had become a major international trading port and at the same time was a German exclave after the defeat of Germany in the war. It was separated from the country by the Polish corridor. This affected the development of the territory: Konigsberg was the most backward German city due to its distance from Germany. This is how he entered World War II.

In 1944, British aircraft destroyed the central part of the city, historical monuments and thousands of civilians were damaged. In April 1945, Soviet troops under the command of Marshal Vasilevsky successfully completed the assault on Koenigsberg, achieving the complete surrender of the German troops.

The future fate of the Prussian city was finally decided after the complete victory of the Soviet troops - according to the Potsdam decision, part of the Prussian lands, together with Koenigsberg, went to the Soviet Union, and in July 1946 the city was renamed Kaliningrad and became the center of the region of the same name. A new era began in the history of the ancient Prussian city.

The latest history of Kaliningrad

In the Soviet period of development of Kaliningrad, we distinguish several stages:

1. Great Migration of Nations. In 1946, at the call of the government, citizens from all Soviet republics began to move to the Kaliningrad region. This determined the multinational composition of the region. The Germans left the city and rushed to Germany.
2. Fight against destruction. Kaliningrad was almost completely destroyed: enterprises, transport, water supply and sewerage did not work. The settlers had to work hard to restore the national economy, buildings and houses. Their work was appreciated by the award - the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
3. In isolation. With the collapse of the USSR, the position of the regional center and the entire region deteriorated. With the entry of Lithuania into the European Union, Russian citizens could not enter the region without a foreign passport and visa. The Government of Russia, in order to develop an isolated territory, is carrying out a set of events related to the 750th anniversary of the city's formation and the 60th anniversary of its entry into Russia.
4. From support to development. In 2003-2007, the region improves the indicators of socio-economic development, becomes the second region (after St. Petersburg) in the North-Western Federal District. Receives recognition from the Council of Europe.
5. Industrial giant. The region assembles cars, complex household appliances, develops furniture production, and strengthens the positions of light and food industries. Shipbuilding is being further developed at the Baltic Shipbuilding Plant Yantar OJSC. A regime of a special economic zone is being introduced in the region, in which 34,000 enterprises of various types of ownership operate. 67 percent of all enterprises are concentrated in Kaliningrad.

Population and climate

About 450,000 people live on an area of ​​220 square kilometers, according to official figures. In fact, the population of Kaliningrad has exceeded half a million citizens due to legal labor migrants from the republics of the former Soviet Union.

According to the ethnic composition in Kaliningrad live:

• Russians
• Ukrainians
• Belarusians
• Armenians
• Tatars
• Lithuanians
• Germans
• Poles.

It should be noted that the former indigenous peoples in the structure of the national composition of Kaliningrad make up half a percent - about 2 thousand people.

Kaliningrad was recognized as the best city in Russia in terms of amenities and a place where it is pleasant to live. The unemployment rate in the regional center does not exceed 0.5 percent, while in the region this figure was 1 percent of the economically active population (as of the end of 2014). More than half of the unemployed are women of working age. 38 percent of the unemployed Kaliningraders are rural residents.

There is an overabundance of certified lawyers and electronics installers in the labor market. Medical workers and construction workers remain in demand on the labor market.

Half of all pensioners in the region live in Kaliningrad - more than 120 thousand people. The average salary in Kaliningrad is 32 thousand rubles, which is 2.5 thousand rubles more than in the region as a whole. The highest salaries - up to 45 thousand rubles - are at mining enterprises.

The climatic conditions of living in the region can be called favorable. The weather is influenced by the non-freezing Baltic Sea and the warm Gulf Stream. Winter here is warmer than on the mainland, spring is early and long. The same can be said about autumn, the beginning of which coincides with the calendar. The swimming season in the Baltic begins in mid-June - the summer period is moderately cool.

Kaliningraders love the mild Baltic winter, the average temperature of which is within zero degrees. Often, the January weather is overshadowed by severe storms. Extremely low January temperatures are rather an exception. Despite the proximity of the sea, the average annual air humidity does not exceed 80 percent.