#kalinigrad Profile photo for Vladimir Andreeff Vladimir Andreeff · Follow Former Serviceman at Russian Armed Forces (1975–2001)5y Is life in Kaliningrad Oblast different than in other parts of Russia?
Kaliningrad is a wonderful city. It differs from the cities of central Russia by European architecture. The entire Kaliningrad region is an exclave of Russia, since it does not have a common land border with its main territory, but is connected to it by the sea. The bulk of the inhabitants use air transport to visit other areas of the country. By the way, according to the government program, young people and pensioners have a 50% discount on flights to the main cities of Russia and back.
A bit of history of this beautiful land. Starting from the V century, the Prussian tribes lived on the territory of the present Kaliningrad region. By the XI century, the Prussians lived in communities, engaged in agriculture, hunting, fishing and river (coastal) trade. Prussians settled by descent, erecting fortified settlements. Confessed paganism. In 1230, the Pope gives the Teutonic Order the right to baptize the Prussians. The German crusaders, who had interests in eastern Europe, began to colonize new territories, which soon formed the state of the Teutonic Order. Colonization did not pass peacefully - a considerable part of the Prussian leaders fought an active war with the crusaders. Most of the Prussians gradually assimilated, mingling with the mass of German colonists.
For security reasons, German colonists settled at the castle walls, forming the so-called excess. Thus, many cities and towns of the Kaliningrad region, including Koenigsberg (Kaliningrad), arose.
From 1871 to 1918, the territory of East Prussia was part of the German Empire, and from 1919 to 1945 - the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich. Moreover, in 1919-1939 it was separated from the rest of Germany by the territory of independent Poland, which gained access to the Baltic.
In accordance with the Potsdam Agreement of 1945, the northern part of East Prussia (approximately one third of its entire territory) was transferred to the Soviet Union, the remaining two thirds were transferred to Poland.
The German and Lithuanian (Letvininki - Prussian Lithuanians) population was deported to Germany by 1947. The population of the region according to Rosstat for 2019 is 1,002,187 people. More than 86% of the total population are Russians.
I was in the Kaliningrad region in 2014. Rested with my youngest son in the Svetlogorsk military sanatorium. The city of Svetlogorsk is located on the shores of the Baltic Sea. This resort town is famous for its mineral springs and healing mud. In the 30s, many German aristocrats went on vacation to this resort. Now the Russians are using it all. Here are some photos from Svetlogorsk.
The city of Kaliningrad itself surprised me not only with German architecture, but also with how the locals love the history of the city. Historic buildings and fortresses are lovingly restored and are cultural monuments.
Below you see a small part of the grandeur. By the way, a German philosopher, the founder of German classical philosophy, who was on the verge of the Enlightenment and Romanticism Emanuel Kant, lived, worked and died in Koenigsberg.
Featured In Icon for Europe History & Culture Europe History & Culture · Follow Posted by MrProfGenius
invite response
Vladimir Andreeff
·
Follow
Former Serviceman at Russian Armed Forces (1975–2001)5y
Is life in Kaliningrad Oblast different than in other parts of Russia?
Kaliningrad is a wonderful city. It differs from the cities of central Russia by European architecture. The entire Kaliningrad region is an exclave of Russia, since it does not have a common land border with its main territory, but is connected to it by the sea. The bulk of the inhabitants use air transport to visit other areas of the country. By the way, according to the government program, young people and pensioners have a 50% discount on flights to the main cities of Russia and back.
A bit of history of this beautiful land. Starting from the V century, the Prussian tribes lived on the territory of the present Kaliningrad region. By the XI century, the Prussians lived in communities, engaged in agriculture, hunting, fishing and river (coastal) trade. Prussians settled by descent, erecting fortified settlements. Confessed paganism. In 1230, the Pope gives the Teutonic Order the right to baptize the Prussians. The German crusaders, who had interests in eastern Europe, began to colonize new territories, which soon formed the state of the Teutonic Order. Colonization did not pass peacefully - a considerable part of the Prussian leaders fought an active war with the crusaders. Most of the Prussians gradually assimilated, mingling with the mass of German colonists.
For security reasons, German colonists settled at the castle walls, forming the so-called excess. Thus, many cities and towns of the Kaliningrad region, including Koenigsberg (Kaliningrad), arose.
From 1871 to 1918, the territory of East Prussia was part of the German Empire, and from 1919 to 1945 - the Weimar Republic and the Third Reich. Moreover, in 1919-1939 it was separated from the rest of Germany by the territory of independent Poland, which gained access to the Baltic.
In accordance with the Potsdam Agreement of 1945, the northern part of East Prussia (approximately one third of its entire territory) was transferred to the Soviet Union, the remaining two thirds were transferred to Poland.
The German and Lithuanian (Letvininki - Prussian Lithuanians) population was deported to Germany by 1947. The population of the region according to Rosstat for 2019 is 1,002,187 people. More than 86% of the total population are Russians.
I was in the Kaliningrad region in 2014. Rested with my youngest son in the Svetlogorsk military sanatorium. The city of Svetlogorsk is located on the shores of the Baltic Sea. This resort town is famous for its mineral springs and healing mud. In the 30s, many German aristocrats went on vacation to this resort. Now the Russians are using it all. Here are some photos from Svetlogorsk.
The city of Kaliningrad itself surprised me not only with German architecture, but also with how the locals love the history of the city. Historic buildings and fortresses are lovingly restored and are cultural monuments.
Below you see a small part of the grandeur. By the way, a German philosopher, the founder of German classical philosophy, who was on the verge of the Enlightenment and Romanticism Emanuel Kant, lived, worked and died in Koenigsberg.
Featured In
Icon for Europe History & Culture
Europe History & Culture ·
Follow
Posted by
MrProfGenius
Jun 11