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, Koenigsberg had already managed, although not for long, to be part of the Russian Empire, and of its 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 Governor-General.
Later, when a turning point in the course of World War II had already taken place at the Kursk Bulge, and the defeat of Germany became inevitable, during a meeting on December 1, 1943 at the Tehran Conference, Joseph Stalin justified the allies the need 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.” The anti-Hitler coalition recognized in absentia Russia's right to Königsberg and surrounding lands. 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 before victory, German forces were running out, but the city, considered a first-class fortress, did not give up without a fight. The Soviet army, hardened over many years of war, 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 Soviet Union’s right to this territory. On April 7, 1946, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Koenigsberg Region was formed in the territory of the district as part of the RSFSR.
It was necessary to rename the conquered city in order to finally close the page of its German history. Initially, it was planned 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 the post-war years, Kaliningrad became one of the most militarized regions of the Soviet Union. The ice-free ports of the region remained the largest base of the Baltic Fleet of the USSR, and later of 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 have recently allowed 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.
Kaliningrad 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.
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.
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.
Here in 1724 the famous philosopher Kant was born, who did not leave his beloved city until the end of his life.
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 World War II 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 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.
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.
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...
It is there, according to many scientists, that the legendary amber room, taken from Tsarskoye Selo in 1942, is located.
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 RSFR, and a little later, five months later, it was renamed Kaliningrad.
In order to avoid possible protest sentiments, it was decided to populate the new city with a population loyal to the Soviet regime. 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.”
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 agricultural land was flooded, and 80% of 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.
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 can find a children’s playground and modern double-glazed windows installed. Several generations have already lived here and have nowhere to move.
Our city is a strange and paradoxical place. On the one hand - German history, on the other - Soviet and Russian, on the main island there is an ancient Catholic cathedral, and on the main square - an Orthodox church.
But the most paradoxical thing is that we live in a city with two names - Kaliningrad and Koenigsberg, which have not only entered our lives, but have been fighting for the title of the main one for more than a decade.
Most old-timers, of course, do not recognize the old name, and they can be understood. If we had been taught at school that Koenigsberg was exclusively a stronghold of fascism, Prussian militarism and almost a branch of hell on earth, and “grandfather Kalinin” was a hero of his era, then we would not even think about such a question, and for all these reasoning, I would have been brutally lynched at some party meeting.
But these days are not those times, and Koenigsberg no longer appears before us as a dead fascist beast, but makes us think about the themes of beauty, goodness and culture, which are not alien to any civilized nation. But we live not in Königsberg, but in Kaliningrad, and today we’ll talk specifically about the name of our city, which is no less paradoxical than its long history.
So, what was the first, and what was the name of our city in the old and very bad Teutonic times? I am sure that there will be two possible answers to this question. Most, almost without hesitation, will answer: “Königsberg”, someone will mistakenly call it by the old Prussian name Tuvangste, and someone will understand that there is a catch in this question and will ask, at a minimum, to clarify the time period. In fact, historians have been struggling with the mystery of the name of our city for quite some time. If everything is clear with Kaliningrad, then the word Königsberg has many roots, and, contrary to general opinion, it is not a fact that the city was named after King Ottokar II. But first things first.
As I have already said many times, the history of our city did not begin in 1255, but much earlier, because before the arrival of the knights, people lived here who were quite advanced for their culture. Oddly enough, the name “city on the Pregol”, given by the Prussians, has reached us. In the original it was spelled Twankste, although it was always written differently in different sources. If we talk about the origin of this word, then I will not go into lengthy discussions and describe to you all the available versions, but I will give only the main one, according to which the name of the Prussian settlement comes from the word “Twanka” - pond, in the full version - “dam”.
Agree, this is not a very meaningful name for a settlement, but this is the first name of our city, given to it in time immemorial, and it is at least worth knowing. Why “Dam”, you ask? And the reason for this was a man-made dam on the Pregol, allowing the Prussians to exact tribute from passing boats. Some researchers believe that local residents have been doing this for many centuries. Be that as it may, everything comes to an end, and for Tuvangste it came in 1255 with the arrival of the troops of the Teutonic Order on Prussian lands. Naturally, the Teutons did not want to leave the previous name of the city, and there was no talk of a new city, for that matter, either - just to withstand the wrath of the rebels and protect themselves.
I will not retell to you the story of the appearance of the castle on the banks of the Pregolya, since I have already devoted lines and even a separate article to this more than once. Instead, let's talk about the very name of the future city. Most Kaliningrad residents think that before the advent of Soviet power, our city was called Königsberg and nothing else. This is true, but not entirely... Koenigsberg is the name of the castle, better known to you as the Royal one, but the city itself did not originally exist, and when it appeared, it did not have a name at all.
It so happened that the Teutonic Order did not particularly care about the names of their castle settlements, and, for lack of a better one, they were given names in honor of the castles themselves. It was the same with Königsberg, but its castle settlement soon acquired another name - Altstadt (old town), and only in 1724, when all three cities united at the Royal Castle, the word Königsberg began to mean what we all know.
But even here there are many questions and “blank spots” to which, alas, we can no longer get an exact answer. My point is that Koenigsberg did not always have such a name - its first name was Regiomontum or Regiomons, which is translated in exactly the same way as Koenigsberg, but only from Latin. According to the most common and probably the most objective version, the castle was named in honor of the king who helped the Teutonic Order conquer Prussia, but today more and more historians began to doubt this, since there are not so few Koenigsbergs in the world and not all are named in honor of the king.
But we will talk about other “namesakes” of our city later, but for now let’s get closer to modern times. To do this, we will need to go back half a century into the past, when the shots of World War II had just started ringing out. By the way, the city was not renamed after the war, or rather, it was not done right away.
For a whole year, Koenigsberg remained Koenigsberg, and the region remained Koenigsberg. Who knows whether this would have remained to this day or not, but June 3, 1946 came, when Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin, the famous “all-Union elder”, died, in whose honor the Soviet government decided to rename the city with a seven-century history. Kalinin was a multifaceted personality, being partly a truly good person, but his direct participation in Stalin’s repressions and even his reluctance to release his own wife from arrest cast a very unpleasant shadow on his biography. Although personally, I am somewhat angry by the fact that Mikhail Ivanovich personally signed a decree renaming the city of Tver in his honor.
But, as they say, don’t judge, lest you be judged, so I won’t talk about “Grandfather Kalinin,” who was once dearly loved by the people, and I’m not talking about him. By the way, he had never been to our city and whether he knew him is a moot point, but we know well who Kaliningrad is named after. True, now more and more proposals for renaming are heard, which cause a lot of heated debate. On the one hand, there is history, and on the other, “non-humanity,” which many residents of Kaliningrad and the Russian authorities are still afraid of.
Each side makes its own arguments, and each is right in its own way, but let's judge soberly. Is our city Königsberg? Can the place we live in be called Königsberg? With all my love for the old city and the history of our region, I do not agree that the former name should be returned. I admit with bitterness that we still live in Kaliningrad in every sense of the word.
The Soviet government did a great job of ensuring that the name of the city corresponded to reality, bulldozing the ancient quarters and blowing up what was left to us as an inheritance. Yes, not everything has been demolished! Yes, there are still entire streets that have preserved the spirit of the past, but as long as our city remains as it is, until our consciousness and culture reach the level of a hundred years ago and while the government robs its own people and disfigures the center for profit, there will be no Koenigsberg , but there will only be Kaliningrad. But people cannot be deceived, and no matter how one views the history of the city, it is and will always be.
Koenigsberg is alive, if only because we remember and love it, and Kaliningrad should not be renamed... Think for yourself, how often do we use the historical word? It seems to me that more and more people call the city nothing other than König, and when talking with someone from central Russia about Kaliningrad, they will definitely mention Königsberg, talking about the blown-up Royal Castle, the tomb of Immanuel Kant and the ugly House of Soviets.
Who knows, maybe the times will come when not we, but our children and grandchildren will be able to see the restored castle, stroll through the reconstructed quarters of medieval buildings and the former promenade of the Lower Lake, which will be renamed the Castle Pond. Maybe it will be so, and then the issue of renaming will not cause controversy. Now there is no need to disgrace yourself in front of Europe, which, by the way, does not recognize Kaliningrad.
This year, leaving Lithuania after another European tour, for a long time I could not find the name Kaliningrad in the list of departures at the Kaunas bus station, until one of the Lithuanians pointed my finger at a strange word - Karaliaučius, which Lithuanians used to call Königsberg for many centuries. Something similar happened at the Polish station - Krolewiec, only there was the word Kaliningrad in small print and in brackets. However, Poland and Lithuania have restored and preserved their Prussian heritage, which cannot be said about us, doomed to live in Kaliningrad.
City, time, power
Three cities of Königsberg
It is known that in the winter of 1255 a detachment of crusaders invaded the northern part of Prussia and the Samland Peninsula. The most senior “in rank” in the detachment was the Czech king Otakar II Přemysl. The knights captured and destroyed the Prussian fortress of Twangste, and in its place they erected a new fortification. The fortress was named Koenigsberg, which means: Royal Mountain. Gradually, settlements arose near the fortress, which became cities.
The settlement between the fortress and the Pregel River was named Altstadt. On February 28, 1286, according to the charter of the Prussian landmaster Konrad von Thierenberg, Altstadt began to officially be called a city.
On May 27, 1300, the Königsberg commander Bruhaven granted city rights to the second settlement. At first it was called Neustadt, but then another name took root - Löbenicht. This city is located east of the fortress.
In April 1327, the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, Werner von Orseln, announced the granting of city rights to Kneiphof, which was located on an island formed by branches of the Pregel River.
Over time, nearby craft settlements, villages and settlements began to merge into the Königsberg cities. Thus, a kind of urbanized conglomerate was formed at the mouth of the Pregel. It was dominated by a fortress-castle on the mountain, which, in fact, was called Koenigsberg. Adjoining it was a small territory to the north and northwest, which was the property of the Teutonic Order.
Near the castle, as already mentioned, three medieval cities nestled: Altstadt, Löbenicht and Kneiphof. They had a fairly wide range of privileges included in the concept of Kulm (Helm) law. A system of sovereign city rights developed in Germany back in the 13th century under the name “Magdeburg Law”. Its Prussian version focused on the highest courts of appeal in the city of Kulm (Helm), and then in the city of Thorn (Toruń). City rights, guaranteeing relative independence from feudal authorities, remained in gradually decreasing importance until the 19th century.
It should be noted here that, in addition to Altstadt, Löbenicht and Kneiphof, medieval village-communities located outside the boundaries of the Königsberg cities also had fairly broad powers. Some of them had their own office work, seal and coat of arms. These included the Königsberg suburbs: Burgfreiheit, Tragheim, Hinter-Rossgarten, Vorder-Rossgarten, Neue-Sorge; related to Altstadt: Steindamm, Neu-Rossgarten, Laak, Lastadi, Lomse; related to Löbenicht: Anger, Sackheim; related to Kneiphof: Vorder-Forstadt, Hinter-Forstadt, Haberberg, Alter-Garten. Expanding, the fortress and cities absorbed new territories.
How did administrative services work in the Königsberg cities? The entire urban population, as a rule, was divided into several classes. The group of large burghers consisted of merchants and brewers. The category of small burghers included artisans and shopkeepers. Separate layers made up other groups of the population. At first, the right to vote belonged only to the city elite; over time, the majority of citizens received the right to vote.
In each city, a city council of just over ten people was elected. The City Council, in turn, elected the burgomaster and vice-burgomaster, and appointed officials responsible for areas of work. It must be said that at first the members of the Council did not receive wages, working, as we would say, on a voluntary basis. It follows from this that city officials were quite wealthy people, they served not for gold, but for conscience, however, then selfless service for the benefit of the citizens became obsolete. At the beginning of the 18th century, the burgomaster of Altstadt, for example, received 300 thalers per year. Let’s compare: Immanuel Kant, working around the same years as an assistant librarian, received 62 thalers per year, the highest government salary that I. Kant received as a professor did not exceed 620 thalers per year, and the philosopher’s house after his death was sold for 130 thalers .
Of course, there was no division into districts in the medieval Königsberg cities. There were communities of citizens, usually coinciding in territory with church communities. At the head of the civil communities were elected elders. The opinion of the elders often played a decisive role when discussing tax policy issues at the City Council. To consider cases concerning the life of the three cities of Königsberg, representatives of the three city halls and all urban and suburban communities gathered together.
Lack of space does not allow me to describe in detail the administrative structure of each city and community, especially since the system of interactions and relationships between authorities at all levels was quite complex. Democratic freedoms were combined with the dictates of a centralized system. Therefore, I will not go deeper into the jungle, especially since all this relates to matters of long ago. For interest, I will only note that in 1700 in the City Council of Altstadt, among other elected positions, there was one lifelong position of a clerk, who, although not a member of the Council, nevertheless worked in its composition.
Unification of cities
On June 13, 1724, the Prussian king Frederick William I signed a decree to unite three cities and suburban communities into a single city of Königsberg. At the turn of the 19th and 20th years, a certain management system developed in Koenigsberg.
The city municipality had about one hundred elected deputies elected from three classes for a period of six years. The election procedure was organized in such a way that every two years a third of the members were re-elected. Members of the municipality elected the city council of 21 people. The Chairman of the Council was called the Oberburgomaster, his deputy - the Burgomaster. Councilors in charge of city services were appointed.
There was no regional division, as already mentioned, in our understanding of the word in Konigsberg. In terms of police, Koenigsberg was divided into 12 districts. At some sites there were additional posts and departments. In parallel with the police, seven criminal commissariats and two criminal authorities functioned in the city.
The church divided the territory of the city in its own way. The most significant in terms of influence, the Evangelical Church had more than 30 parishes, the Catholic Church - 6 parishes, the New Apostolic Church - 5 associations, and so on. There was a small Orthodox community in Königsberg. Certain parts of Koenigsberg bore traditional historical names, making it easier to navigate the city.
After all the introductory words, you can go directly to the Koenigsberg mayors. You just have to keep in mind that the post of mayor was officially introduced in 1809; before that, the head of the city was called burgomaster. I will start my story about the mayors from 1724, since I have not studied the personal composition of the burgomasters of the cities of Altstadt, Löbenicht and Kneiphof.
Taking this opportunity, I would like to remind you that in 1994 it will be 270 years since the formation of the united city of Königsberg.
Koenigsberg mayors
1. In 1724, Doctor of Law, Mayor of Altstadt 3. Hesse became the first mayor of the newly formed city of Königsberg. 3. Hesse remained in this position for six years until his death in 1730.
It must be assumed that a lot of all sorts of worries related to the establishment of a unified city mechanism fell on his shoulders. The population of Koenigsberg was more than 40,000 people, which was quite large at that time. The consequences of the terrible plague of 1709-1710, when about 18,000 people died from the epidemic, were not completely eliminated in the city.
A few months before the unification, in April 1724, Immanuel Kant was born in the Kneiphof suburb of Forstadt. It is a pity that the burgomaster Z. Hesse was not destined to learn about the great fate of the brilliant peer of the glorious city of Konigsberg.
2. Royal Commissioner I. Fokkeradt replaced the deceased 3. Hesse. He served in office for two years. Residents of Koenigsberg should have been very grateful to him for the fact that during his time oil lamps were installed in the city. After all, before this, late walks around the city at night turned into a complete nightmare. Wealthy people hired torchbearers. And when the use of flammable torches was banned in 1704, they walked around with small lanterns or no lights at all.
3. In 1732, the post of mayor went to J. Grube. During his seven years in office, he had to deal with the troubles associated with the arrival of settlers from distant Salzburg in Konigsberg. Lutheran refugees, unable to bear the oppression from the Catholic environment, were forced to leave their homes and go to the shores of the cold, as it seemed to them, Baltic. Salzburgers played a positive role in the industrial development of Königsberg, as among them there were many business people, skilled artisans and skilled craftsmen.
4. Ernst von Müllenheim did not remain in office for long, only a few months at the turn of 1739 and 1740. He had a very harsh winter. Even the usually ice-free Baltic Sea became covered with ice, and snow fell on May 7. The residents' fuel supplies were quickly dwindling, they were freezing and needed help.
5. In 1740, I. Schroeder was chosen as the head of Koenigsberg, who ruled the city for five years. The beginning of his activities in an honorary post coincided with the beginning of the reign of King Frederick the Great. The Prussian king didn’t really like Koenigsberg. The stingy monarch held the traditional coronation in Königsberg very modestly, although he donated a thousand thalers for the poor. After the coronation, the king ordered the creation of a large park in the city north of the castle on the site of the old royal garden.
6. The next mayor in 1746 was I. Kiesewetter (until 1751). On the one hand, this burgomaster promoted the development of the printed word: under him, the large newspaper and printing business of Hartung was founded in Königsberg. But on the other hand, there was no proper supervision of city bridges. As a result of negligence, the rotten pillars of the Green Bridge collapsed, and it collapsed into the river along with four random passers-by. But this loss did not significantly affect the size of the urban population - it reached 50,000 people.
7. In 1752, Daniel Ginderzin took over as mayor. He served in office for 28 years, breaking the record for the duration of all mayors of Konigsberg and Kaliningrad. But these years were not the calmest in the life of the city.
In 1758-1762, Königsberg, during the unsuccessful Seven Years' War for Prussia, became part of the Russian Empire. German self-government bodies needed to establish contacts with the Russian administration. Although the city privileges of Königsberg remained intact, the Prussian eagles on the coats of arms installed on the facades of some buildings were replaced by the double-headed Russian eagle. Only on the tower of the Orphanage in Sackheim is the Prussian eagle preserved.
On January 24, 1756 - the birthday of the Prussian king Frederick the Great - a ceremony was held in Königsberg to take the oath of allegiance to the Russian Empress Elizabeth. King Frederick did not like this turn of events; he was terribly offended by Konigsberg and never came to East Prussia again.
The Russian governor of Corf, who replaced the governor of Fermor, treated the city favorably and even completed the eastern wing of the Royal Castle. In July 1762, power in the city again passed completely to the German administration and Russian troops began to leave Koenigsberg. The Russian commandants of Koenigsberg during this period were General Rezanov and Brigadier Treiden.
But it was not only the concerns of relations with the Russians that worried the burgomaster. Severe fires in 1756, 1764, 1769, 1775 led to great disasters. The cold winter of 1761 created certain problems. The unfavorable economic situation led to a slight decrease in industrial production in Königsberg. But in contrast to this, there has been a revival of cultural life in the city.
8. In 1780, Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel was appointed burgomaster of Königsberg. He was born in 1744 in Gerdauen (now the village of Zheleznodorozhny) and made a career as a successful official. His hobby is literature, where he has achieved notable success. A close acquaintance with I. Kant does T. Hippel a great honor. His wonderful collection of paintings later became the property of Königsberg.
Theodor Hippel served as mayor until his death in 1796. His name was given to one of the city streets. Now this street is called Omskaya.
After a series of large fires under the previous burgomaster, the city gradually established normal life. Already in 1781, there were 224 breweries in Königsberg with excellently tasty beer. Trouble approached from the other side: overcrowding of the population and insufficient sanitation led to a cholera epidemic in 1794. With the onset of winter, cholera subsided, but very severe cold came again.
The next coronation in Königsberg took place on September 17-23, 1786. The new king Frederick William II, paying great attention to East Prussia, did not bypass Königsberg. True, the city did not receive any special generosity from him. But Koenigsberg very wisely and skillfully began to use the important benefit granted to it by the previous king Frederick II. This is the right of “marriage”, that is, the ability to determine the quality of goods passing through the city, which brought great benefits, given the presence of port facilities and transit transportation of goods in Konigsberg.
9. Bernhard Gervais, who replaced T. Hippel, remained burgomaster until 1808. It is possible that the French sound of his surname had some positive impact on the state of the city during the period of confrontation with the French Emperor Napoleon. After all, it is known that in 1807, after a short battle, French troops entered Konigsberg. Emperor Napoleon himself honored the city with his visit.
Natural disasters were added to the military misfortunes. In the autumn of 1801, severe hurricanes led to flooding that inundated Kneiphof. In 1803 there was a big fire, and in December 1806 a terrible hurricane hit the city again. In 1807, war travelers - epidemics of typhus and dysentery - took the lives of 10,000 people from the city. But still, despite the misfortunes, the population grew steadily and by 1800 it amounted to about 55,000 people.
Royalty often visited Königsberg, although, admittedly, many visits were forced. The coronation of Frederick William III took place at the Royal Castle from 3 to 9 June 1798. And then, from December 1806 to January 1807, the royal couple, forced to leave Berlin, lived in Königsberg. The military situation in the fight against France was clearly not in favor of Prussia. Therefore, Queen Louise, from January 1808 to December 15, 1809, was forced to live most of the time in Königsberg, and here on October 4, 1809, her son Albrecht was born.
10. Martin Deetz, who took office in March 1808, became officially known as Mayor in 1809. But it is not the place that makes the man, but the man the place. M. Deetz saw that, even with a new title, he could not cope with the avalanche of complex cases, and had the courage to resign the following year.
11. August Heidemann took up the management of the city with great energy during the difficult time of the actual French occupation of Königsberg. In the summer of 1812, Napoleon again arrived in Konigsberg and from here he set off on his inglorious Russian campaign.
The defeat of Napoleon in Russia caused a panicked retreat of the French through Konigsberg and brought a lot of trouble to the city. In this difficult situation, A. Heidemann showed patriotism and statesmanship, trying to preserve the city. Fortunately, in January 1813, Russian troops, pursuing the French, entered Konigsberg. Units of the Prussian liberation army also entered Konigsberg.
Military expenses placed a heavy burden on the residents of Königsberg. To pay indemnity to the French conquerors, they transferred 1,784,450 thalers to the city treasury. The Prussian government then paid this huge debt to its people to the citizens of Königsberg until 1901!
Nevertheless, public life in Königsberg did not freeze. In 1809, the construction of the city opera house was completed on the territory of the Royal Garden. In 1810, astronomer F. Bessel came to Konigsberg and headed the observatory, built by 1813. In 1811, the University Botanical Garden was created. But the severe fire of 1811 destroyed 144 houses and went down in the history of the city as one of the largest disasters.
In 1811, the streets of Königsberg received official names, and all houses were numbered according to a single system.
August Heidemann died on December 15, 1813. A small street in Sackheim, now Cherepichnaya Street, is named after him.
An interesting message appeared in the press that for a short period from the beginning of 1813, the Russian mayor of Koenigsberg, Major Pyotr Semenovich Stepanov, was appointed. But confirming. no documents have been found yet. But it is absolutely known that the Russian Lieutenant General Karl Karlovich Sivers was appointed commandant of the Königsberg fortress at that time. However, the Russians’ stay in Koenigsberg was short-lived this time.
12. Karl Horn became mayor of Königsberg on March 23, 1814, at the age of 35. He had work experience: for three years he held the position of burgomaster, the second in importance. His patriotic sentiments during the period of the French invasion were widely known and earned respect. Karl Horn served as mayor until 1826 and died five years later. His name was given to the street, which is now called Sergeant Koloskov Street.
Mayor Horn paid a lot of attention to the organization of city government and streamlining the work of city services. And of course, it was not his fault that in January 1825 the city experienced severe flooding caused by a hurricane westerly wind.
13. Under this number in June 1826 as mayor. Johann List became the ruler of Königsberg and ruled the city until 1838. Natural disasters did not leave Koenigsberg. A flood in April 1829 inundated the western part of Kneiphof, and a cholera epidemic in 1831 killed 1,327 people. A cholera riot broke out in the city, resulting in the death of more than 30 people. In July 1832 there was a frost that destroyed part of the crop, but in the summer of 1838 it was so hot that the plants bloomed twice.
Koenigsberg gradually changed its medieval appearance. The first attempts are being made to replace old city wells with water supply. The first steamship sailed along the Pregel River.
14. Rudolf von Auerswald served as mayor of Königsberg for four years (1838-1842). The city continued to grow, incorporating suburbs outside the fortress walls. Its population reached 70,000 people.
But fires continued to plague residents. In 1839 there was a severe fire in Altstadt, which caused great losses.
The coronation of Friedrich Wilhelm IV in Königsberg took place on September 10, 1840 in the usual manner.
15. In March 1843, the Königsberg City Council was headed by August Kra. His concerns for the good of the city extended to the founding of the Urban Resources society, where donations from private individuals were concentrated. He tried to attract citizens to participate in financial support of the city. Unfortunately, A. Kra died of cholera on October 9, 1848, without having time to complete all his plans.
Under him, a new building for the university was laid on Parade-Platz. But the fires continued to rage: in 1845, 14 warehouses burned down. During the reign of A. Kra, construction began on a modernized ring of fortifications around the city with new gates.
16. The work begun by August Kra was continued by Karl Sperling. At first he served as the mayor of the city, and was officially elected on February 7, 1853. He held office until 1864. The city quickly began to join the benefits of civilization. In 1853, the first bright gas lamps were installed, replacing the dim and smoky oil lamps. In August of the same year, under the glare of gas lamps, the first train to Berlin departed from the brand new East Station. Telegraph machines were installed to communicate with the stations.
The winter of 1849 turned out to be cold; on January 11 the temperature dropped to minus 35 degrees. In 1857, cholera again visited Königsberg. To more successfully fight fires, a professional fire brigade was created in the city in 1858.
In 1855, the city authorities intended to magnificently celebrate the 600th anniversary of the founding of the Königsberg fortress. But due to a bad harvest and the king’s illness, he had to limit himself to church liturgy and a festive dinner for a limited circle of invited guests.
The new Prussian constitution did not allow the next Prussian king, William I, to be officially crowned in Königsberg. However, paying tribute to tradition, the royal couple visited the city in October 1861 and held a ceremony at the Royal Castle. Later in 1864, construction began on a new castle tower with a height of 97.87 meters above sea level, which was finally built in 1866.
17. After the death of Karl Sperling on July 8, 1864, the duties of the head of the city were performed by Mayor Bigork (until August 8, 1865). Due to the short duration of his tenure, it is difficult to assess the results of his activities. I will only note that in 1865 the railway connection between Koenigsberg and Pillau (Baltiysk) opened.
18. The duties of the mayor were then entrusted to the Landrat Commissioner Ernst von Ernsthausen, who remained in office until June 30, 1866.
19. And this short-term leapfrog of the authorities was completed by E. Retzenstein, who served as mayor until April 1, 1867. During his reign, cholera made itself known again: in 1866, 2,671 people died from it. By this time, the construction of new city gates in Königsberg had been completed.
20. The next mayor was Landrat Commissioner F. Kischke (from 1867 to 1872). The population of Koenigsberg by this time had reached 110,000 people. But the epidemics did not stop: in 1871, 771 people became infected with smallpox, and 1,790 people died from cholera.
In 1869, King Wilhelm honored with a visit to Königsberg. During the high visit, a great misfortune occurred: the railings of the bridge on Castle Pond collapsed, killing 33 people. And that same year there was a significant flood.
Meanwhile, in 1871, the state of Prussia ceased to exist, and Koenigsberg became part of Germany, retaining its significance as the capital of the Prussian province. King Wilhelm received the title of Emperor of Germany.
21. After the voluntary resignation of Friedrich Kischke in February 1872, Karl Szepanski acted as mayor. He was officially elected to the post on November 5, 1872. He headed the City Council for two years and did a lot of good things. Only cholera did not want to retreat and in 1873 it visited Koenigsberg again. And the next year, the first line of water supply networks came into operation, which contributed to a significant improvement in the sanitary situation in the city.
22. After the voluntary resignation of K. Shepanski, from October 1, 1874 to April 6, 1875, the City Council was headed by Brown.
23. In 1875, I. Selke, who had previously been the mayor of Elblag, was confirmed as the head of Königsberg. He was born in 1836 and served in the war with France in 1870/71. Having become the mayor of Königsberg, Johann Selke actively contributed to the development of the city. Under him, extensive work was carried out on sewerage and gasification.
In 1875, the construction of the trading exchange was completed, and in 1881, horse-drawn carriages opened in Koenigsberg - transporting passengers on rails in carriages driven by horses. This was the first sign of the beginning of democratic public transport.
Railway construction continued: in 1885, Koenigsberg was connected by a line with Kranz (Zelenogradsk), in 1891 - with Tilsit (Sovetsk). In 1892, the Walter-Simon-Platz sports ground (now the Baltika Stadium) was built and the first 544 telephone sets were supplied. In 1890, the city's first industrial power plant was built.
The population of Königsberg grew rapidly. If in 1880 there were 140,000 residents in the city, then in 1890 there were 160,000 people.
I. Selke died on June 29, 1893, and a street was named after him in the city, now Maly Lane.
24. Hermann Theodor Hoffmann was born in 1836 into the family of a Königsberg merchant. From the beginning of the seventies he worked as treasurer in the municipality, after 10 years he became burgomaster, and in 1893 - chief burgomaster. He died in 1902 and a small street in Koenigsberg was named after him; now it is part of Epronovskaya and Krasnooktyabrskaya streets.
The activities of this mayor were quite intense, as a simple listing of events can tell: 1895 - a pulp factory was founded in the Liep region and a meat processing plant in the Rosenau region. In the same year, an electric tram route was put into operation. Königsberg became the first city in Germany where the tram was city property. 1896 - opening of the zoo. 1897 - a construction school was opened on Schönstrasse. 1898 - a large student house was built - “Palaestra Albertina”. 1900 - construction of the small railway Koenigsberg - Neuhausen (Gurieven) - Curonian Lagoon was completed. In the same year, trains began operating on the lines Koenigsberg - Neukuren (Pionersky) - Rauschen (Svetlogorsk). 1902 - a new gas plant is built in Kosei and construction of a modern harbor begins. We still use much of what was built then.
True, the elements did not give up. On February 12, 1894, a strong storm was accompanied by a large surge of water. Then there was a small outbreak of cholera, but it seems that this disease visited Konigsberg for the last time. The heavy snowfall of 1899/1900 put a lot of work into the city's cleanup service.
The population of Königsberg at the beginning of 1900 was 190,000 people, the area of the city was 2,000 hectares.
Koenigsberg becomes a major shopping center. More than 2,100 thousand tons of cargo pass through it annually. The revenue side of the city budget is expressed in the amount of 5,900 thousand marks per year.
25. Hermann Hoffmann died on June 30; from September 5, his deputy Paul Kunkel (1848-1925) began to perform the duties of mayor. When Z.Kerte was elected mayor on February 3, 1903, Paul Kunkel remained his deputy until 1913 and provided great assistance in the improvement of Königsberg. Quite deservedly, in 1933 a street was named after him - Kunkelstrasse, now it is a section of Karl Marx Street from Cosmonaut Leonov Street to Georgiy Dimitrov Street.
26. The fate of Lord Mayor Siegfried Körte was tragic. He was born in 1861 in Berlin in the family of a doctor, studied finance and law, then moved to Königsberg. In 1903 he was elected head of the city.
The beginning of his management was successful. Although strong westerly winds brought floods to the city seven times in 1905, they did not cause significant harm. The snowy winter in 1908 forced the municipality to mobilize all forces to remove snow. A severe winter occurred in 1911/1912, followed by a very hot summer. In 1913, as a result of a storm, the water in Pregel rose to 163 centimeters higher than usual.
Koenigsberg continued to modernize. In 1905, the Kaiser-Brücke Bridge was built across the Pregel arm, connecting the island of Lomse with the densely populated area south of the island of Kneiphof. The following year the bridge on Castle Pond was reconstructed. In 1907, a powerful power plant was put into operation in the Kosee area, which gave a new impetus to the development of the industrial potential of Koenigsberg. Since 1910, the annexation of new suburbs to the city began, which continued until 1939. Therefore, the population of Koenigsberg immediately increased sharply and amounted to about 250,000 people.
The war that began in 1914 disrupted the peaceful course of events. The front approached Koenigsberg. Russian troops approached Tapiau (Gvardeysk). Although they were soon forced to retreat, the battles raged very close to the city.
Then came the days of revolutions. On November 10, 1918, Mayor 3. Körte held the last meeting of the magistrate. After this, power in the city passed into the hands of the Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies.
Removal from work, the ensuing serious operation, and the death of his beloved daughter undermined the strength of 3. Körte. He died on March 4, 1919, the day after the cessation of Soviet power in Königsberg. In the city, one of the beautiful streets in the Amalinau area, which is now called Kutuzov Street, was named after him.
We owe the abundant green spaces that have remained in our city to this day to Lord Mayor Körtha. It was under him that the urban gardening industry was founded, green areas were created and the landscaping of the fortress ramparts was carried out.
27. Between November 10, 1918 and January 1919, the leadership of the city council was taken over by Albert Borowski (1876-1945), manager of the Königsberg branch of the Social Democratic Party. Albert Borowski was one of the organizers of consumer cooperation in the city and surrounding area, and worked as a city councilor for a long time. In 1934 he retired and lived in Rudau (Melnikov) and, apparently, died during hostilities.
The difficult situation that developed in Koenigsberg during the revolutionary events required the city authorities to exert maximum effort to prevent anarchy. To their credit, it should be noted that relative order and tranquility were ensured in the city; there were no robberies or violence.
28. For some time, from January to October 27, 1919, the post of mayor of Königsberg was filled by Erdmann, the city treasurer. At this time, government troops of General Winning entered the city, and Soviet power in Koenigsberg was eliminated.
29. In the same 1919, G. Lohmeiter, born in 1881, became the mayor of Königsberg from July 23. This was the last mayor elected democratically in Königsberg. He did everything in his power to not only preserve the appearance and well-being of the city, but also bring it to a higher level of development in the conditions of the severe post-war crisis. Intensive urban construction, which began at the end of the 19th century, continued in Königsberg. The Koenigsberg-Moscow airline opens, the city radio station begins operating, and the East Prussian Fair begins to be held regularly. In 1927, the city magistrate moved to a new building on Hansaplatz (now Victory Square).
The area of Königsberg in 1927 was 8,474 hectares, the population was about 280,000 people. The revenue side of the city budget in 1925 amounted to 31,560 thousand Reichsmarks.
With the Nazis coming to power, G. Lohmeiter was removed from office in 1933. He survived Hitler's regime, the destruction of Königsberg during World War II, and died in Berlin in 1968.
30. Helmut Bill was nominated for the post of Mayor of Königsberg by the Nazi Party in 1933 and remained in office until April 9, 1945, that is, until the city’s surrender to the Red Army. After the surrender, G. Ville was taken into Russian captivity, where he remained for about ten years.
At first, life in the city continued to develop in peacetime conditions. The population of Königsberg in 1939, according to various estimates, ranged from 340,000 to 370,000 people; the latter figure is apparently more accurate. In 1941, the city had a population of about 380,000 people; the area of Königsberg was 193 square kilometers.
In 1939, World War II began. The following January there was a very harsh winter. In June 1941, Germany attacked the Soviet Union.
Koenigsberg suffered from air raids. At the end of August 1944, two massive air raids on the city turned its central part into ruins. The furious assault on Königsberg in April 1945 added to the destruction. The civilian population experienced enormous upheaval and hardship.
The surrender of the Königsberg garrison opened another page in the history of the city.
Military Administration
After the capture of Koenigsberg by the Red Army in April 1945, the city was smoking with fires and gaping with destruction. All power in Konigsberg was transferred to the military commandant. On April 10, Major General M.V. Smirnov was appointed commandant of the city and fortress of Koenigsberg. In June 1945, he was replaced by Guards Major General M.A. Pronin.
On May 10, 1945, a Provisional City Administration for Civil Affairs was created under the military commandant. It had seven departments. Four days earlier, the German population was allowed to walk the streets from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The Civil Affairs Department was headed by the Deputy Commandant. The city was divided into eight district commandant's offices, and a Temporary Civil Administration was also created at each district commandant's office.
This is the first period from martial law to peaceful life. It was necessary to extinguish fires, clear the streets, register the local population and provide them with food. The supply of water and electricity had to be established. Quite quickly we managed to put a pulp and paper mill into operation, open school No. 1, and create the first city construction organization UNR-230. In September 1945, the grand opening of the monument to fallen soldiers took place on Gvardeysky Prospekt.
On November 12, 1945, the Provisional City Administration for Civil Affairs compiled a certificate on the size of the German population of Königsberg. There were 60,642 Germans in the city, of which 18,515 were men. 29,681 people were registered as able-bodied, 12,276 were children.
On November 19, 1945, a Provisional Civil Administration was created under the Military Council of the Special Military District, commanded by Guard Colonel General K. N. Galitsky. Guard Major General of the Technical Troops V. G. Guziy was appointed head of the Provisional Civil Administration.
Civil administration
On April 7, 1946, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR adopted a Decree renaming Koenigsberg to Kaliningrad. At the same time, the Council of Ministers of the USSR creates a Civil Affairs Directorate in Kaliningrad, subordinate to the regional Civil Affairs Directorate.
On May 22, 1946, P.I. Kolosov was appointed head of the Kaliningrad Civil Affairs Department. Management services were located on Svyazistov Street (now Kommunalnaya Street).
In April 1947, Vladimir Mikhailovich Dolgushin, who had previously been deputy chief, was appointed acting head of the Kaliningrad Department of Civil Affairs.
The city gradually transitioned to peaceful life. In August 1946, the first settlers from Russia and Belarus began to arrive in Kaliningrad in an organized manner. The Pobeda cinema opened, and the Kaliningradskaya Pravda newspaper began publishing. German street names have been renamed. An important stage in the life of Kaliningrad was the launch of tram route No. 1.
Kaliningrad mayors
1. May 28, 1947 Supreme Presidium; The Council of the RSFSR abolished the Office of Civil Affairs and appointed the Executive Committee of Kaliningrad. V. M. Dolgushin (born in 1905) became the acting chairman of the city executive committee. He worked in this position until July 1947, and then became head of the public utilities department.
From the certificate compiled by V. Dolgushin, it is clear that the population of Kaliningrad in June 1947 was 211,000 people, including 37,000 Germans, of whom 1,700 were able-bodied. By this time, Kaliningrad was divided into six districts according to numbers.
2. On July 26, 1947, Pyotr Kharitonovich Murashko, born in 1899, was approved as chairman of the city executive committee. After elections to local councils were held in December 1947, a session of the city Council of Workers' Deputies confirmed the appointment of P. Murashko as chairman of the city executive committee. He remained in office until December 22, 1949 and was released from work at the proposal of the city committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) for the unsatisfactory state of affairs.
On July 25, 1947, four districts were formed in Kaliningrad: Baltiysky, Leningradsky, Moscow and Stalingrad. Later, the Central District was created, and the Stalingradsky District was renamed Oktyabrsky.
In 1946-1947, the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted a number of resolutions on the development of the Kaliningrad region. To implement government resolutions, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers A. N. Kosygin came to Kaliningrad.
Peaceful life was improving in the city. The Kaliningrad theater showed its first performance, Kaliningrad radio started talking. In 1948, a fishing expedition headed to the North Atlantic, Kaliningrad began to acquire the importance of an important fish supply point. Classes began at the pedagogical institute.
In 1947-1948 The resettlement of Germans from Kaliningrad to Germany was carried out.
The year 1949 was filled with many events, among them: the opening of the Energy College (later the Polytechnic), the commissioning of the restored South Station.
3. In the period from December 22, 1949 to March 1950, the duties of the chairman of the city executive committee were entrusted to N. S. Serov.
4. Sergei Aleksandrovich Veselov, sent to Kaliningrad by decision of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, was elected as the next mayor in March 1950. He worked in this post until February 1951, after which he was elected chairman of the regional Trade Union Council.
The development of the fishing industry continued in the city. In May 1950, the Vessel Ferry Agency was formed.
5. On February 22, 1951, Vladimir Evgrafovich Pavlov was elected chairman of the Kaliningrad city executive committee (until March 1955).
The population of Kaliningrad stabilized for some time and fluctuated around 200,000 people. This may have been due to some uncertainty about the future of the Baltic city, although the media persistently carried out a campaign to prove that the lands of East Prussia belonged to the Slavic territories. In 1953, the first plan for the reconstruction of Kaliningrad was adopted. It should be noted that many central areas of the city were still in ruins, so Kaliningrad in those years made a rather gloomy impression, significantly lagging behind other Russian cities that suffered from the war in the pace of restoration work.
6. Alexander Nikitovich Nekipelov was nominated for the post of mayor on March 11, 1955 and served in office for two years.
In April 1956, on the way to England and upon returning back, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR N.A. Bulganin and Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee N.S. Khrushchev visited Kaliningrad. Apparently, this visit served as some impetus to intensify restoration work, although the consequences did not appear immediately.
7. On March 19, 1957, the session of the City Council elected Nikolai Fedorovich Korovkin, who headed the executive committee until 1963, as chairman of the executive committee.
The number of residents of Kaliningrad has finally exceeded the two hundred thousand mark and began to grow steadily. In 1961, 230,000 people lived in the city, in 1963 - about 240,000 people.
Finally, they began systematically clearing the city of war ruins. Unfortunately, under the hot hand, buildings suitable for restoration were demolished. But here the directive for the decisive eradication of elements of Gothic architecture in Kaliningrad was steadily in effect.
In September 1960, on his way to New York, Kaliningrad was again visited by the Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee N. S. Khrushchev. Leaders of Eastern European countries also visited here: E. Ya. Kadar (Hungary), G. Georgiu-Dej (Romania), as well as heads of delegations of the union republics: K. T. Mazurov (Belarus) and N. P. Podgorny (Ukraine) .
8. On May 9, 1963, Nikolai Petrovich Loshkarev became chairman of the Kaliningrad City Executive Committee. On March 2, 1966, he was removed from office for improper distribution of apartments.
N.S. Khrushchev visited Kaliningrad again on his way to Denmark and Norway. During this visit of the Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, the city looked incomparably better than during previous visits. The Rossiya cinema was built in the center, and a pavilion for the North Station was built. Destroyed urban areas were intensively built up.
In July 1965, the holiday “Fisherman’s Day” was celebrated for the first time in Kaliningrad. The city was visited by cosmonauts Alexey Leonov and Pavel Blinov, who were awarded the title of honorary citizens of the city.
But the fight against German Gothic architecture spread to urban landscapes. For example, the construction of a large car park was allowed in the green zone behind the Lithuanian Val. Due to the delay in the construction of sewer networks, they gave the go-ahead to discharge feces into city water bodies. Some subsequent mayors can also be blamed for this.
9. Dmitry Vasilyevich Romanin headed the executive committee in March 1966. He was born on June 22, 1929 in the Bryansk region, graduated from a mechanical college and technical institute. Before being elected mayor of the city, he worked as second secretary of the Kaliningrad city committee of the CPSU. Resigned as mayor on August 17, 1972 in connection with his election as first secretary of the Kaliningrad city committee of the CPSU.
In 1967, the General Plan for the reconstruction, construction and development of Kaliningrad was approved. This plan, to some extent, sought to introduce variety into the monotony of block and panel construction. Some of the facilities included in this plan were built, but overall it was not implemented.
In 1968, they began to actively demolish the ruins of the Royal Castle, the next year they blew up the remains of the towers and began to build a multi-story House of Soviets, which is still unfinished.
The population of Kaliningrad was constantly increasing. In 1970 there were 300,000 people in the city, by 1972 there were already about 315,000 people. In 1971, Kaliningrad was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.
The elements continued to rage under any government. In 1967, during a strong storm, the water in Pregol rose 160 cm above normal. And in the 1970s, the city suffered a planned disaster: all fences and fences near houses, squares and front gardens were removed. As a result, all courtyards turned into walk-through, trampled and littered areas.
10. On August 17, 1972, Viktor Vasilyevich Denisov was elected chairman of the city executive committee. Of the mayors of the Soviet period, he served in office for the longest time - 12 years. Under him, at the end of 1973, the city executive committee moved to a building on Victory Square, the same one where the German municipality was located.
Intensive development continued in the city's microdistricts: along Gorky, Oktyabrskaya, and Batalnaya streets. Large-panel housing construction has acquired a dominant influence.
The improvement of the area around the Lower (Castle) Pond and a number of other measures to improve the appearance of the city made a favorable impression. In some places they began to restore fences near houses and public gardens again, although in general this work has not been completed to this day.
During this period, the construction of a new large overpass bridge was completed, connecting the central areas of Kaliningrad with the main railway and bus stations. The Puppet Theater opened in the restored Queen Louise Church in 1976, and the city concert hall began operating in the former Catholic church in 1980.
The length of the tram tracks (in single-track terms) was about one hundred kilometers, the number of tram cars was 210. In the same year, a trolleybus was launched in the city.
As for natural disasters, as a result of a strong hurricane on the night of January 5-6, 1975, water flooded the low-lying areas of the city. In January - February 1983, three hurricanes hit Kaliningrad; on January 18, the water in Pregol rose to a record high of 183 cm above normal.
The area of Kaliningrad in 1983 was 198 square kilometers, the population was 374,000 people.
11. Boris Andreevich Fomichev, who worked at the Yantar plant, was elected to the position of mayor on December 26, 1984, worked in this post for four years, after which he returned to the Yantar plant.
By this time, the population of Kaliningrad was approaching 400,000 people, and they had to freeze a little in January 1987, since such a cold winter had not happened in the city for the last forty years.
So, gradually going through the mayors, we came closer to our days. The winds of perestroika blew. Changes took place in the echelons of power: they were divided into legislative and executive. According to the new laws, legislative power in Kaliningrad is concentrated in the City Council, which must elect a chairman by secret ballot. Executive power is vested in the head of the city administration, who must be elected to office through direct universal elections. But at the time of writing, he was appointed by Decree of the President of Russia.
12. On October 14, 1988, Nikolai Grigorievich Khromenko was elected chairman of the Kaliningrad City Executive Committee. At the end of March 1990, when the authorities were divided into two parts, N. Khromenko was elected chairman of the city council, continuing to simultaneously serve as head of the city administration until April 1990. In April 1990, Georgy Nikolaevich Isaev was appointed head of the administration.
A year later, on April 5, 1991, N. Khromenko voluntarily left the post of chairman of the City Council.
I won’t talk about the life of Kaliningrad during this time of transition; it is in plain sight for all of us. It seems that the division of powers, at first, did not bring much benefit to the city. Let me just say that the revenue side of the city budget in 1990 was 90,290,000 rubles. But since the division also affected financial bodies, it makes no sense to delve into the area of monetary issues.
13. On April 29, 1991, Vitaly Valentinovich Shipov was elected chairman of the Kaliningrad City Council. On June 6, 1991, in connection with the departure of G. Isaev from work, V. Shipov simultaneously held the position of head of the city administration.
14. In January 1992, the situation with the two authorities became somewhat clearer. Nadezhda Ivanovna Lazareva, who worked as an assistant professor in the Department of Physics at the Technical Institute, was chosen for the position of chairman. And a little earlier, by Decree of the President of Russia of December 24, 1992, Vitaly Valentinovich Shipov, captain of the second rank of the Navy, was appointed head of the administration of Kaliningrad.
So, the city authorities sat down in their chairs. Now we will wait for positive results. The next elections to local government, unless the laws change, should take place in 1995. Time flies inexorably...
The article uses documents from the Kaliningrad Regional Archive of the reference book “Lexicon of Koenigsberg” by Robert Albinus (1988), materials from the author’s archive.
List
mayors of Koenigsberg and Kaliningrad
Koenigsberg 1724-1945
| 1. | Zacharias Hesse | 1724-1730 |
| 2. | I. G. Fokkeradt | 1730-1732 |
| 3. | Jacob Grube | 1732-1739 |
| 4. | Ernst von Müllenheim | 1739-1740 |
| 5. | Johann Schröder | 1740-1745 |
| 6. | Johann Heinrich Kiesewetter | 1746-1751 |
| 7. | Daniel Friedrich Ginderzin | 1752-1780 |
| 8. | Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel | 1780-1796 |
| 9. | Bernhard Conrad Ludwig Gervais | 1796-1808 |
| 10. | Martin Gottlieb Deetz | 1808-1810 |
| 11. | August Wilhelm Heidemann | 1810-1813 |
| 12. | Karl Friedrich Horn | 1814-1826 |
| 13. | Johann Friedrich List | 1826-1838 |
| 14. | Rudolf von Auerswald | 1838-1842 |
| 15. | August Friedrich Kra | 1843-1848 |
| 16. | Karl Gottfried Sperling | 1848-1864 |
| 17. | Bigork | 1864-1865 |
| 18. | Ernst von Ernsthausen | 1865-1866 |
| 19. | E. von Retzenstein | 1866-1867 |
| 20. | Friedrich Kischke | 1867-1872 |
| 21. | Karl Johann Eduard Szepanski | 1872-1874 |
| 22. | Brown | 1874-1875 |
| 23. | Johann Karl Adolf Selke | 1875-1893 |
| 24. | Herman Theodor Hoffmann | 1893-1902 |
| 25. | Paul Kunkel | 1902-1903 |
| 26. | Siegfried Körte | 1903-1918 |
| 27. | Albert Franz Borowski | 1918-1919 |
| 28. | Erdmann |
5.
On October 29, 1993, the Kaliningrad City Council ceased to exist. Thus, civil power in Kaliningrad was concentrated in the office of the head of the city administration, Vitaly Valentinovich Shipov. The structure of local government for the future has not yet been determined. |
Royal Gate
Kaliningrad is one of the most mysterious and unusual cities. This is a place where old Königsberg and modern Kaliningrad coexist at the same time. Shrouded in secrets and legends, this city attracts a large number of tourists. Such famous people as the great philosopher Immanuel Kant lived here, and the fantastic stories of Ernest Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann are known to many around the world. This place is also notable for the fact that magnificent coronations of kings took place here, scientific discoveries were made, and precious works of art were kept. The historical past can still be felt at every step: cobblestone streets, forts, churches, order castles, the juxtaposition of German, Soviet and modern architecture.
History of Kaliningrad
The history of Kaliningrad (Königsberg) and the Kaliningrad region goes back more than 8 centuries. Prussian tribes lived on this land for a long time. In the 13th century. Knights of the Teutonic Order came to the territory of the South-Eastern Baltic and conquered the autochthonous population living here. In 1255, a fortress was built on the elevated bank of the Pregel River and named “Königsberg”, which means “Royal Mountain”. There is a version that the fortress was named after the Czech king Přemysl (Przemysl) II Ottokar, who led the crusade to Prussia. Three small but closely connected cities gradually formed near the castle: Altstadt, Kneiphof and Löbenicht. In 1724, these cities officially united into one city with the common name Königsberg.
In 1544, the first secular ruler, Duke Albert, built the Albertina University in the city, making Königsberg one of the centers of European science and culture. It is reliably known that Russian Tsar Peter I visited Königsberg as part of the Grand Embassy.
In 1657, the Duchy of Prussia was freed from fief dependence on Poland, and in 1701, the Elector of Brandenburg, Frederick III, was crowned Frederick I, making Prussia a kingdom.
In 1756, the Seven Years' War began, during which Russian troops occupied the territory of the kingdom, after which the inhabitants of Prussia took an oath of allegiance to the Russian Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Thus, until the death of the Empress, this territory was part of the Russian Empire. In 1762, Prussia was again returned to the German crown. After the divisions of Poland in the 18th century. Prussia received part of the Polish territories. Since that time, the territory in which the Kaliningrad region is now located began to be called East Prussia.
View of the Cathedral
Before World War II, Königsberg was a large and beautiful city with developed infrastructure. Residents and guests of the city were attracted by numerous shops, cafes and fairs, beautiful sculptures, fountains, parks - there was a feeling of a garden city. In 1933, A. Hitler came to power in Germany. The Second World War began. In August 1944, as a result of two British air raids, most of the city was turned into ruins. In April 1945, Russian troops took Königsberg by storm. After the Second World War, based on the decisions of the Yalta and Potsdam conferences, from 1945, a third of the former East Prussia began to belong to the USSR, and from that moment a new stage in the history of the amber region began. By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated April 7, 1946, the Koenigsberg region was formed here, which became part of the RSFSR, and on July 4 its administrative center was renamed Kaliningrad, and the region - Kaliningrad.
Today, many wonderful corners of the former Koenigsberg, artifacts of the past, create a unique aura of Kaliningrad. Koenigsberg, like a disappeared Atlantis, beckons and calls for searches and new discoveries of the already known and the still unknown. This is the only city in Russia where you can find authentic Gothic, Romano-Germanic style of architecture and the modernity of a big city.