Place:Ostpreußen, Preußen, Germany

Watchers
NameOstpreußen
Alt namesEast Prussiasource: Family History Library Catalog
TypeFormer province
Located inPreußen, Germany     (abt 1200 - 1945)
See alsoPoland
Russia
Contained Places
Diocese
Kreuzburg
Former village
Sandhof ( 1919 - )
Inhabited place
Allenstein
Biskupiec ( 1772 - 1945 )
Groß Usnitz ( 1919 - )
Insterburg
Königsberg
Labiau
Marggrabowa
Mostovoe
Powunden ( 1285 - 1946 )
Rastenburg
Rudau
Kreis
Elbing
Friedland
Goldap
Heydekrug
Memel
Osterode
Tilsit
Kreis (district)
Mohrungen
Neidenburg
Oblast
Kaliningrad
Stad
Gumbinnen
Unknown
Abschwangen
Albrechtsdorf
Allenau
Allenberg
Allenburg
Almenhausen
Alt Budupönen
Alt Dollstädt
Alt Inse
Alt Kattenau
Alt Lappönen
Alt Passarge
Alt Pillau
Alt Schäcken
Alt Schöneberg
Alt Seckenburg
Alt Wartenburg
Altroßgarten
Altstadt
Angerburg
Arnsdorf
Arys
Assaunen
Auglitten
Aweyden
Balga
Ballgarden
Baltzerisches Schulzenamt
Bansen
Baranowen
Barschken
Barten
Bartenstein
Basien
Baubeln
Behlenhof
Beisleiden
Belzonzen
Benern
Benkheim
Bialla
Bieberswalde
Bilderweitschen
Bischofsburg
Bischofstein
Bladiau
Bludau
Blumenau
Bommelsvitte
Borken
Borszymmen
Bosemb
Bothenen
Brakupönen
Brandenburg
Braunsberg
Braunswalde
Bredauen
Brosowen
Brostkersten
Buchholz
Buddelkehmen
Buddern
Budweitschen
Budwethen
Buylien
Bäslack
Böttchersdorf
Clemmenhof
Czychen
Danzkehmen
Darkehmen
Dawillen
Deutsch Krottingen
Deutsch Thierau
Deutsch Wilten
Deutschendorf
Didlacken
Dietrichsdorf
Dietrichswalde
Dinglauken
Diwitten
Dobawen
Doben
Dollstädt
Dombrowken
Domnau
Drengfurth
Drygallen
Dubeningken
Döbern
Döhlau
Döhringen
Dönhofstädt
Dörschkehmen
Eckersberg
Eichen
Eichholz
Eichhorn
Eichmedien
Eisenberg
Elditten
Endrunisches Schulzenamt
Engelstein
Enzuhnen
Ermland
Eschenau
Eydtkuhnen
Falkenau
Fischhausen
Frankenau
Frauenburg
Frauendorf
Friedenberg
Friedrichsburg
Friedrichsfelde
Friedrichshof
Frögenau
Fürstenwalde
Gallingen
Gansenstein
Gawaiten
Gehsen
Geierswalde
Gellszinnen
Georgenau
Georgenburg
Georgenthal
Gerdauen
Germau
Gerskullen
Gerwischkehmen
Gilge
Gilgenburg
Glottau
Goldbach
Gonsken
Grabnick
Grabowen
Grasnitz
Grieslienen
Grodzisko
Groß Aulowönen
Groß Bartelsdorf
Groß Berschkallen
Groß Bertung
Groß Bestendorf
Groß Bössau
Groß Czymochen
Groß Dirschkeim
Groß Engelau
Groß Friedrichsberg
Groß Friedrichsdorf
Groß Friedrichsgraben I
Groß Gardienen
Groß Gaudischkehmen
Groß Heydekrug
Groß Inse
Groß Jagschen
Groß Jerutten
Groß Karschau
Groß Kirsteinsdorf
Groß Kleeberg
Groß Köllen
Groß Lappienen
Groß Legitten
Groß Lemkendorf
Groß Lenkeningken
Groß Lensk
Groß Mischen
Groß Ottenhagen
Groß Peisten
Groß Purden
Groß Pötzdorf
Groß Ramsau
Groß Rautenberg
Groß Rosinsko
Groß Samrodt
Groß Schläfken
Groß Schmückwalde
Groß Schwansfeld
Groß Schönau
Groß Simnau
Groß Skaisgirren
Groß Stürlack
Groß Sunkeln
Groß Szabienen
Groß Thierbach
Groß Warningken
Groß Wolfsdorf
Großhof
Grumbkowkaiten
Grunau
Grünhayn
Grünheide
Grünhoff
Grünweitschen
Gudnick
Gudwallen
Guja
Gurnen
Guttenfeld
Guttstadt
Göritten
Göttkendorf
Götzhöfen
Haarsen
Haberberg
Haffstrom
Hagenau
Hanisches Schulzenamt
Hanshagen
Heeselicht
Heiligelinde
Heiligenbeil
Heiligenkreutz
Heiligenthal
Heiligenwalde
Heilsberg
Heinrichsdorf
Heinrichsfelde
Heinrichswalde
Heinrikau
Hermsdorf
Herrndorf
Herzogswalde
Himmelforth
Hirschfeld
Hohenfürst
Hohenstein
Hoppendorf
Inse
Ischdaggen
Jedwabno
Jesau
Jodlauken
Johannisburg
Jucha
Juditten
Judtschen
Jäskendorf
Kabienen
Kairinn
Kalkstein
Kallinowen
Kallningken
Kalthof
Kamionken
Kandien
Kanditten
Kaporn Adlig
Karalene
Karben
Karkelbeck
Karkeln
Karlsberg
Kassigkehmen
Kattenau
Kaukehmen
Kaymen
Kiauten
Kinten
Kirsteinsdorf
Kiwitten
Klaukendorf
Klausmühlen
Klein Brittanien
Klein Dexen
Klein Friedrichsgraben
Klein Gnie
Klein Jerutten
Klein Koslau
Klein Oletzko
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Klein Strengeln
Kleinhof
Kleszowen
Klingenberg
Kneiphof
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Kobbelbude
Kollaten
Korreynen
Korschen
Kragau
Kraplau
Kraupischken
Krekollen
Kremitten
Krottingen
Kruglanken
Kumehnen
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Kummetschen
Kunzen
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Kussen
Kutten
Königsfelde
Körnen
Laggarben
Lamgarben
Landsberg
Langgut
Langheim
Langwalde
Laptau
Lasdehnen
Lauck
Laugallen
Laukischken
Lauknen
Lautern
Layss
Legienen
Legitten
Leip
Lengwethen
Lesgewangminnen
Lichtenau
Lichtenhagen
Liebemühl
Liebstadt
Linkuhnen
Lissen
Lochstädt
Locken
Loszainen
Ludwigswalde
Lyck
Löbegallen
Löbenicht
Lötzen
Löwenhagen
Löwenstein
Mahnsfeld
Mallwischken
Manchengut
Marienfelde
Marwalde
Masuren
Mattischkehmen
Maygunischken
Medenau
Mehlauken
Mehlkehmen
Mehlsack
Mellneraggen
Mensguth
Mierunsken
Migehnen
Milken
Miswalde
Mitschullen
Molthainen
Momehnen
Mosdzehnen
Moulienen
Muldszen
Muschaken
Mühlen
Münsterberg
Narzym
Nassawen
Natangen
Neimen
Nemmersdorf
Nemonien
Neu Bartelsdorf
Neu Kockendorf
Neuendorf
Neuhausen
Neuhof
Neukirch
Neunischken
Neuroßgarten
Nidden
Niebudszen
Niederung
Nikolaiken
Nordenburg
Norkitten
Noßberg
Nußtal
Obehlischken
Oletzko
Olschöwen
Opalenietz
Open
Orlen
Ortelsburg
Osterwein
Ostrokollen
Paaris
Palmnicken
Passenheim
Paterswalde
Paulswalde
Pellen
Pelleninken
Petersdorf
Petershagen
Petricken
Pfeilings
Pillau
Pillkallen
Pillupönen
Pissanitzen
Plaschken
Plaßwich
Plibischken
Plicken
Pobethen
Podangen
Podollen
Pogegen
Polommen
Polwitten
Ponarth
Popelken
Popiollen
Possessern
Postnicken
Prassen
Preußisch Eylau
Preußisch Holland
Preußisch Mark
Prossitten
Prökuls
Puschdorf
Pörschken
Pülz
Quednau
Queetz
Ragnit
Ramsau
Raschung
Rauschen
Rauschken
Reddenau
Regerteln
Regulowken
Reichau
Reichenau
Reichenbach
Reichenberg
Reichertswalde
Reichwalde
Reimerswalde
Rhein
Riedelsberg
Rogehnen
Roggenhausen
Rosenau
Rosengarten
Rosengarth
Rossitten
Rothfließ
Ruß
Rössel
Saalau
Saalfeld
Saberau
Sackheim
Sadlowo
Sadweitschen
Samland
Sankt Lorenz
Sarkau
Schaaken
Schakuhnen
Schalmey
Schareyken
Scharnau
Schestocken
Schillehnen
Schillgallen
Schimonken
Schippenbeil
Schlagamühle
Schlitt
Schmauch
Schmelz
Schmoditten
Schnittken
Schreitlaugken
Schwarzort
Schwarzstein
Schwöllmen
Schönau
Schönbruch
Schönbrück
Seeburg
Seehausen
Seehesten
Seelesen
Selbongen
Seligenfeld
Sensburg
Siewken
Sillehnen
Skarzinnen
Skottau
Sobiechen
Sodargen
Sokolken
Soldahnen
Soldau
Soltmahnen
Sommerau
Sommerfeld
Sonnenborn
Sperling
Stablack
Stallupönen
Stanislewo
Stannaitschen
Starkenberg
Steinbeck
Steindamm
Steinort
Stockheim
Stolzhagen
Stradaunen
Sturmhübel
Sudmanten-Trusch
Sulimmen
Surminnen
Szabienen
Szarde
Szibben
Szillen
Szirgupönen
Szittkehmen
Süderspitze
Süssenthal
Tannenberg
Tapiau
Taplacken
Thalheim
Tharau
Thierenberg
Thurau
Tiedmannsdorf
Tiefensee
Tolks
Tollmingkehmen
Tragheim
Trakehnen
Treuburg
Truschellen
Turoscheln
Uderwangen
Uszlöknen
Uszpiaunen
Waldau
Waldaukadel
Walterkehmen
Wandlacken
Wannaggen
Waplitz
Wargen
Wartenburg
Wawrochen
Wehlau
Wenden
Wengoyen
Wenzken
Werden
Wernegitten
Widminnen
Wielitzken
Wiesenthal
Wilhelmsberg
Willenberg
Willkischken
Willuhnen
Winge
Wischniewen
Wischwill
Wittauten
Wittigwalde
Wolfsdorf
Wormditt
Woynitt
Wusen
Wuslack
Wuttrienen
Zallenfelde
Zinten
source: Family History Library Catalog


the text in this section is copied from an article in Wikipedia

East Prussia was a province of the Kingdom of Prussia from 1773 to 1829 and again from 1878 (with the Kingdom itself being part of the German Empire from 1871); following World War I it formed part of the Weimar Republic's Free State of Prussia, until 1945. Its capital city was Königsberg (present-day Kaliningrad). East Prussia was the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast.

The bulk of the ancestral lands of the Baltic Old Prussians were enclosed within East Prussia. During the 13th century, the native Prussians were conquered by the crusading Teutonic Knights. After the conquest the indigenous Balts were gradually converted to Christianity. Because of Germanization and colonisation over the following centuries, Germans became the dominant ethnic group, while Masurians and Lithuanians formed minorities. From the 13th century, East Prussia was part of the monastic state of the Teutonic Knights. After the Second Peace of Thorn in 1466 it became a fief of the Kingdom of Poland. In 1525, with the Prussian Homage, the province became the Duchy of Prussia. The Old Prussian language had become extinct by the 17th or early 18th century.

Because the duchy was outside of the core Holy Roman Empire, the prince-electors of Brandenburg were able to proclaim themselves King beginning in 1701. After the annexation of most of western Royal Prussia in the First Partition of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1772, eastern (ducal) Prussia was connected by land with the rest of the Prussian state and was reorganized as a province the following year (1773). Between 1829 and 1878, the Province of East Prussia was joined with West Prussia to form the Province of Prussia.

The Kingdom of Prussia became the leading state of the German Empire after its creation in 1871. However, the Treaty of Versailles following World War I granted West Prussia to Poland and made East Prussia an exclave of Weimar Germany (the new Polish Corridor separated East Prussia from the rest of Germany), while the Memel Territory was detached and annexed by Lithuania in 1923. Following Nazi Germany's defeat in World War II in 1945, war-torn East Prussia was divided at Joseph Stalin's insistence between the Soviet Union (the Kaliningrad Oblast became part of the Russian SFSR, and the constituent counties of the Klaipėda Region in the Lithuanian SSR) and the People's Republic of Poland (the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship). The capital city Königsberg was renamed Kaliningrad in 1946. The German population of the province was largely evacuated during the war or expelled shortly afterwards in the expulsion of Germans after World War II. An estimated 300,000 died either in war time bombing raids, in the battles to defend the province, or through mistreatment by the Red Army or from hunger, cold and disease.


Why the Teutons invaded

The Teutonic Knights were asked to come to this area by Poland to conquer the pagan tribes that were harassing Poland. The knights kept the land they conquered and cut off Poland from the sea. The knights lost the Battle of Tannenberg in 1410 but kept their land. Unable to pay their mercenaries, the knights gave them the fortress at Marienburg and transferred their command to Königsberg in 1457. The mercenaries turned around and sold the fortress to Poland. At the second Treaty of Thorn/Torun in 1466 the knights were now subservient to Poland. Ostpreußen became part of Preußen in 1618 but only independent from Poland in 1657. Ostpreußen was connected to Germany after the first partitioning of Poland in 1772, and cut off again after WWI, and reunited briefly during WWII. After WWII the southern half was given to Poland, and the northern half including Königsberg was claimed by the Soviet Union, despite the fact there were families who had lived there for centuries and expelling them was contrary to the Geneva convention.

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