Polessk

Polessk (Russian: Поле́сск), prior to 1945 known by its German name Labiau (Polish: Labiawa; Lithuanian: Labguva) is a town and the administrative center of Polessky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia. Population: 7,580 (2010 Census preliminary results);[1] 7,681 (2002 Census);[2] 6,859 (1989 Census);[3] 4,744 (1885).

Polessk lies between Kaliningrad and Sovetsk at the junction of a main road and a railroad at the Deyma River, shortly before it enters the Curonian Lagoon. The Polessk Canal begins in the town.

The town contains a castle built by the Teutonic Order, who gave it the German name Labiau. It became part of Ducal Prussia and on November 20, 1656 was the location of the Treaty of Labiau. While part of East Prussia within the Kingdom of Prussia and the German Empire, Labiau was a district seat in the administrative region of Königsberg. In 1885, Labiau had 4,744 inhabitants, almost all of whom were Lutherans.

Labiau was overrun by the Soviet Red Army in 1945 near the end of World War II. It was transferred from German to Russian control according to the Potsdam Conference and the following year renamed from Labiau to Polessk. The remaining Germans who had not evacuated were subsequently expelled and replaced with Soviet citizens.

References

  1. ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2011). "Предварительные итоги Всероссийской переписи населения 2010 года (Preliminary results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года (2010 All-Russia Population Census). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis-2010.ru/results_of_the_census/results-inform.php. Retrieved 2011-04-25. 
  2. ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2004-05-21). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек (Population of Russia, its federal districts, federal subjects, districts, urban localities, rural localities—administrative centers, and rural localities with population of over 3,000)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis2002.ru/ct/doc/1_TOM_01_04.xls. Retrieved 2010-03-23. 
  3. ^ "Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров. (All Union Population Census of 1989. Present population of union and autonomous republics, autonomous oblasts and okrugs, krais, oblasts, districts, urban settlements, and villages serving as district administrative centers.)" (in Russian). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года (All-Union Population Census of 1989). Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. 1989. http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus89_reg.php. Retrieved 2010-03-23. 
Cities and towns in Kaliningrad Oblast
Administrative center: Kaliningrad (Königsberg)
Bagrationovsk (Preußisch Eylau) · Baltiysk (Pillau) · Chernyakhovsk (Insterburg) · Guryevsk (Neuhausen) · Gusev (Gumbinnen) · Gvardeysk (Tapiau) · Krasnoznamensk (Lasdehnen) · Ladushkin (Ludwigsort) · Mamonovo (Heiligenbeil) · Neman (Ragnit) · Nesterov (Stallupönen) · Ozyorsk (Darkehmen) · Pionersky (Neukuhren) · Polessk (Labiau) · Pravdinsk (Friedland in Ostpreußen) · Slavsk (Heinrichswalde) · Sovetsk (Tilsit) · Svetlogorsk (Rauschen) · Svetly (Zimmerbude) · Zelenogradsk (Cranz)