Znamensk, Kaliningrad Oblast

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For other places with the same name, see Znamensk.

Coordinates: 54°37′N 21°13′E / 54.617°N 21.217°E / 54.617; 21.217

Entrance to Znamensk

Znamensk (Russian:  Зна́менск​ (help·info); German:  Wehlau (help·info); Lithuanian: Vėluva; Polish: Welawa) is a rural locality (a settlement) in Gvardeysky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located on the right bank of the Pregolya River at its confluence with the Lava River 50 kilometers (31 mi) east of Kaliningrad. Population: 4,036 (2010 Census);[1] 4,302 (2002 Census);[2] 4,570 (1989 Census).[3]

History

The site of today's Znamensk was originally an Old Prussian fort, with a settlement named Velowe nearby. The Teutonic Knights fortified the area and began to colonize the region with Germans, giving the settlement the name Wehlau. It received its civic charter in 1339 and became a center for horse stables.

In the Treaty of Wehlau signed in the town in 1657, Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, received sovereignty over the Duchy of Prussia. In 1818, it became the seat of Landkreis Wehlau in East Prussia within the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1871 Wehlau joined the German Empire.

Near the end of World War II in early 1945, the town was overrun by the Soviet Red Army. The old town center was almost completely destroyed, and the German population was removed during the evacuation of East Prussia or expelled. It became part of the Kaliningrad Oblast and was renamed Znamensk, losing its civic rights in the process. It was demoted to a rural settlement in 2006.

Notable people

See also

References

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  1. ↑ "Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том 1" [2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1]. Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года (2010 All-Russia Population Census) (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service. 2011. Retrieved June 29, 2012. 
  2. ↑ "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]. Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002) (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service. May 21, 2004. Retrieved February 9, 2012. 
  3. ↑ Demoscope Weekly (1989). "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]. Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года (All-Union Population Census of 1989) (in Russian). Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. Retrieved February 9, 2012. 
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