Timeline of Kaliningrad



The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Kaliningrad, Russia. The city was known as Königsberg (Królewiec, Karaliaučius) prior to 1945 and Twangste prior to 1255.



Era of Teutonic Order

 * 1255 – Fortress built by Teutonic Knights during Prussian Crusade, on the basis of a Prussian settlement Twangste.
 * 1256 – Settlement formed north of the fortress.
 * 1262 – Prussians begin to besiege castle during the Great Prussian Uprising.
 * 1264 – Settlement developed south of the castle.
 * 1286 – Königsberg chartered.
 * 1300 – Town of Löbenicht built.
 * 1324 – Town of Kneiphof founded.
 * 1333 - Construction of Königsberg Cathedral begins.
 * 1340 – Königsberg joins Hanseatic League.
 * 1377 – Köttelbrücke (bridge) built.
 * 1379 (or 1397) – Schmiedebrücke (bridge) built.
 * 1380 – Cathedral built in Kneiphof (approximate date).
 * 1387 – Kneiphof Town Hall renovated.

15th century

 * 1440 – The city becomes a founding member of the anti-Teutonic Prussian Confederation.
 * 1454
 * March: Inclusion of the city, in Polish known as Królewiec, within the borders of the Kingdom of Poland following a request of the Prussian Confederation.
 * March: The local mayor pledged allegiance to the Polish King during the incorporation of the region in Kraków.
 * March: City authorized by the Polish king to mint Polish coins.
 * April: City becomes the capital of the Królewiec Voivodeship within Poland.
 * 1455 – Captured by Teutonic Knights during the Thirteen Years' War.
 * 1457 – City becomes capital of the State of the Teutonic Order.
 * 1464 – Georg Steinhaupt becomes mayor.
 * 1465 – Landing force from Polish-allied Elbląg destroyed the shipyard near the Old Town, preventing the Teutonic Knights from rebuilding their fleet until the end of the Thirteen Years' War.
 * 1466 – Second Treaty of Thorn: the city becomes a part of Poland as a fief held by the Teutonic Order.

16th century

 * 1519–21 – Polish-Teutonic War. The city opposed the Teutonic Knights' war against Poland and demanded peace.
 * 1520 – Mikolaj Firlej lays siege to the town
 * 1521–24 – Secularization of the Teutonic Order
 * 1523 – Printing press in operation.
 * 1525 – Treaty of Kraków: Königsberg/Królewiec becomes the capital of the Duchy of Prussia, Albert becomes first Duke of Prussia as a vassal of Poland. Treaty confirmed by city representatives.
 * 1529 – Castle Library established
 * 1542 – Pedagogium founded by Albert Hohenzollern in Kneiphof
 * 1544 – Albertina University (Lutheran) founded by Albert, Duke of Prussia.
 * 1545 – Oldest Polish catechism published by Jan Seklucjan.
 * 1547 – Catechism of Martynas Mažvydas published.
 * 1550 – Population: 14,000.
 * 1553 – Oldest Polish translation of the New Testament, by Stanisław Murzynowski, published.
 * 1560 – 28 March: King Sigismund II Augustus of Poland confers university privileges on the Albertina University, on a par with the Jagiellonian University.
 * 1561 – First acquisition of citizenship in the city by a Scot.
 * 1566
 * Duke Albert attempted to introduce absolutist rule in violation of the Treaty of Kraków.
 * August–October: Stay and intervention of Polish Royal commissioners, restoration of the previous legal order.
 * 4 October: Decree expanding the rights of Polish rulers and of the nobility and cities in the duchy.
 * 22 October: Decree settling the city's conflict with Duke Albert, instituted by Polish Royal commissioners.
 * 1568 – March: Albert Frederick becomes Duke of Prussia.
 * 1577 – City opposes the regency of George Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach.
 * 1579 – Renewed city resistance to the regency of George Frederick. The city supports the nobility's request to the Polish King to send a Polish Royal Commission to the city.
 * 1580 – Arrival of George Frederick to establish his rule.
 * 1590 – Green Bridge rebuilt.
 * 1594 – Schlosskirche (castle church) dedicated

17th century

 * 1616 – A Catholic church erected by order of King Sigismund III Vasa and the bishop of Warmia
 * 1618 – Duchy of Prussia passes under control of Electors of Brandenburg, August: John Sigismund becomes Duke of Prussia
 * 1619 – December: George William becomes Duke of Prussia
 * 1626 – City walls built.
 * 1629 – City refuses to pay taxes to the duchy.
 * 1632 – King Władysław IV Vasa of Poland supports the city in its dispute with Duke George William.
 * 1635
 * January: Agreement between the King of Poland and the city, granting the city the right to organize its military defense against a possible Swedish attack in exchange for exemption from taxes.
 * July: Visit of King Władysław IV Vasa.
 * July: Jerzy Ossoliński appointed the Polish governor of the duchy by King Władysław IV Vasa.
 * Jerzy Ossoliński completes the fortification of the city against a potential Swedish attack.
 * 1636 – Visit of King Władysław IV Vasa.
 * 1640 – December: Frederick William becomes Duke of Prussia
 * 1647 – Neurossgarten Church dedicated
 * 1657
 * Brandenburg Gate built.
 * Fort Friedrichsburg under construction
 * City opposes the rule of Elector Frederick William, and sides with Poland.
 * 1662
 * City sends a letter to King John II Casimir Vasa of Poland, opposing the rule of Elector Frederick William.
 * 8 July: Confederation formed in the city to maintain Poland's sovereignty over the city and region.
 * 27 October: The Brandenburg Elector and his army enter the city.
 * 30 October: Hieronymus Roth, leader of the city's anti-Elector opposition, abducted by Brandenburg forces, and then imprisoned.
 * 1663 – City burghers, forced by Frederick William, swear an oath of allegiance to him, however, in the same ceremony they still also pledge allegiance to Poland.
 * 1688 – April: Frederick becomes Duke of Prussia.

18th century

 * 1701
 * 18 January: Coronation of Frederick I of Prussia in the Schlosskirche.
 * Capital of Duchy of Prussia relocated from Königsberg to Berlin.
 * 1709 – Plague.
 * 1718
 * City Library opens.
 * Poczta Królewiecka Polish-language newspaper begins publication (ceased in 1720).
 * 1724
 * 22 April: Birth of Immanuel Kant, philosopher.
 * June: City of Königsberg expanded by uniting Altstadt, Kneiphof, and Löbenicht.
 * Königsberg City Archive is located in the Town Hall (approximate date).
 * 1734 – 8 August: Polish King Stanisław Leszczyński stops in the city.
 * 1735 – Math problem "Seven Bridges of Königsberg" presented.
 * 1736
 * 26 January: Stanisław Leszczyński signed an act of renunciation of the Polish crown in the city.
 * 27 March: Stanisław Leszczyński left the city for France on March 27, 1736.
 * 1756 – Synagogue built.
 * 1758
 * 14 January: Forces of the Kingdom of Prussia withdraw from the city.
 * 16 January: Russian forces enter city.
 * 24 January: City becomes part of Russia.
 * 1764 – Russian occupation ends.
 * 1765 – Gumbinnen Gate built.
 * 1780 – Theodor Gottlieb von Hippel becomes mayor.
 * 1790 – Königshalle built.

19th century

 * 1804 – 12 February: Death of Immanuel Kant, philosopher.
 * 1807 – French in power.
 * 1809 – Paradeplatz city garden established.
 * 1810 – August Wilhelm Heidemann becomes mayor.
 * 1812 – School of church music founded.
 * 1813 – Koenigsberg Observatory built.
 * 1814 – Carl Friedrich Horn becomes mayor.
 * 1826 – Johann Friedrich List becomes mayor.
 * 1828 – Royal and University Library formed.
 * 1830 – Population: 54,000.
 * 1831 – Polish poet Wincenty Pol interned in the city following the unsuccessful Polish November Uprising. He wrote his first poems there.
 * 1833 – University's Department of Chemistry opens in Neurossgarten.
 * 1838 – Rudolf von Auerswald becomes mayor.
 * 1845
 * Union Giesserei foundry in business.
 * New Altstadt Church dedicated.
 * Art academy opens.
 * 1851 – Grolman Bastion built.
 * 1855
 * Sailing Club founded.
 * Rossgarten Gate rebuilt.
 * 1856 – Königsberg Cathedral restored.
 * 1858 – Dohna Tower built.
 * 1860 – Astronomic Bastion built.
 * 1861
 * 18 October: Coronation of William I, German Emperor, in the Schlosskirche.
 * Albertina University new campus dedicated.
 * 1863–1864 – Arms trafficking for Polish insurgents during the January Uprising in the Russian Partition of Poland, co-organized by Wojciech Kętrzyński.
 * 1867 – Population: 101,507.
 * 1875
 * Johann Karl Adolf Selke becomes mayor.
 * Königsberg Stock Exchange built in Vorstadt.
 * 1878 – Königsberger Allgemeine Zeitung (newspaper) in publication.
 * 1880
 * Bronsart Fort built.
 * Population: 140,800.
 * 1883 – High Bridge rebuilt.
 * 1886 – Siemering Museum established.
 * 1889 – Eisenbahnbrücke (bridge) opens.
 * 1890 – Population: 161,666.
 * 1892 – Baltika Stadium opens.
 * 1893 – Hermann Theodor Hoffmann becomes mayor.
 * 1896 – Zoo founded.
 * 1897 – Königsberger Tageblatt (newspaper) in publication.
 * 1898 – Palaestra Albertina established.
 * 1900
 * Football Club Königsberg formed.
 * Population: 187,897.

1900-1945

 * 1901
 * Queen Louise Memorial Church and Pillau-Königsberg canal built.
 *  (newspaper) in publication.
 * 1903 – Siegfried Körte becomes mayor.
 * 1905 - Population: 219,862.
 * 1906 – Bismarck tower built near city.
 * 1907 – Church of the Holy Family built.
 * 1912 – Stadthalle opens.
 * 1913
 * New Tragheim Church dedicated.
 * Kunsthalle Königsberg (art gallery) opens.
 * 1914 – City bombed by Russian forces.
 * 1919
 * Hans Lohmeyer becomes mayor.
 * City becomes part of the German Reich.
 * Population: 260,895.
 * 1920 – 24 April: Consulate of Poland opened.
 * 1921 – Königsberg Devau Airport opens.
 * 1927 – City Hall relocated to Hansaplatz.
 * 1928 – Königsberg City Museum opens.
 * 1929 – Central railway terminal opens.
 * 1931 – Last Polish book in the pre-1945 city published.
 * 1933 – Hellmuth Will becomes mayor.
 * 1934 – Hansaplatz renamed Adolf-Hitler-Platz.
 * 1939
 * Lasch Bunker built in Paradeplatz.
 * Population: 368,433.
 * 25 August: The local Gestapo issued an arrest warrant for all Polish teachers in the region.
 * August–September: Persecution of Poles, incl. mass arrests of Polish students and arrests of local Polish consul Jerzy Warchełowski and attaché Witold Winiarski.
 * October: The Germans established a forced labour camp for Romani people.
 * 1941 – 1 September: Aerial bombing by Soviet forces begins.
 * 1942 – 24 June: The Nazi SS sends the first deportation of Jews from Königsberg and the province of East Prussia to extermination camps.
 * 1944
 * August: Aerial bombing by British forces; city extensively damaged.
 * 19 August: The Germans established a subcamp of the Stutthof concentration camp, in which around 500 Jews were subjected to forced labour.
 * 1945
 * January: Subcamp of the Stutthof concentration camp dissolved.
 * January: Battle of Königsberg begins.
 * February: Metgethen massacre.
 * 9 April: Battle of Königsberg ends; Soviets in power.

1946-1990s

 * 1946
 * April: City becomes part of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, per Potsdam Agreement.
 * City renamed Kaliningrad after Bolshevik Mikhail Kalinin.
 * City becomes seat of the newly formed Kaliningrad Oblast.
 * Kaliningrad Regional Museum of History and Arts founded.
 * Kaliningradskaya Pravda newspaper begins publication.
 * 1947 – Kaliningrad Regional Drama Theatre established.
 * 1954 – Pishchevik Kaliningrad football club formed.
 * 1956 – Population: 188,000.
 * 1960 – Theatre on Mira Avenue rebuilt.
 * 1965 - Population: 253,000.
 * 1967 – Kaliningrad State University active.
 * 1979
 * Khrabrovo Airport terminal built.
 * Kaliningrad Amber Museum opens.
 * 1985 - Population: 385,000.
 * 1988 – Kaliningrad State Art Gallery established.
 * 1989 – Population: 401,280; oblast 871,283.
 * 1990
 * Chamber of Commerce founded.
 * City opens to foreign tourists.
 * 1994 – Kaliningrad State Technical University active.
 * 1996 – Leonid Gorbenko becomes governor of Kaliningrad Oblast.
 * 1998 – The Voice from the Pregel Polish-language magazine in publication.

21st century

 * 2001 – Vladimir Yegorov becomes governor of Kaliningrad Oblast.
 * 2005
 * July: 750th anniversary of city founding.
 * Kaiser Bridge reconstructed (approximate date).
 * Georgy Boos becomes governor of Kaliningrad Oblast.
 * 2007
 * Alexander Jaroschuk becomes mayor.
 * Khrabrovo Airport new terminal opens.
 * 2008 – Cathedral of Christ the Saviour consecrated.
 * 2010
 * 30 January: Protest against governor Georgy Boos.
 * Population: 431,500; oblast 941,873.
 * Nikolay Tsukanov becomes governor of Kaliningrad Oblast.
 * 2012 – Poland-Russia border near Kaliningrad Oblast opens.

in English

 * Published in the 18th-19th century


 * Published in the 20th century


 * Published in the 21st century

in other languages

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