The settlement on the site of present-day Kaliningrad was founded as a military fortress in 1255 after the Prussian Crusade by the Teutonic Knights against Baltic Prussians. The new settlement was named in honor of the Bohemian (Czech) King Ottokar II.

What is the history of Kaliningrad?

The settlement on the site of present-day Kaliningrad was founded as a military fortress in 1255 after the Prussian Crusade by the Teutonic Knights against Baltic Prussians. The new settlement was named in honor of the Bohemian (Czech) King Ottokar II.

Do they still speak German in Kaliningrad?

The Russian language is spoken by more than 95% of Kaliningrad Oblast’s population while English is understood by many people. While German culture plays a long historical role in the region, the language is spoken by few.

What is special about Kaliningrad?

Kaliningrad is still of great strategic importance to Moscow. It houses the Russian Baltic Fleet at the port of Baltiysk and is the country’s only ice-free European port.

Does Kaliningrad speak German?

Are there still German speakers in Kaliningrad?

The city was renamed to Kaliningrad in 1946 in honor of Soviet revolutionary Mikhail Kalinin. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it is governed as the administrative centre of Russia’s Kaliningrad Oblast, an exclave sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland .

Why is Konigsberg called Kaliningrad?

The capital of German East Prussia, Konigsberg was the home to a grand Prussian Royal Castle, destroyed along with much of the city in World War II. Konigsberg was renamed Kaliningrad in 1946 after Mikhail Kalinin, formal “leader” of the Soviet Union from 1919 until 1946.

When did Kaliningrad Oblast change its name?

( Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Decree of July 4, 1946 On Changing the Name of the City of Kyonigsberg to the City of Kaliningrad and the Name of Kyonigsberg Oblast to Kaliningrad Oblast. ). Liuhto, Kari (editor).

Why did the Soviet Union take over Kaliningrad?

Once claimed by Prussia, Kaliningrad was annexed by the Soviet Union during Great Patriotic War and has since remained under Russian control. When Stalin first requested Soviet control over Konigsberg at Tehran, he advocated the Soviet need for a warm water port at the expense of Germany.