Sovetsk, Kaliningrad Oblast
Encyclopedia
Sovetsk known by its historical German
name of Tilsit in East Prussia
before 1946, is a town in Kaliningrad Oblast
, Russia
, located on the south bank of the Neman River
. Population:
in 1552, grew up around a castle of the Teutonic Knights
, known as the Schalauner Haus, founded in 1288. The Treaties of Tilsit
were signed here in July 1807, the preliminaries of which were settled by the emperors Alexander I of Russia
and Napoleon I of France
on a raft moored in the Neman River. This treaty, which created the Kingdom of Westphalia
and the Duchy of Warsaw
, completed Napoleon's humiliation of the Kingdom of Prussia
, when it was deprived of one half of its dominions.
This short-lived peace-treaty is also remarkable for quite another reason. Three days before its signing, Prussian queen Louise (1776–1810) tried to persuade Napoleon in a private conversation to ease his hard conditions on Prussia. Although without any result, Louise's effort greatly endeared her to the Prussian people.
Until 1945, a marble tablet marked the house in which King Frederick William III of Prussia
and Queen Louise resided. Also, in the former Schenkendorf Platz was a monument to the poet Max von Schenkendorf
(1783–1817) a native of Tilsit. During the 19th century when the Lithuanian language
was banned within the Russian Empire
, Tilsit was an important centre for printing Lithuanian books which then were smuggled by Knygnešiai
to the Russian-controlled part of Lithuania
. In general, Tilsit thrived and was an important Prussian town. By 1900 it had electric tramways and 34,500 inhabitants; a direct railway line linked it to Königsberg
and Labiau and steamers docked there daily. The Act of Tilsit
was signed here by leaders of the Lietuvininks in 1918.
During the time of Nazi Germany
, Tilsit was a Militärischer Vorbereich of the Königsberg Militärischer Bereich, which was part of Wehrkreis I. Adolf Hitler
visited the town just before World War II
, and there is a picture of him on the bridge over the Neman River.
Tilsit was occupied by the Red Army
on January 20, 1945, and was annexed by the Soviet Union
in 1945. The remaining Germans
who had not evacuated
were subsequently expelled
and replaced with Soviet citizens. The town was renamed Sovetsk
by the new communist
rulers in 1945, in honour of the Soviet
system of rule.
Modern Sovetsk has tried to take advantage of Tilsit's rich traditions of cheese
production (Tilsit cheese
), but the new name Sovetsky has not caught on.
Since April 2007, government restrictions on visits to border areas have been tightened and travel to the Sovetsk and Bagrationovsk areas is only allowed with special permission
/Übermemel in Lithuania
, retains an arch; all that is left of a more complex pre-war bridge structure.
with:
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
name of Tilsit in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
before 1946, is a town in Kaliningrad Oblast
Kaliningrad Oblast
Kaliningrad Oblast is a federal subject of Russia situated on the Baltic coast. It has a population of The oblast forms the westernmost part of the Russian Federation, but it has no land connection to the rest of Russia. Since its creation it has been an exclave of the Russian SFSR and then the...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, located on the south bank of the Neman River
Neman River
Neman or Niemen or Nemunas, is a major Eastern European river rising in Belarus and flowing through Lithuania before draining into the Curonian Lagoon and then into the Baltic Sea at Klaipėda. It is the northern border between Lithuania and Russia's Kaliningrad Oblast in its lower reaches...
. Population:
History of Tilsit
Tilsit, which received civic rightsGerman town law
German town law or German municipal concerns concerns town privileges used by many cities, towns, and villages throughout Central and Eastern Europe during the Middle Ages.- Town law in Germany :...
in 1552, grew up around a castle of the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
, known as the Schalauner Haus, founded in 1288. The Treaties of Tilsit
Treaties of Tilsit
The Treaties of Tilsit were two agreements signed by Napoleon I of France in the town of Tilsit in July, 1807 in the aftermath of his victory at Friedland. The first was signed on 7 July, between Tsar Alexander I of Russia and Napoleon I of France, when they met on a raft in the middle of the Neman...
were signed here in July 1807, the preliminaries of which were settled by the emperors Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia
Alexander I of Russia , served as Emperor of Russia from 23 March 1801 to 1 December 1825 and the first Russian King of Poland from 1815 to 1825. He was also the first Russian Grand Duke of Finland and Lithuania....
and Napoleon I of France
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
on a raft moored in the Neman River. This treaty, which created the Kingdom of Westphalia
Kingdom of Westphalia
The Kingdom of Westphalia was a new country of 2.6 million Germans that existed from 1807-1813. It included of territory in Hesse and other parts of present-day Germany. While formally independent, it was a vassal state of the First French Empire, ruled by Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte...
and the Duchy of Warsaw
Duchy of Warsaw
The Duchy of Warsaw was a Polish state established by Napoleon I in 1807 from the Polish lands ceded by the Kingdom of Prussia under the terms of the Treaties of Tilsit. The duchy was held in personal union by one of Napoleon's allies, King Frederick Augustus I of Saxony...
, completed Napoleon's humiliation of the Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
, when it was deprived of one half of its dominions.
This short-lived peace-treaty is also remarkable for quite another reason. Three days before its signing, Prussian queen Louise (1776–1810) tried to persuade Napoleon in a private conversation to ease his hard conditions on Prussia. Although without any result, Louise's effort greatly endeared her to the Prussian people.
Until 1945, a marble tablet marked the house in which King Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III of Prussia
Frederick William III was king of Prussia from 1797 to 1840. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel .-Early life:...
and Queen Louise resided. Also, in the former Schenkendorf Platz was a monument to the poet Max von Schenkendorf
Max von Schenkendorf
Gottlob Ferdinand Maximilian Gottfried von Schenkendorf was a German poet, born in Tilsit and educated at Königsberg. During the War of Liberation, in which he took an active part, Schenkendorf was associated with Arndt and Körner in the writing of patriotic songs...
(1783–1817) a native of Tilsit. During the 19th century when the Lithuanian language
Lithuanian language
Lithuanian is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognized as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic language, closely related to Latvian, although they...
was banned within the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, Tilsit was an important centre for printing Lithuanian books which then were smuggled by Knygnešiai
Knygnešiai
Book smugglers were people who transported Lithuanian language books printed in the Latin alphabet into Lithuanian-speaking areas of the Russian Empire, defying a ban on such materials in force from 1866 to 1904...
to the Russian-controlled part of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
. In general, Tilsit thrived and was an important Prussian town. By 1900 it had electric tramways and 34,500 inhabitants; a direct railway line linked it to Königsberg
Königsberg
Königsberg was the capital of East Prussia from the Late Middle Ages until 1945 as well as the northernmost and easternmost German city with 286,666 inhabitants . Due to the multicultural society in and around the city, there are several local names for it...
and Labiau and steamers docked there daily. The Act of Tilsit
Act of Tilsit
The Act of Tilsit was an act, signed in Tilsit by 24 members of the National Council of Lithuania Minor on November 30, 1918. Signatories demanded unification of Lithuania Minor and Lithuania Proper into a single Lithuanian state...
was signed here by leaders of the Lietuvininks in 1918.
During the time of Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, Tilsit was a Militärischer Vorbereich of the Königsberg Militärischer Bereich, which was part of Wehrkreis I. Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
visited the town just before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and there is a picture of him on the bridge over the Neman River.
Tilsit was occupied by the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
on January 20, 1945, and was annexed by the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
in 1945. The remaining Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
who had not evacuated
Evacuation of East Prussia
The evacuation of East Prussia refers to the evacuation of the German civilian population and military personnel in East Prussia and the Klaipėda region between 20 January, and March 1945, as part of the evacuation of German civilians towards the end of World War II...
were subsequently expelled
Expulsion of Germans after World War II
The later stages of World War II, and the period after the end of that war, saw the forced migration of millions of German nationals and ethnic Germans from various European states and territories, mostly into the areas which would become post-war Germany and post-war Austria...
and replaced with Soviet citizens. The town was renamed Sovetsk
Sovetsk
Sovetsk may refer to:*Sovetsk, Kaliningrad Oblast, a town in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia: formerly named Tilsit*Sovetsk, Kirov Oblast, a town in Kirov Oblast, Russia*Sovetsk, Tula Oblast, a town in Tula Oblast, Russia...
by the new communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
rulers in 1945, in honour of the Soviet
Soviet (council)
Soviet was a name used for several Russian political organizations. Examples include the Czar's Council of Ministers, which was called the “Soviet of Ministers”; a workers' local council in late Imperial Russia; and the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union....
system of rule.
Modern Sovetsk has tried to take advantage of Tilsit's rich traditions of cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
production (Tilsit cheese
Tilsit cheese
Tilsit cheese or Tilsiter cheese is a light yellow semi-hard smear-ripened cheese, created in the mid-19th century by Prussian-Swiss settlers, the Westphal family, from the Emmental valley. The original buildings from the cheese plant still exist in Sovetsk, Russia, formerly Tilsit, on the Neman...
), but the new name Sovetsky has not caught on.
Since April 2007, government restrictions on visits to border areas have been tightened and travel to the Sovetsk and Bagrationovsk areas is only allowed with special permission
Architecture
Many of the town's buildings were destroyed during World War II. However, the old town centre still includes several German buildings, including those of Jugendstil design. The Queen Louise Bridge, now connecting the town to PanemunėPanemune
Panemunė is the smallest city in Lithuania. It is situated on the banks of the Neman River opposite Sovetsk, south from Pagėgiai, in Tauragė County...
/Übermemel in Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, retains an arch; all that is left of a more complex pre-war bridge structure.
Twin towns/sister cities
Sovetsk is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
| Bełchatów, Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... Lidzbark Lidzbark Lidzbark is a town in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship in north-east Poland, on the Wel river.Lidzbark may also refer to the following places in Poland:* Connected with the town of Lidzbark:... , Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... Pagėgiai Pagegiai Pagėgiai is a city in the south western Lithuania. It is located in the region of the former prussian tribe of Skalvians. It is the capital of Pagėgiai municipality, and as such it is part of Tauragė County.-Name:... , Lithuania Lithuania Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark... |
Šilalė Šilale Šilalė is a city in the Tauragė County, Lithuania. It is located north of Tauragė. River Lokysta flows through the city.... , Lithuania Lithuania Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark... Tauragė Taurage Tauragė is an industrial city in Lithuania, and the capital of Tauragė County. In 2011, its population was 26,444. Tauragė is situated on the Jūra River, close to the border with the Kaliningrad Oblast, and not far from the Baltic Sea coast.... , Lithuania Lithuania Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark... Kiel Kiel Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
Notable residents
- Max von SchenkendorfMax von SchenkendorfGottlob Ferdinand Maximilian Gottfried von Schenkendorf was a German poet, born in Tilsit and educated at Königsberg. During the War of Liberation, in which he took an active part, Schenkendorf was associated with Arndt and Körner in the writing of patriotic songs...
(1783–1817), poet and author - Franz MeyenFranz MeyenFranz Julius Ferdinand Meyen was a German physician and botanist.Meyen was born in Tilsit. In 1830 he wrote Phytotomie, the first review of plant anatomy...
(1804–1840), botanist - Hans Victor von UnruhHans Victor von UnruhHans Victor von Unruh was a Prussian Public Official and Politician, President of the Prussian National Assembly of 1848 and Member of the Reichstag.- Biography :...
(1806–1886), politician and technician - Ludwig Karl James Aegidi (1825–1901), publicist and politician
- Friedrich Wilhelm Voigt (1849–1922), the inspiration for Der Hauptmann von KöpenickDer Hauptmann von KöpenickDer Hauptmann von Köpenick is the title of several films, plays, and television shows, all about the Hauptmann von Köpenick affair in 1906.-Plays:*The Captain of Köpenick , 1931, by Carl Zuckmayer-Films:...
- Gustaf KossinnaGustaf KossinnaGustaf Kossinna was a linguist and professor of German archaeology at the University of Berlin...
or Kossina (1858–1931), archaeologist - Johanna WolffJohanna WolffJohanna Wolff, née Kielich was a popular German writer.- Life :Johanna Wolff, the daughter of Adolf Kielich and Caroline, née Lukoschewitz was orphaned at the age of seven. With the support of Father Urbschat, a preacher of the Mucher movement, she received a formal training as a nursery nurse...
(1858–1943), author - Emil WiechertEmil WiechertEmil Johann Wiechert was a German geophysicist who presented the first verifiable model of a layered structure of the Earth.-Life:...
(1861–1928), geophysicist - Raphael FriedebergRaphael FriedebergRaphael Friedeberg was a German physician, socialist, and later anarchist.- Early life :Friedeberg was born in Tilsit, East Prussia, today's Sovetsk, Russia, to Salomon, a Rabbi, and Rebekka Friedeberg née Levy...
(1863–1940), physician and politician - Max GülstorffMax GülstorffMax Gülstorff was a German actor and stage director.-Biography:Gülstorff was born in Tilsit, East Prussia as Max Walter Gülstorf...
(1882–1947), actor - Carl BrinkmannCarl BrinkmannCarl Brinkmann was a German sociologist and economist, focusing on socioeconomics and the history of political economy....
(1885–1954), sociologist and economist - Frank Wisbar (1899–1967) director
- Karl Hermann MartellKarl Hermann MartellKarl Hermann Martell was a German actor.Martell was only 14 when he had his first performance in a silent movie, Das große Geheimnis. In subsequent years he was often seen as a supporting actor...
(1906–1966), actor - Joachim SadrozinskiJoachim SadrozinskiJoachim Sadrozinski was a German officer who took part in the July 20 plot.Sadrozinski was born in Tilsit, East Prussia and joined the Weimar German Reichswehr as an officer's cadet in April 1926. He was detached to the military Academy in Berlin in April 1939 and later fought in the Second World...
(1907–1944), officer and resistance fighter - Johannes BobrowskiJohannes BobrowskiJohannes Bobrowski was a German lyric poet, narrative writer, adaptor and essayist.-Life:Bobrowski was born in Tilsit in East Prussia. In 1925, he moved first to Rastenburg, then in 1928 on to Königsberg, where he attended the humanist Gymnasium. One of his teachers was Ernst Wiechert. In 1937, he...
(1917–1965), writer - Gunter WyszeckiGunter WyszeckiGünter Wyszecki was a German-Canadian mathematician/physicist who made important contributions to the fields of colorimetry, color discrimination, color order, and color vision.-Education:...
(1925 – 22 June 1985), mathematician - Armin Mueller-StahlArmin Mueller-StahlArmin Mueller-Stahl is a German film actor, painter, writer and musician.-Early life:Mueller-Stahl was born in Tilsit, East Prussia...
(born 1930), actor - Sabine BethmannSabine Bethmann-Biography:Bethmann was born in Tilsit, East Prussia, she first appeared in the 1956 movie Waldwinter and became popular by her Fritz Lang movies like The Tiger of Eschnapur and The Indian Tomb. Bethmann abandoned her career in 1968 and appeared only in a few TV productions...
(born 1931), actress - Kristel Neidhart (born 1933), writer
- John KayJohn Kay (musician)John Kay is a German-Canadian singer, songwriter and guitarist known as the frontman of Steppenwolf...
(born 1944), lead singer of the popular late 1960s rock band SteppenwolfSteppenwolf (band)Steppenwolf are a Canadian-American rock group that was prominent in the late 1960s. The group was formed in 1967 in Los Angeles by vocalist John Kay, guitarist Michael Monarch, bassist Rushton Moreve, keyboardist Goldy McJohn and drummer Jerry Edmonton after the dissolution of Toronto group The... - Edgar FroeseEdgar FroeseEdgar Wilmar Froese is a German artist and electronic music pioneer, best known for founding the electronic music group, Tangerine Dream. Although his solo and group recordings prior to 2003 name him as "Edgar Froese", his solo albums from 2003 onward bear the artist name "Edgar W. Froese".Froese...
(born 1944), the founder and leader of the electronic music group Tangerine DreamTangerine DreamTangerine Dream is a German electronic music group founded in 1967 by Edgar Froese. The band has undergone many personnel changes over the years, with Froese being the only continuous member...
Historical population
- 1880: 21,400
- 1900: 34,539
- 1910: 39,013
- 1925: 50,834
- 1933: 57,286
- 1939: 59,105
- 1946: 6,500
- 2002: 41,000
- 2004: 43,300