Polessk
{{Short description|Town in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox Russian inhabited locality
|en_name=Polessk
|ru_name=Полесск
|image_skyline=Laubiau_Innenstadt.jpg
|image_caption=
|coordinates = {{coord|54|52|N|21|06|E|display=inline,title}}
|map_label_position=right
|image_flag=
|flag_caption
|image_coa=Labiawa COA.png
|pushpin_map = Russia Kaliningrad Oblast#European Russia#Europe
|coa_caption=
|federal_subject=Kaliningrad Oblast
|adm_data_as_of=November 2011
|adm_district_jur=Polessky District
|adm_selsoviet_jur=Polessk
|adm_selsoviet_type=Town of district significance
|adm_ctr_of1=Polessky District
|adm_ctr_of2=town of district significance of Polessk
|inhabloc_cat=Town
|inhabloc_type=
|inhabloc_type_ref=
|mun_data_as_of=July 2009
|mun_district_jur=Polessky Municipal District
|urban_settlement_jur=Polesskoye Urban Settlement
|mun_admctr_of1=Polessky Municipal District
|mun_admctr_of2=Polesskoye Urban Settlement
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|pop_2010census=7581
|pop_2010census_ref={{ru-pop-ref|2010Census}}
|pop_latest=
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|established_date=13th century
|established_title=
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|prev_name1=Labiau
|prev_name1_date=1946
|prev_name2=
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|postal_codes=238630
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|commonscat=Polessk
|date=January 2014
}}
Polessk ({{langx|ru|Полесск}}; {{langx|de|Labiau}}; {{langx|lt|Labguva}}; {{langx|pl|Labiawa}}) is a town and the administrative center of Polessky District in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located {{convert|49|km|sp=us}} northeast of Kaliningrad, the administrative center of the oblast, at the junction of a main road and a railroad at the Deyma River, shortly before it enters the Curonian Lagoon. Population figures: {{ru-census2010|7,581|;}} {{ru-census2002|7,681|;}} {{su-census1989|6,859|;}} 4,744 (1885).
Geography
The Polessk Canal begins in the town.
History
File:Г. Полесск, замок Лабиау.JPG
It was founded in the 13th century,{{cite book|title=Энциклопедия Города России|year=2003|publisher=Большая Российская Энциклопедия|location=Moscow|isbn=5-7107-7399-9|page=359}} by the Teutonic Order who erected a castle there and named it Labiau. Initially it was part of the State of the Teutonic Order. In 1454, King Casimir IV Jagiellon incorporated the region to the Kingdom of Poland upon the request of the anti-Teutonic Prussian Confederation.{{Cite book|last=Górski|first=Karol|title=Związek Pruski i poddanie się Prus Polsce: zbiór tekstów źródłowych|year=1949|publisher=Instytut Zachodni|location=Poznań|language=pl|page=54}} After the subsequent Thirteen Years' War (1454–1466) the settlement became a part of Poland as a fief held by the Teutonic KnightsGórski, pp. 96–97, 214–215 until 1525 and by Ducal Prussia afterwards. In this town, on November 20, 1656, was signed the Treaty of Labiau. Lithuanian church services were held at the local church.{{cite book|last=Arnoldts|first=Daniel Heinrich|title=Kurzgefaßte Nachrichten von allen seit der Reformation an den lutherischen Kirchen in Ostpreußen gestandnen Predigern|year=1777|location=Königsberg|page=48}} From the 18th century, it was part of the Kingdom of Prussia, and from 1871 it was also part of Germany, within which it was administratively located in the province of East Prussia. 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. After Germany's defeat in the war in 1945, the town was transferred to Soviet Russia and the following year it was renamed Polessk. The German inhabitants were partly evacuated via the coast, or were subsequently expelled in accordance with the Potsdam Agreement and replaced with Soviet citizens.
The former Polessk (air base) is nearby.{{cite web|url=http://www.ww2.dk/new/air%20force/division/iad/60iad.htm|title=60th Fighter Aviation Division PVO|publisher=Soviet Armed Forces 1945-1991|access-date=8 January 2023}}
Administrative and municipal status
Within the framework of administrative divisions, Polessk serves as the administrative center of Polessky District.Resolution #640 As an administrative division, it is, together with two rural localities, incorporated within Polessky District as the town of district significance of Polessk. As a municipal division, the town of district significance of Polessk is incorporated within Polessky Municipal District as Polesskoye Urban Settlement.Law #260
Notable people
- Otto Brakat (1916–1978) Wehrmacht soldier
- Hans von Lehwaldt (1685-1768), Prussian field marshal
References
{{Commons category|Polessk}}
{{Reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{RussiaAdmMunRef|kgd|adm|list}}
- {{RussiaAdmMunRef|kgd|mun|list|polessky}}
{{Kaliningrad Oblast}}
{{Authority control}}