Mad Maps, Episode IV: How Kaliningrad Became A Part Of Russia

Seventy-five years have passed since the German city of Koenigsberg and the surrounding area became Kaliningrad, now an odd piece of Russia disconnected from the rest of the country. So how did a German region become a Russian exclave, and what role does it play for Russia today?

#geography #kaliningrad #russia

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[aethelwolfe]

What is a Nation? I don’t care if Kaliningrad is Russia, but boy did the communist have a terrible taste in architecture.

[Rblock]

If Lithuania would take Kaliningrad when offered they would have same outcome as Ukraine with Crimea now ;)

[ekesandras]

The Prussians indigenous population before the Teutonic knights came was Baltic, not Slavic. And the Teutonic Knights were Christian warrior monks, not settlers. They converted the Pagan Prussians, founded monastaries and castles with surrounding villages and slowly assimilated those Prussians to become German. Most East Prussian Germans had some indigenous Prussian heritage in their family history. The todays population has no historic roots in the region at all. Most didn't even come voluntarily, but were relocated by Stalin.

[dublinmenace]

Thank you for this very clear and accurate description how the country came to be

[warmetalpacifist]

Doesn't matter whose it really is. I wouldn't mind if it were annexed by Poland, Lithuania or Germany. Sharing is caring after all

[anton]

I hope one day Kaliningrad becomes an independent, democratic country 🙏

[chrisbell]

Konigsberg/Kaliningrad is not "Russia", it is a piece of Germany that was occupied in 1945 by the Red Army who simply never went home. And they are still there.

[juliane__]

Question is, how far do you want to go back to lay questionable claims? HIstory does get us only this far to suffer. It should be a country by it self not polish, not lithuanian nor german. Russian language, German history, before was baltic Prussian history. No connection to Russia. Government is different from Russia. It cries for the EU, but it will stay with Russia until something deceisive happens.

[rednaxrednax]

It is not a real part of Rusland, we need to de-fascistify it during a ‘special-operation’. Putin’s Russia is weak, such an operation would take only three days...

[AdamosDad]

Ask the people of Kaliningrad, today since the invasion of Ukraine if they want to leave Russia.

[eotlati]

And so what ? If you call it occupation then russia is not only country guilty of such.

[matekushmatekush]

Może byś tak sięgała głębiej w historii tego terenu!!??

[ricban]

Kaliningrad should declare itself independent and apply to join NATO. This would improve the future quality of life and safety of its citizens.

[pjb]

I wonder how they feel about their identity now.

[antoniescargo]

We ( NL), also have some far away islands in the Carribic. From these islands we can threaten Venezuela. Second, our border with Belgium is not a straight line. Their are many en/ex claves. We have no problems with this.

[Mark-xvlb]

time o update the map! Sweden & Finland joining NATO!

[akondofswat]

Never mind the borders..look at those cheekbones..

[krimozaki]

imagie living in the suwalki corridor, the region where the WW3 will start

[madyogi]

It was Prussia back in medieval ages. In XIII century they got captured by Crusaders. After years of war 1454-1466 territory under supremacy of Poland. Status to the day when Poland got partitioned three times (1772, 1793, 1795) and divided between Prussia, Russia and Austria.

[balamaniinguva]

When Diego Garcia could be forcibly made American-British military base, certainly Koenigsberg can be Russian possession as World War II legacy.