The modern city of Kaliningrad does not have a Russian history, because it was originally the capital of Prussia and named Königsberg. By 1945, after World War II, Prussia was abolished and the city of Königsberg was annexed by the Soviet Union and turned into Kaliningrad. The German language, culture, way of life, was replaced with the Russian way of life and even the former residents were sent to Siberian camps. Today, there are many beautiful, architectural remnants of the German history, even though much of the city was destroyed by the allies in World War II. Today the city is an exclave, physically separated from the rest of Russia and surrounded by countries who are part of NATO and the EU. Due to this, special arrangements with Poland and Lithuania have been made in order for Russian citizens to travel between Russia and Kaliningrad.
BOOK HOTELS
- Mentioned in:
