List of counties in East Prussia
This list names the former districts in East Prussia .
Based on an older district division, the East Prussian districts were created in 1818 as part of the Prussian administrative reforms . Most of these districts existed largely unchanged until the fall of East Prussia in 1945. In a few cases, districts were merged or renamed or towns were spun off. An important change came in 1920, when some remaining areas of the West Prussian province, which had largely fallen to Poland, were annexed to East Prussia, which since then has formed an exclave belonging to the German Empire without land connection to the rest of the Reich. East and West Prussia formed a common province of Prussia in 1829–78 with its seat in Königsberg , but this had no effect on the district division described here.
One district cities
In East Prussia there were a total of six independent cities ( city districts ). The capital Königsberg never belonged to a district, the cities Tilsit, Insterburg, Allenstein and Memel left their districts in 1896, 1902, 1910 and 1918. The West Prussian city of Elbing had been a district since 1874 and became part of East Prussia in 1920.
| city | circular | former district | Residents * |
| Allenstein | 1910 | Allenstein District | 43,000 |
| Elblag | 1874 | Elbing district | 76,000 |
| Insterburg | 1902 | Insterburg district | 49,000 |
| Koenigsberg | 1818 | 370,000 | |
| Memel | 1918 | Memel district | 50,000 |
| Tilsit | 1896 | Tilsit district | 57,000 |
(* all population figures from 1939)
Administrative districts
The East Prussian districts belonged to a total of four administrative districts .
From 1808 the later province was divided into two administrative districts: the administrative district of East Prussia zu Königsberg and the administrative district Litthauen zu Gumbinnen , which were later only named after the administrative seat. The administrative districts existed in principle already since 1723 under the designation war and domain chambers . The Königsberg district included the west of the province, Gumbinnen the east.
In 1905 the south of the province received its own central authority, the Allenstein administrative district . Six districts from the Königsberg and four from the Gumbinner district were assigned to this.
In 1920 five previously West Prussian districts (the Marienwerder voting area as well as the city and district of Elbing) were annexed to East Prussia. They formed a new West Prussian government district with its seat in Marienwerder. This city was previously the administrative seat for the West Prussian administrative district Marienwerder .
Renaming of circles
Many place names in northern East Prussia are of Baltic origin ( Prussian or Lithuanian ), many place names in the south of the province are of Slavic origin ( Masurian , Kashubian , Warmian or Polish ). During the Nazi era, many of these centuries-old place names were replaced by “German” names. Some of these German names were correct translations, but often (as with many of the Polish and almost all Russian place names after 1945) they were free inventions. These renaming also affected some districts. This list shows the traditional names - that is, the status from 1933 (e.g. Darkehmen instead of Angerapp ), the short-lived name of the Nazi era is given in brackets behind. The occasional renaming during the monarchy and the republic (e.g. Oletzko / Treuburg 1928) have been taken into account.
In the period from 1818 to 1945 the districts were renamed as follows:
| old name | renaming | New name | occasion |
| Kreuzburg | 1819 | Prussian Eylau | Relocation of the district administration |
| Tin | 1819 | Holy ax | Relocation of the district administration |
| Friedland | 1927 | Bartenstein | Relocation of the district administration |
| Oletzko | 1933 | Treuburg | The city of Treuburg received its new name as early as 1928. |
| Darkehmen | 1938 | Rapped | "Darkehmen" is a name of Baltic origin. |
| Depression | 1938 | Elk lowland | |
| Pillkallen | 1938 | Schloßberg (East Pr.) | "Pillkallen" is a name of Baltic origin. |
| Stallupönen | 1938 | Ebenrode | "Stallupönen" is a name of Baltic origin. |
In Prussia, “districts” were only those administrative units that were administered from a city of the same name that did not belong to them , all other units were called “districts”.
Expansion of East Prussia during the occupation of Poland 1939–45
During the occupation of Poland in World War II , parts of the core Polish region of Mazovia , which apart from a brief interlude during the Napoleonic wars had never belonged to Prussia or Germany, were annexed and formally attached to the province of East Prussia. Since this was not historical East Prussian or even just German territory, the short-lived districts of these occupied territories are not listed here. The area in question had around 900,000 inhabitants only 15,000 inhabitants of German descent. More information about this "South-East Prussia" can be found in the articles Zichenau District and Sudauen District .
Legend
Abbreviations:
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Colours:
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List of the districts or districts in East Prussia
| District / urban district |
RB | Seat | Important places | from | to | Remarks | photos |
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| Olsztyn (city) | A. | Allenstein | 1910 | 1945 | The Warmian city on the Alley is the largest in southern East Prussia. Like many cities in the region, it emerged from a castle of the Teutonic Order. It was independent in 1910 and until then belonged to the Allenstein district. From 1905 it was the administrative seat of the new district of Allenstein . In the referendum in 1920 , 98% of the urban population voted for Germany. Allenstein / Olsztyn is now the capital of the Polish province of Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship . |
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| Allenstein | N / A | Allenstein | Wartenburg | 1818 | 1945 | The Allenstein district was in Warmia in the southwest of East Prussia. In 1905 he was assigned to the newly formed Allenstein district. The city of Olsztyn became a district in 1910. The railway lines Danzig - Lyck and Thorn - Tilsit ran through the district . The Polish district of Allenstein ( Powiat Olsztyński ) now exists to a somewhat larger extent . |
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| Rapped | see Darkehmen | ||||||
| Angerburg | G | Angerburg | 1818 | 1945 | This district was in northern Masuria in the middle of the province, on the Angerapp and the Mauersee . In 1914 there were heavy fighting in the district . The sponsorship for the former district of Angerburg was taken over by the district of Rotenburg (Wümme) after the war . The Polish "Angerburger Kreis" Powiat Węgorzewski covers a similar, but not the same area as the former German district. |
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| Bartenstein (Friedland) | K | Bartenstein | Domnau , Friedland , Schippenbeil | 1818 | 1945 | The district was called Kreis Friedland until 1927 . The district administration was initially in the city of Friedland, from 1845 in Domnau, and from 1902 in Bartenstein. After 1945 the district was divided between the Soviet Union and Poland. |
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| Braunsberg | K | Braunsberg | Frauenburg , flour sack , Wormditt | 1818 | 1945 | The district was in Warmia on the Frischen Haff between Königsberg and Elbing. Today there is a Polish powiat Braniewski ("Braunsberger Landkreis") within other borders . |
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| Darkehmen (Angerapp) | G | Darkehmen (Angerapp) | 1818 | 1945 | The district was in the east of the province, a little south of Insterburg and Gumbinnen. The district and district town were renamed Angerapp in 1938 . In today's Russian region there is also a district of Darkehmen, the Osyorsk Raion . |
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| Ebenrode | see Stallupönen | ||||||
| Elbing (city) | W. | Elblag | 1920 | 1945 | Belonged to the province of West Prussia ( Gdansk administrative district ). 1874 independent, until then in the district of Elbing. 1920 allocated to the province of East Prussia and the administrative district of West Prussia . |
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| Elblag | W. | Elblag | Tolkemite | 1920 | 1945 | This district on the Frischen Haff belonged to the province of West Prussia ( Gdansk administrative district ) and, in 1920, when most of West Prussia was separated from Poland by about 25%, became part of the East Prussian province and the West Prussian administrative district . Even today there is a Powiat Elbląski in Poland . |
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| Elk lowland | see lowland | ||||||
| Fischhausen | K | Fischhausen | Pillau , Cranz , rustling , palm nodding | 1818 | 1939 | The circle included the most famous East Prussian seaside resorts on the Amber Coast and the important naval port of Pillau. 1939 united with the eastern neighboring district to the district of Samland. |
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| Friedland | see Bartenstein | ||||||
| Gerdauen | K | Gerdauen | Nordenburg | 1818 | 1945 | The sparsely populated district was in the center of East Prussia on the river Alle . Gerdauen was badly damaged in the First World War. Today the area belongs to the Russian district of Prawdinsk Rajon (Friedland) in the border area to the Polish part of East Prussia. |
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| Goldap | G | Goldap | Mehlkehmen , Rominten , Szittkehmen | 1818 | 1945 | The district was in the far east of the province on the border with Russia, after the First World War with Poland. The district area included the Rominter Heide , a well-known hunting ground of the Prussian kings. Today the region is divided between Poland and Russia. |
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| Gumbinnen | G | Gumbinnen | Judtschen | 1818 | 1945 | Gumbinnen in the northeast of East Prussia was the administrative seat for the administrative district Gumbinnen , i.e. the eastern part of the province. The Prussian Eastern Railway and Reichsstraße 1 ran through the district and town from Königsberg to the border in Eydtkuhnen . |
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| Holy ax | K | Holy ax | Tin | 1818 | 1945 | The district was located in western East Prussia on the Frischen Haff between Elbing and Königsberg and was very important in terms of transport due to the ports there, the Prussian Eastern Railway and the motorway . In 1939 the district had 53,207 inhabitants. The fighting and Soviet war crimes killed around 20% of the district's population in 1945. Today the area belongs to the Russian district of Bagrationowsk (Preußisch Eylau) and the Polish district of Powiat Braniewski (Braunsberg). |
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| Heilsberg | K | Heilsberg | Guttstadt | 1818 | 1945 | The district was in Warmia in western East Prussia, about halfway between Königsberg and Allenstein. Heilsberg is again the seat of a Polish district, the Powiat Lidzbarski . |
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| Heydekrug | G | Heydekrug | Soot | 1818 | 1945 | Heydekrug was the second northernmost district in Germany and stretched from the border with Lithuania to the Curonian Lagoon . The mouth of the Memel reached the lagoon here. The region was the settlement area of the old Prussian tribe of the Schalauer . Today it belongs mostly to the Lithuanian district of Šilutė (Heydekrug), the southern part is in the Russian Rajon Slavsk (Heinrichswalde). |
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| Insterburg (city) | G | Insterburg | 1902 | 1945 | While the nearby Gumbinnen was the administrative center of eastern East Prussia as the seat of government, Insterburg was its largest city and its economic and transport point. In 1902 the city became independent, until then it belonged to the Insterburg district. Today it bears the name of General Tschernjachowski , one of those responsible for the war crimes against the East Prussian civilian population. |
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| Insterburg | G | Insterburg | Norkitten | 1818 | 1945 | The city of Insterburg became a district in 1902 and left the district. The main traffic axes from Königsberg to Russia, the Prussian Eastern Railway and the Chaussee, opened in 1835 and named Reichsstraße 1 from 1932 , ran through the district . The property of Leopold I , the "Old Dessauer" from Anhalt-Dessau, was located in Norkitten . The rivers Angerapp and Inster unite here to form the Pregel , the longest river in central East Prussia. |
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| Johannisburg | G | Johannisburg | Arys , Bialla (Gehlenburg) | 1818 | 1945 | The district was in Masuria in southeastern East Prussia, in one of the most remote corners of the German Empire. The Polish powiat Piski (Johannisburger district) now exists within changed borders . |
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| Königsberg (city) | K | Koenigsberg | 1818 | 1945 | The East Prussian capital Königsberg never belonged to a district. Before Berlin took on this role, the city was the Prussian capital. It was one of the largest German-speaking cities and until the 19th century was larger than Frankfurt , Munich or Cologne, for example . |
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| Koenigsberg | K | Koenigsberg | 1818 | 1939 | In 1905 and 1927-29 the district lost numerous places through incorporation into the city of Königsberg. In 1939, other communities were transferred to Königsberg and the remaining part of the district was merged with the neighboring district of Fischhausen to the west to form the new Samland district. |
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| Kreuzburg | see Prussian Eylau | ||||||
| Labiau | K | Labiau | 1818 | 1945 | The district was northeast of Königsberg on the Curonian Lagoon and was traversed by the Deime . The Großer Moosbruch moorland was part of its territory . In Russia today there is also a Labiau district, the Polessk Raion . |
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| Soldering | G / A | Soldering | Rhine | 1818 | 1945 | The district was in the southeast of the province, in the Masurian Lake District . The Löwentinsee belonged to the district area. In 1905 the district became part of the new Olsztyn administrative district. Today's Powiat Giżycki (Lötzener Kreis) covers a similar area as the former East Prussian district. |
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| Elk | G / A | Elk | Prostken , Pissanitzen (Ebenfelde), Kallinowen (Dreimühlen) | 1818 | 1945 | This area was in Masuria in the extreme southeast of the province on the border with Poland. The East Prussian Southern Railway and the Lycker Kleinbahnen operated here . The circle was the setting for several novels by the writer Siegfried Lenz, who was born in Lyck in 1926 . |
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| Marienburg | W. | Marienburg | 1920 | 1945 | The originally West Prussian district lay on both sides of the Nogat between Danzig and Elbing . Due to the loss of German territory under the Versailles Treaty , the district was divided, the areas west of the river came to the Free City of Danzig , the remaining German areas to the East Prussian province. Today there is a Polish powiat Malborski (Marienburger Kreis) on both sides of the Nogat. |
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| Marienwerder | W. | Marienwerder | Garnsee | 1920 | 1945 | When East Prussia was divided into ten “districts” under Friedrich II. In 1752, a “Marienwerder District” was created, which from 1773 belonged to West Prussia . The district in the modern sense was created during the reform in 1818 and in 1920, after the loss of most of West Prussia, after a referendum, it became the province of East Prussia. |
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| Memel (city) | K / G | Memel | 1918 | 1945 | The port city of Memel was the northernmost in the German Empire. It is located on the Memel Deep , the only connection between the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea , from which it is otherwise separated by the Curonian Spit . The Memel of the same name finally reaches the sea here. 1920–39 Memel was the capital of Memelland, which was separated from Germany and occupied by Lithuania in 1923 . |
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| Memel | K / G | Memel | Nidden , Schwarzort , Proekuls | 1818 | 1945 | Memel was the northernmost German district. The district area consisted of a piece of mainland at the northern end of the Curonian Lagoon and the northernmost piece of the Curonian Spit , the long narrow headland that separates the lagoon and the Baltic Sea. In Lithuania today there is again a district of Klaipėda (Memel) with changed external borders. |
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| Moors | K | Moors | Saalfeld , Liebstadt | 1752 | 1945 | As early as 1752 there was a district of Mohrungen in the south-west of East Prussia. The reforms of 1818 created a new, smaller group of this name. Its area was roughly halfway between Elbing and Allenstein. The eastern part of the former district today belongs to the powiat Ostródzki , the west to the powiat Iławski . |
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| Neidenburg | N / A | Neidenburg | Soldau , Illowo , Heinrichsdorf | 1752 | 1945 | There was also a district of Neidenburg in the Oberland since 1752. During the reform of 1818, the district of Ortelsburg was separated. Despite a clear result of the referendum , the western part of the district around Soldau was separated in 1920 and given to Poland, which was reversed after the outbreak of war and occupation in 1939. Today the region belongs to the Polish districts Powiat Nidzicki (Neidenburg) and Powiat Działdowski (Soldau). |
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| Lowland (elk lowland ) | G | Heinrichswalde | Chewing (Kuckerneese) | 1818 | 1945 | In the north of the province, on the Curonian Lagoon and on both sides of the Gilgestrom , an arm of the Memel estuary , was the Niederung district. Most of the area was taken by the elk lowland , after which the district was named in 1938. The district had its own small railway, the Elchniederungsbahn . |
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| Oletzko | see Treuburg | ||||||
| Ortelsburg | N / A | Ortelsburg | Passenheim , Willenberg | 1818 | 1945 | In the Masurian district of Ortelsburg, the Masurians and Poles made up the majority of the population, but in the referendum in 1920 they decided almost unanimously in favor of Germany and against Poland. The district in the old Prussian Gau Galinden corresponds roughly to today's Polish district Powiat Szczycieński . |
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| Osterode | N / A | Osterode | Gilgenburg , Hohenstein , Liebemühl | 1818 | 1945 | The Passarge , the Drewenz and the Oberland Canal ran through this district in the southwest of East Prussia . The Kernsdorfer Höhe was the highest point in East Prussia. The battle of Tannenberg took place in the district in 1914 . After West Prussia separated from Germany, the district became a border region and had to cede some communities to Poland itself. |
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| Pillkallen | G | Pillkallen (Schlossberg) | Schirwindt , Lasdehnen (Haselberg) | 1818 | 1945 | This district was in the extreme northeast of the province and thus also in the whole of Germany. The Pillkaller Kleinbahn operated in a circle . In 1914 and 1945 the region was destroyed by Russian troops. Today's Russian district of Krasnosnamensk Raion has its seat in Lasdehnen. |
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| But against | K | But against | Schmalleningken , Übermemel | 1920 | 1939 | The district was created in Memelland , which has just been separated from Germany, from the remnants of the Ragnit, Tilsit and Niederung districts north of the Memel and the Tilsit district of Übermemel . Became German again in March 1939, the circle was largely merged with Tilsit-Ragnit in October. The Pogegen – Schmalleningken small train operated in the district . |
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| Prussian Eylau (Kreuzburg) | K | Prussian Eylau | Kreuzburg , Landsberg | 1818 | 1945 | The district of Preussisch Eylau lies a little south of Königsberg. In the first year of its existence it was called "Kreis Kreuzburg", and the district office was also initially in Kreuzburg. The East Prussian Southern Railway ran through the district . Today's Russian district of Rajon Bagrationowsk lies directly on the border with the Polish south-east Prussia, Prussian Eylau is now a border crossing point. |
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| Prussian Holland | K | Prussian Holland | Mulhouse | 1818 | 1945 | In the Oberland , near the West Prussian city of Elbing, was the district of Prussian Holland. The Prussian Eastern Railway and the Oberland Canal as well as the rivers Passarge , Weeske and Sorge led through the district that is now part of the Polish powiat Elbląski (Elbinger district). |
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| Ragnite | G | Ragnite | 1818 | 1922 | In 1920 the district lost part of its territory when the Memelland was ceded to Lithuania . In 1922 it was therefore merged with the also decimated Tilsit district to form the Tilsit-Ragnit district. |
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| Rastenburg | K | Rastenburg | Barten , Drengfurth , Korschen | 1818 | 1945 | The district of Rastenburg was located in the old Prussian district of Barten in the middle of East Prussia. Two important railway lines crossed in the municipality of Korschen. In 1940 Hitler's headquarters " Wolfsschanze " was established in the district, from where the attack on the Soviet Union was controlled. Most of the former district area today belongs to the Polish powiat Kętrzyński on the Russian border. |
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| Rosenberg | W. | Rosenberg | German Eylau , Riesenburg , Freystadt , Bischofswerder | 1818 | 1945 | In the east of West Prussia , in the Pomesanien region , was the Rosenberg district. He came to East Prussia after a referendum in 1920 as a remnant of what was now Polish West Prussia, who had remained German . In the largest city in the district, Deutsch Eylau, the railway lines Thorn - Allenstein and Danzig - Soldau crossed . Today the area belongs to the Polish district Powiat Iławski (German Eylau). |
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| Rössel | K | Episcopal Castle | Rößel , Seeburg , Bischofstein | 1818 | 1945 | The district was in the center of East Prussia. Bischofsburg was a district town from 1862. The district is now part of the Polish districts Powiat Bartoszycki (Bartenstein), Powiat Kętrzyński (Rastenburg) and Powiat Olsztyński (Allenstein). |
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| Samland | K | Fischhausen | 1818 | 1945 | |||
| Schlossberg | see Pillkallen | ||||||
| Sensburg | K | Sensburg | 1818 | 1945 | |||
| Stallupönen (Ebenrode) | K | Stallupönen | Eydtkuhnen | 1818 | 1945 | ||
| Stool | W. | Stool | 1818 | 1945 | |||
| Tilsit (city) | G | Tilsit | 1896 | 1945 | Independent since 1896, until then in the Tilsit district. Tilsit was the largest city in northern East Prussia and famous for its timber industry and cheese production . With the separation of the Memelland in 1920, the city was divided. Reunified in 1939, the Memel today forms a state border again, now between Russia and Lithuania. |
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| Tilsit | G | Tilsit | 1818 | 1922 | The city of Tilsit left the district in 1896. In 1920 the district lost most of its territory when the Memelland was ceded to Lithuania . In 1922 it was therefore merged with the also decimated Ragnit district to form the Tilsit-Ragnit district. |
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| Tilsite ragnite | G | Tilsit | Ragnite | 1922 | 1945 | From the amalgamation of the parts of the Tilsit and Ragnit districts that remained German after the separation of the Memelland , this district was created in 1922. It comprised the areas south of the Memel River , which had become the border river . After the Memelland was returned to Germany in 1939, the Pogegen district created there was also largely connected to Tilsit-Ragnit. |
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| Treuburg (Oletzko) | G | Treuburg (Oletzko / Marggrabowa) | Schwentainen (Altenkirchen), Kowahlen (Reimannswalde) | 1818 | 1945 | This district was on the eastern border of East Prussia and Masuria , away from major traffic routes in one of the most distant corners of the German Empire. The city and district owe their name to the referendum in 1920 , in which 28,625 residents voted for Germany and only two for Poland. Today's Polish district Powiat Olecki largely corresponds to the earlier German district. |
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| Wehlau | K | Wehlau | Tapiau | 1818 | 1945 | A little east of Königsberg, on the railway line and Reichsstrasse 1 to Insterburg and the Eydtkuhnen border crossing , at the confluence of the Alle and the Pregel , was the district of Wehlau. Today's Russian district Gwardeisk Rajon is no longer located in Wehlau, which was completely destroyed in 1945, but in Tapiau. |
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| Tin | see Heiligenbeil |