Reichsstrasse 1
| Reichsstrasse 1 in the German Empire | |
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| Basic data | |
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 German Empire
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| Overall length: | 1392 km |
The National Highway 1 (R1) was from 1934 to 1945 as a state road of the German Reich the most important east-west road link in the northeast of the then territory since the berlinka was not completed. While the part of the R 1 remaining west of the Oder-Neisse border after 1945 is dealt with in the article Bundesstrasse 1 , this article deals specifically with the section of the road in Poland and in the Russian Kaliningrad region and also takes into account today's conditions. Between the German-Polish border and Elbing (Elbląg), the course of the Polish state road DK 22 essentially corresponds to that of the former R 1. On Russian territory, the trunk roads A 194 and A 229 follow the route of the R 1.
General
Age-old trade and mail routes between Berlin and the Lithuanian border were in sections expanded into highways in the course of the 19th century, while the railroad, especially the Prussian Eastern Railway , took over long-distance traffic. At the beginning of the 20th century, bicycles, motorcycles and automobiles became important means of transport for which the roads were to be expanded.
In 1932 suitable roads between Aachen , Berlin and Königsberg (Prussia) were grouped under the designation "Fernverkehrsstraße 1", from 1934 "Reichsstraße 1". The 1392 kilometer long Reichsstrasse 1 led from the Dutch border near Aachen via Berlin to the Polish Corridor in West Prussia . In the area of the corridor, existing roads were combined into a hypothetical R 1, which also served as a recommendation for travelers passing through. On East Prussian territory, the R 1 ran via Königsberg to Eydtkuhnen (1938–1945: Eydtkau) on the border with Lithuania.
Since the many through-passages were extremely unfavorable for long-distance traffic, the Reichsautobahn Berlin – Königsberg was planned and partially built in the 1930s until 1942. In 1939 Hitler used, among other things, the demand for an extra-territorial motorway route through the corridor as a pretext for the attack on Poland .
The eastern section of the R 1 connected the provinces of Brandenburg , Pomerania , West Prussia and East Prussia . Today the route of the old Reichsstraße 1 runs through the Polish voivodeships of Lubusz , West Pomerania , Greater Poland , Pomerania and Warmia-Masuria as well as the Russian Kaliningrad Oblast .
The provinces of Brandenburg and Pomerania
Küstrin – Landsberg
_-_Berliner_Tor.jpg)
The traffic coming from today's Bundesstraße 1 and following the route of the old Reichsstraße 1 passes on the bridge over the Oder (Polish: Odra) the 45-year-old and only since November 21, 1992 with the border crossing Küstrin-Kietz / Kostrzyn opened border between Germany and Poland. With Küstrin (Kostrzyn nad Odrą) the R 1, today Droga krajowa 22 ( DK 22 ), reached the eastern Brandenburg district of Königsberg (Neumark) , today Powiat Gorzowski (Landsberg (Warthe)) in the Lebus Voivodeship . After crossing the Stettin – Breslau railway line , the R 1 (unlike today's DK 22) turned north towards Küstrin-Neustadt (today's DK 31 ) and met the former Reichsstraße 112 to Stettin (Szczecin).
Behind the bridge over the Warta (Warta) the R 1 turned eastwards onto today's Droga wojewódzka 132 ( DW 132 ). Here she crossed the Reichsbahn line Berlin - Eydtkuhnen (Tschernyschewskoje / Чернышевское) of the Prussian Eastern Railway , which was its constant companion until the end of the R 1. The route of the R 1 continued into the former district of Landsberg (Warthe) (today's Powiat Gorzowski ) through the northern Warthebruch with the villages of Tamsel (Dąbroszyn) and Blumbergerbruch (Mościczki) to the small town of Vietz (Witnica) below the Dolgenberge (Dołzyne). The R 1 continued its line through Dühringshof (Bogdaniec) and Loppow (Łupowo) and reached today's urban area of Landsberg (Warthe) (Gorzów Wielkopolski) near Wepritz (Gorzów Wlkp.-Wieprzyce ).
In Landsberg, today's DW 132 ends exactly at the point where the old R 1 crossed Reichsstraße 113 Stettin - Grünberg in Silesia (Zielona Góra) (today DK 3 or European route 65 ).
Landsberg - Friedeberg - Woldenberg
After crossing the former R 113, the R 1 is now called DK 22 again , with which it shared a route a few hundred meters after crossing the border in Küstrin. Running south of today's Barlinecko-Gorzowski Park Krajobrazowy (Landscape Protection Park Berlinchen-Landsberg), the R 1 left behind Stolzenberg (Rożanki) the former Landsberg (Warthe) district , which passed into the Friedeberg (Neumark) district at the border river Zunze (Santoczna) . This is where today's powiat Strzelecko-Drezdenecki (Friedeberg – Driesen) begins , in which the R 1 initially led through Altenfließ (Przyłęg). From 1939 to 1945 this was also the border between the Prussian provinces of Brandenburg and Pomerania . After six kilometers, the R 1 reached the district town of Friedeberg (Neumark) (Strzelce Krajeńskie).
In its further course through the villages of Lichtenow (Licheń) and Lauchstädt (Ługi) the R 1 reached the old Neumark town of Woldenberg (Dobiegniew), located on the south bank of the Great Lake (Jezioro Wielgie). Since the Middle Ages, Woldenberg has been the intersection of the old trade routes from Küstrin (Kostrzyn) to East Prussia (i.e. the R 1) and from Stettin (Szczecin) to Posen (Poznań). The Stargard-Poznan Railway , opened in 1847 and crossed here, also runs in the latter direction .
Province of Pomerania and West Prussia
Woldenberg - Schloppe - German crown
The R 1 led from Woldenberg, still on the route of today's DK 22 , to Wolgast (Wołogoszcz), then left the Friedeberg (Neumark) district and led into the Arnswalde district . At the wedding (Stare Osiecno) the Dragepass was reached. The Drage (Drawa) formed the border between Brandenburg and Poland from 1368 to 1772 . Behind the Dragebrücke the R 1 ran through the Netzekreis with the village Wiesental (Przesieki) for a few kilometers , then the district Deutsch Krone began , which once belonged to the province of West Prussia , then to the province of Grenzmark Posen-West Prussia and from 1939 to 1945 to the province of Pomerania was integrated.
The R 1 crossed the villages of Zützer (Szczuczarz) and Schönow (Dzwonowo), which belonged to the Deutsch Krone district (today Powiat Wałecki ), and reached Schloppe (Człopa) on the Desselfließ (Cieszynka). After ten kilometers the R 1 met the place Ruschendorf (Rusinowo). This is where Reichsstraße 123 began to Schneidemühl (Piła) (today DW 179 ).
Now it was only 16 kilometers that the R 1 led via Neu Preußendorf (Prusinówko) and Stranz (Strączno) past the large Radunsee (Jezioro Raduń) to the district town of Deutsch Krone (Wałcz). Due to the location of the city on the old trade route from Berlin to Königsberg and after the construction of several railway lines (to Schneidemühl, Piła), Kallies (Kalisz Pomorski) and Stargard in Pomerania (Stargard), it became a traffic junction. In Deutsch Krone, the R 1 crossed Reichsstraße 104 Stettin - Schneidemühl (today's DK 10 ). In addition, Reichsstraße 124 branched off here to Kolberg (Kołobrzeg), the current DW 163 .
German Krone - Schlochau - Niesewanz
The R 1 left Deutsch Krone , crossed the Döberitz (Dobrzyca) near Sagemühl (Ostrowiec) and met the Pilow (Piława) river in Freudenfier (Szwecja ), which today marks the border between the Powiat Wałecki (German Krone) and the Powiat Złotowski ( Flatow) as well as between the West Pomeranian and Greater Poland Voivodeships .
The route of the R 1 continued to Marienbrück (Prądy), crossed the Plietnitz (Płytnica) there and met a few kilometers before Jastrow (Jastrowie) on the Reichsstrasse 160 Schneidemühl (Piła) - Kolberg (Kołobrzeg) (today's DK 11 ), which is eleven kilometers with the R 1 and accompanied it to the city of Jastrow. Together they crossed the Posen (Poznań) - Neustettin (Szczecinek) line opened by the Prussian Eastern Railway in 1879 and the Tempelburg (Czaplinek) - Wengerz (Węgierce) line.
With Jastrow , which today belongs to the powiat Złotowski (Flatow) as Jastrowie , the R 1 left the last place in the former Deutsch Krone district and crossed Flederborn (Podgaje), the only place on the R 1 that belonged to the Neustettin district . Here now the R 1 separated from the R 160 . From Jastrow the R 1 was accompanied by the Küddow (Gwda), which then crosses under the road after 14 kilometers in the village of Landeck (Lędyczek) and takes up the Dobrinka (Debrzynka) river . In 1830 a duty was still payable on the road bridge. In Landeck, the route of the R 1 led to the territory of the former district of Schlochau , and beyond the Gwda, not only the powiat Człuchowski (Schlochau) begins today , but also the Polish Pomeranian Voivodeship .
Further villages in the Schlochauer Land now lined up on the R 1: Peterswalde (Cierznie), Heinrichswalde (Uniechów), Barkenfelde (Barkowo) and Christfelde (Chrząstowo). After crossing the old state railway line Neustettin (Szczecinek) - Konitz (Chojnice) the district town of Schlochau (Człuchów) was reached. At the city limits of Schlochau, the R 1 crossed the railway line to Rummelsburg (Miastko) before it hit the border between the German Empire and the Polish Corridor at Niesewanz (Nieżywięc) between 1920 and 1939 .
The administrative region of West Prussia and the Free City of Danzig
Niesewanz - Konitz - Dirschau
Niesewanz (Nieżywięc) is a small village with just under 400 inhabitants on the edge of DK 22 . In the Tucheler Heide , the R 1 was only an "imaginary" Reichsstraße until 1939. Between 1939 and 1945 the route between Niesewanz and Dirschau also officially belonged to the R 1, because the corridor had become part of the Reichsgau Danzig-West Prussia in violation of international law after the attack on Poland .
With Konitz , which is only 13 kilometers away from Schlochau , the district town of the district Konitz (today's Powiat Chojnicki ) was reached, which before 1920 belonged to the province of West Prussia and is now part of the Pomeranian Voivodeship . When leaving the city, the R 1 crossed the Prussian Eastern Railway and the Konitz– Berent (West Prussia) (Kościerzyna) line. On its further way the R 1 passed Jesiorke (Jeziorki) and at Rittel (Rytel) the Brahe (Brda) with the Great Brahe Canal (Wielki Kanał Brdy), from where it is only thirteen kilometers to Czersk (1942-1945: Heiderode ) in the north of today's Tucholski Park Krajobrazowy (Tuchel Landscape Protection Park). The later Reichsstrasse 1 was built in Czersk as early as 1827. This city is also on the Prussian Eastern Railway , which ran parallel to the R 1. In Czersk this railway line and today's state railway line No. 215 ( Bonk (Bąk) - Laskowitz (Laskowice)) crossed the R 1 and a few kilometers further east at Long (today Łąg, 1942–1945: Schönhain) the Gdynia (Gdynia) line - Groß Neudorf (Nowa Wieś Wielka).
Again it was a small river, namely the Neckwarz (Niechwaszcz), which signaled the R 1's change to another district affiliation: the West Prussian district of Preußisch Stargard (today district of Starogard Gdański ) began near Schwarzwasser (Czarna Woda ). Via Dombrowo (Dąbrowa) and Bitonia (Bytonia), the R 1 reached the place Hochstüblau (Zblewo) after 16 kilometers , and after another 14 kilometers it reached the district town of Prussian Stargard (Starogard Gdański). In Prussian Stargard, the R 1 crossed not only the river Ferse (Wierzyca), but also the state railway line No. 243 to Skurz (Skórz), which branches off the Eastern Railway .
The R 1 ran past Zdunyer Lake (Jezioro Zduńskie) through Swaroschin (Swarożyn), the intersection of today's DK 22 with the A1 autostrada , to Klein Watzmirs (Waćmierek) in the former district of Dirschau and today's Powiat Tczewski , where the R 1 , unlike today's DK 22 , took a direct course towards Dirschau (Tczew). In Dirschau, Reichsstrasse 2 branched off to Danzig and Stettin . Today the intersection of Droga krajowa 22 (= R 1) with Droga krajowa 1 (= R 2) has moved south out of the city. The route through the corridor for the R 1 ended at the Dirschau bridge; between 1939 and 1945 it remained in the Reichsgau Gdansk-West Prussia on its way to Marienburg (Malbork).
Dirschau - Marienburg - Elbing
After crossing the Vistula in Dirschau (Tczew) the R 1 turned south, and at Kunzendorf (Kończewice) today the DK 22 meets the route of the former Reichsstraße again. The street is still in the former district of Dirschau , but already in today's Powiat Malborski (Marienburg). The path led through the lowlands of the Great Marienburger Werder (Wiekie Żulawy Malborskie) directly to Marienburg with the venerable Marienburg Castle .
In Marienburg, the R 1 crossed Reichsstraße 129 Tiegenhof (Nowy Dwór Gdański) - Marienwerder (Kwidzyn). In addition, the R 1 met here on Reichsstraße 144 to Deutsch Eylau (Iława). In Marienburg, the R 1 also crossed several railway lines: the Prussian Eastern Railway line , the north-south line, which today connects Gdansk with Warsaw as state railway line No. 9 , and the lines to Mohrungen (Morąg) and Marienwerder (Kwidzyn ).
On its further route through the district of Marienburg , the R 1 came through the village of Altfelde (Stare Pole), and then to the district of Elbing (today's Powiat Elbląski ). Here, the route of the R 1 now also leaves the Pomeranian Voivodeship and enters the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship , just as the West Prussia Province changed to the East Prussia Province before 1945 . The first small town in the region is Fichthorst (Jegłownik), which is located in the lowlands of the Elbinger Werder (Nizina Elbląski) in the immediate vicinity of the city of Elbing (Elbląg).
East Prussia Province
Elbing - Frauenburg - Braunsberg
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After a few kilometers, the R 1 reached the city limits of Elbing . Today's DK 22 turns off here and directs its way onto the former, partially developed Reichsautobahn Berlin – Königsberg . The R 1 now briefly ran over today's DW 500 , which leads to the center of Elbing. The Elbing (Elbląg) has to be crossed here, as is the former Elbing – Braunsberg (Braniewo) small railway operated by the East German Railway Company .
In Elbing, Reichsstraße 130 Danzig - Allenstein (today DK 7 and Europastraße 77 ) crossed the route of the old R 1, on whose route today's DW 504 runs. Below the Elbinger Höhe (today the Krajobrazowy Wzniesienie Elbląskie Landscape Protection Park) it took its route via Trunz (Milejewo) and Neukirch-Höhe (Pogrodzie) towards Frauenburg (Frombork). The R 1 now ran parallel to the Frischen Haff (Zalew Wiślany) and hit the coast for the first time a few kilometers after the border with the Braunsberg district (today's Powiat Braniewski ) in Frombork .
Six kilometers behind Frombork crossed at Stangendorf (Stępie) the narrow-gauge railway line Elbing-Braunsberg again the R 1. This now reached the county seat Braunsberg (Braniewo), today at the center DW 504 in the DK 54 ( European route E28 passes). The Passarge (Pasłęka) is crossed. Right behind the bridge, Reichsstraße 142 branched off from the R 1 and pulled south-east in a large arc to Wehlau (Znamensk / Знаменск), where it then met the R 1 again.
Braunsberg - Heiligenbeil - Koenigsberg
Behind the city limits of Braunsberg (Braniewo) the R 1 crossed the Prussian Eastern Railway once again. Shortly after reaching the former East Prussian district of Heiligenbeil near Grunau (Gronowo), the route crosses the border between Poland and the former Soviet Union and today's Russia at the Gronowo / Mamonowo (Мамоново) border crossing . Since Poland joined the European Union (EU) there is an external EU border here.
Four kilometers behind today's border, the old R 1 - today the Russian highway A 194 - crossed the river Bahnau (Mamonowka / Мамоновка, Polish: Banówka) and immediately afterwards reached the former district town of Heiligenbeil (Mamonowo / Мамоново). Eleven kilometers from Heiligenbeil is the town of Bladiau (Pjatidoroschnoje / Пятидорожное) on the R 1, and another 11 kilometers later the Reichsstraße met Ludwigsort (Laduschkin / Ладушкин), where it crossed the Prussian Eastern Railway again.
The R1 has now reached the hamlet of Brandenburg (Ushakovo / Ушаково) for the second time - after Frombork (Frombork) - directly on the coast Vistula Lagoon . There the R 1 crossed the Frisching (Prochladnaja / Прохладная), reached the former district of Königsberg and after less than 20 kilometers the city of Königsberg (Kaliningrad / Калининград). Through the outskirts of this city, the R 1 made its way directly to the center.
In the city center of Königsberg, the R 1 met four other imperial roads: the R 126 (today's A 190 to Polessk (Labiau / Полөсск)), the R 128 (today's A 191 to Cranz (Selenogradsk / Зеленоградск) and today's A 195 to Prussian Eylau (Bagrationowsk / Багратионовск)), the R 131 (today's A 193 to Pillau (Baltijsk / Балтийск) or today's A 196 to Nordenburg (Krylowo / Крылово)) as well as the R 143 to Rauschen (Swetlogorsk / .горсл)
Koenigsberg - Wehlau - Insterburg
The route of the R 1 through Königsberg can no longer be precisely reconstructed: it came from the southwest through the Brandenburg Gate , then crossed the Pregel (Pregolja / Преголя) over the Reichsbahnbrücke and then ran across Hansaplatz past the Nordbahnhof in a wide arc East.
As far as Eydtkuhnen (Tschernyschewskoje / Чернышевское), the Russian trunk road A 229 now runs on the route of the former R 1 , with a few deviations. It also becomes double European route here: European route 28 (it has been since Braunsberg (Braniewo)) and European route 77 (this is interrupted in Danzig in favor of a ferry connection across the Baltic Sea to Kaliningrad). Immediately after the city limits of Königsberg, the old R 1 (unlike the wide and comfortably developed A 229) led north over the villages of Arnau (Rodniki ), which belonged to the former district of Königsberg (1939–1945 district of Samland ) and today's Rajon Gurjewsk (Гурьевский район) / Родники) and Waldau (Nisowje / Низовье), until after about 17 kilometers today's A 229 meets the route of the R 1 again.
After seven kilometers it led near Schiewenau (Borskoje / Борское) in the former district of Wehlau south to the town of Tapiau (Gwardeisk / Гвардейск), which is now bypassed by the A 229. This city is now the seat of the Gwardejsk Rajon named after it (Гвардейский район) and, like the former district town of Wehlau (Znamensk / Знаменск), is ten kilometers away on the Pregel (Pregolja / Преголя).
In Wehlau, the R 1 met again on Reichsstraße 142 , which branched off in Braunsberg (Braniewo) and now reaches Pregelstadt in a south-eastern arc. From four kilometers beyond Wehlau, the new A 229 runs again on the old R 1 to Taplacken (Талпаки), a small village in Pregelbruch. Here the Reichsstrasse 138 (today's A 216 ) and European route 77 branched off northwards in the direction of Tilsit (Sowjetsk / Советск). Immediately behind Taplacken, the R 1 crossed the Pregel one last time , which it still accompanies on the north side. Via Norkitten (Meschduretschje / Междуречье) and Wiepeningken (from 1928: Staatshausen, Russian: Podgornoje / Подгорное) in the former district of Insterburg , the city center of Insterburg (Tschernjachowsk / Черняхое) was reached after less than 30 kilometers .
Insterburg - Gumbinnen - Eydtkuhnen
In Insterburg (Tschernjachowsk / Черняховск) the R 1 encountered two imperial roads : Reichsstraße 137 to Goldap (Polish: Gołdap) and Reichsstraße 139 to Nordenburg (Krylowo / Крылово). In Insterburg the R 1 also crossed the old Reichsbahn line and today's line of the Russian Railway to Tilsit (Sowjetsk / Советск). The R 1 now took its way over the Angerapp (Angrapa / Анграпа) and the small town of Szameitkehmen / 1938-1946: Walkenau (Schosseinoje / Шоссейное), from where the Reichsstraße 137 after seven kilometers shared route with the R 1 in the direction of Goldap turned (today's R 517 ). Shortly after Kubbeln (Podduby / Поддубы), formerly in the Gumbinnen district , today's A 229 deviates from the course of the R 1. The R 1 crossed the Pissa and reached the city of Gumbinnen (Gussew / Гусев). The nearly 30,000 residents, the city is now the administrative center for the Gusevsky District (Гусевский район).
In Gumbinnen, Reichsstraße 132 crossed between Tilsit (Sowjetsk / Советск) (today's A 198 ) and Gołdap (Goldap) the R 1. A few kilometers after Gumbinnen, today's A 229 , which was expanded as a modern bypass, reaches the old R 1 again. South of the road is the village of Trakehnen (Jasnaja Poljana / Ясная Поляна), which formerly belongs to the district of Stallupönen , now to the Rajon Nesterow (Нестеровский район). Trakehnen was known for its legendary stud , whose paddocks could also be seen on the left and right of the R 1. Today there is a collective farm here .
The R 1 now ran south of the so-called Teufelsmoor and came to Stallupönen (1938–1945: Ebenrode, Nesterow / Нестеров), the former center of the Stallupönen district (Ebenrode) . From Stallupönen there are still twelve of the 1392 kilometers of the R 1 route from Aachen to the border town of Eydtkuhnen (1938–1945: Eydtkau, Tschernyshevskoje / Чернышевское). On the Lepone river , the German Reich ended on the border with Lithuania until 1940 , and until 1945 with the Lithuanian Soviet Republic . Between 1945 and 1991, this was the border between the Kaliningrad region (belonging to the RSFSR ) and the Lithuanian Soviet Republic within the Soviet Union . Today it acts as the EU's external border between Lithuania and Russia. The old Reichsstraße 1 ended here, as did the Russian A 229 today . The continuation is the Lithuanian A 7 . The European route 28 continues on this through Lithuania to Minsk in Belarus .
See also
Web links
literature
- German course book • Deutsche Reichsbahn . Edition of January 21, 1940. Reprint: Bobingen, 1st edition 1988.
- Road map no.PL 001: Poland. West Pomerania • Szczecin - Kolberg - Landsberg . Dietzenbach.
- Road map no.PL 002: Poland. East Brandenburg • Lower Silesia. Küstrin - Grünberg - Liegnitz . Dietzenbach.
- Road map no.PL 003: Poland. Western Pomerania • Köslin - Stolp - Gdansk . Dietzenbach.
- Road map no.PL 004: Poland. Southern Pomerania • Netzebruch - Schneidemühl - Bromberg . Dietzenbach.
- Road map No. PL 011: Poland. West-East Prussia • Danzig - Elbing - Thorn . Dietzenbach.
- Road map No. RS 001: Northern East Prussia with Memelland • Königsberg - Tilsit - Gumbinnen. Калинингад овласть . Dietzenbach.
- General map No. PL 777: Poland . Dietzenbach - ISBN 3-931103-39-0 .
- Patricia Clough: Aachen - Berlin - Koenigsberg. A journey through time along the old Reichsstrasse 1 . Munich, 2007, ISBN 978-3-421-04210-1 .
- Fritz R. Barran: City Atlas of East Prussia . Rautenberg, 1988.
- Jörg Bremer : Reichsstraße 1 - A journey into the past , Braunschweig, 1991, ISBN 3-07-509230-4