Polessk


Polessk, prior to 1946 known by its German name Labiau, is a town and the administrative center of Polessky District in Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, located 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: 4,744.

Geography

The Polessk Canal begins in the town.

History

It was founded in the 13th century, by the Teutonic Order who erected a castle there and named it Labiau. It was part of the State of the Teutonic Order and subsequently the Duchy of Prussia. In this town, on November 20, 1656, was signed the Treaty of Labiau. Before 1945 Labiau was part of East Prussia within the Kingdom of Prussia and the German Empire. 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. The northern rump of East Prussia was transferred from Germany to Russia by annexation and the following year the town was renamed Polessk. The German inhabitants were partly evacuated via the coast, or were subsequently expelled and replaced with Soviet citizens.

Administrative and municipal status

Within the framework of administrative divisions, Polessk serves as the administrative center of Polessky District. 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.

Notable residents