Where is konigsberg today

How did the average citizen perceive the Soviet Union's place in the world at the time? What was the Soviet ideology? How did people in Kaliningrad view it? This is really central to the work I'm doing. Through the diaries, memoirs, letters, and oral history, ordinary Soviet civilians and Red Army soldiers thought that, on the one hand, socialism was more just and humane.

On the other hand, there was a very powerful emotional understanding that this war had been the Great Patriotic War, and there was great pride. Progressiveness, but also an exclusionary sense of pride for being Russian, being Soviet, led to a lot of inconsistencies in the treatment of Germans, trying to figure out what to do with the people they beat.

Were these emotions and perspectives that someone in other, further parts of Russia might not have? In general, I think these ideas were part of the world-view or self-understanding of almost all Soviet people because they were reading it in the newspapers and they were discussing their victory in those terms, whether or not they were coming into contact with Germans. I think what is particular about the Kaliningrad case is that they actually had to test these ideas out in practice, in a way which was unexpected to them, without a clear-cut answer.

Even with EU and Russian rehabilitation of the city after the s, did it ever become a major destination for Russian entrepreneurs? Oh, it has certainly! Kaliningrad has recovered somewhat in the last years and became one of the major sites, other than Moscow and St. There were a number of people coming from Bishkek who were ethnic Russians, who felt they could no longer build their lives in Central Asia, as these Republics were changing and the attitude towards ethnic Russians, who had been there for generations, shifted.

So they thought of Kaliningrad as a place that was livable and where property was more or less affordable at the time, although now it has become quite expensive due to speculation and development.

Could you describe any parallels, any similarities that you see with the annexation of Crimea? What that population might be going through? But on the other hand, it is very vulnerable. I think a lot of the challenges for NATO are going to be focused around Kaliningrad as this constant reminder.

In terms of Crimea and Kaliningrad, both very similar as places that are not completely integrated into the Russian economy Kaliningrad for obvious reasons, and Crimea because of its newness , both are going to be major focuses for the Russian government as they try to keep the populations loyal by keeping food prices under control, by building a diverse, sustainable economy, or by pumping artificial investment or artificial funds into this region to keep the populations content.

The Kennan Institute is the premier U. The Kennan Institute is committed to improving American understanding of Russia, Ukraine, and the region through research and exchange. Read more. Close Search Search. Show Streaming. Explore More. Blog post. Babyn Yar: 80 Years after the Tragedy.

By Georgiy Kasianov on October 19, So none of the Germans living there were rehabilitated? Were the Germans forced laborers? When they were expelled, where were they sent?

How did this play out in making it a Soviet city? What kind of condition is Kaliningrad in today? What is the time period that you study and how did you choose it?

About the Authors. Previous Next. By Michael Kraemer on October 18, By Steven Philip Kramer on October 14, Kennan Fellow Hannah Chapman. By Hannah Chapman on September 30, In this way Americans avoided the situation of the capital belonging to a single state. For the West, it would mean creating an oasis of peaceful development instead of a potential conflict zone. The current civilian population of Kaliningrad would probably welcome the idea with open arms and would be ready to declare their intentions in an internationally monitored referendum.

Whatever happens with the region, it is unthinkable to consider the mass relocation of the locals, following the practice the USSR employed after World War II.

At the same time, the EU must stop its passive and uninvolved attitude towards Russia. We have seen many times how things get done only when a challenge emerges.

We need to be proactive, be it only until the Russians start to behave in a civilised manner. The moment when a new cycle of peaceful coexistence and closer cooperation begins in relations between the West and Russia may be closer than we dare to believe. You must be logged in to post a comment. No comment yet, add your voice below! Add a Comment Cancel reply You must be logged in to post a comment.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The indigenous German population was expelled, and the territory was almost entirely repopulated with citizens from elsewhere in the Soviet Union.

Kaliningrad was envisaged as functioning like a Soviet version of turn-of-the-century New York City — creating Soviet citizens from a melting pot of peoples of different backgrounds in the same way that Americans had emerged from a diverse New York.

Central to this reorientation towards the east was to replace the remaining German architecture — already heavily damaged by RAF bomber raids during the war — with gleaming examples of Soviet Modernism.

Overtly futuristic in design, it was to provide the physical manifestation of the societal transformation brought about by communism — a beacon of Soviet power at its westernmost frontier.

Yet the House of Soviets was never finished. Today, it stands empty, as it has done for more than 30 years.