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→History
==History==
==History==
[[File:Oder-Neisse Line.PNG|right|400px|thumb|Oder-Neisse Line. Poland's present day borders are largely a gift of German lands to the Polish Republic by [[Josef Stalin]].]]
[[File:Oder-Neisse Line.PNG|right|400px|thumb|Oder-Neisse Line. Poland's present day borders are largely a gift of German lands to the Polish Republic by [[Josef Stalin]].]]
Modern Kaliningrad consist of the northern half of the former territory of [[East Prussia]], the original heartland of [[Prussia]]. It is an area of rich farmland, lakes and forest bordered to the east and south by the [[Russian Empire]] and to the west by the [[Baltic Sea]]. The main city was Konigsberg (King's City) the former summer retreat of the [[Kaiser]]s and Prussian monarchs. It was also the home of philosopher [[Immanuel Kant]]. The region featured very large estates controlled by Junker elites and nobles.
Modern Kaliningrad consist of the northern half of the former territory of [[East Prussia]], the original heartland of [[Prussia]]. It is an area of rich farmland, lakes and forest bordered to the east and south by the [[Russian Empire]] and to the west by the [[Baltic Sea]]. The main city was Konigsberg (King's City) the former summer retreat of the [[Kaiser]]s and [[Prussian monarchs]]. It was also the home of philosopher [[Immanuel Kant]]. The region featured very large estates controlled by Junker elites and nobles.
The province was a battleground in 1914-15, when, following the outbreak of the [[First World War]] Russian armies invaded the province but were decisively defeated at the [[Battle of Tannenberg]] in 1914 and the Battle of the Masurian Lakes. Following Germany's defeat in 1918, the [[Treaty of Versailles]] divided Germany and the state of Poland re-created, which included the [[Polish Corridor]] to the Baltic Sea and the port city of [[Danzig]] (later Gdansk) declared a "Free City", neither part of Germany or Poland. East Prussia remained part of [[Germany]] (with the exception of the port of [[Memel]], seized by newly-independent [[Lithuania]]). In 1939 [[Nazi Germany]] forced Lithuania to relinquish Memel.
The province was a battleground in 1914-15, when, following the outbreak of the [[First World War]] Russian armies invaded the province but were decisively defeated at the [[Battle of Tannenberg]] in 1914 and the Battle of the Masurian Lakes. Following Germany's defeat in 1918, the [[Treaty of Versailles]] divided Germany and the state of Poland re-created, which included the [[Polish Corridor]] to the Baltic Sea and the port city of [[Danzig]] (later Gdansk) declared a "Free City", neither part of Germany or Poland. East Prussia remained part of [[Germany]] (with the exception of the port of [[Memel]], seized by newly-independent [[Lithuania]]). In 1939 [[Nazi Germany]] forced Lithuania to relinquish Memel.