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History
Prehistoric Times
Because of the dramatic processes that formed the
landscape during the interglacial period it is likely that people didn't
settle until the Mesolithic period. Before that time nomads roamed the
country following the reindeer.
Signs of Masuria's early settlement (earth banks,
earthwork) by the European prehistoric population, living in the 5th
millenium B.C., were found near Lötzen. Near Jedwabno, there were grave
finds, coming from the early Bronze Age (approximately 1000 B. C.), and others,
going back to Mesolithic times.
Period of the Old
Prussians
Invading Old Prussians settled down in Masuria
even before the year 2000 B.C. and mingled with the residing population.
The Lusatian Culture became established approximately around the year 1000
B.C. There were settlements built of post work. Strongholds were erected on
elevations or in marshy lowlands. Typical of this culture was pottery
decorated with big humps and grooves. Dead bodies were cremated at stakes
and buried in urns, which were partly placed to rest in large urn fields.
Gifts of cups and bowls suggest burial ceremonies. During period V of the
Bronze Age (900 - 750 B.C.) this culture diversified into a West Masurian
group (represented by the Galindians) and an East Masurian group (represented
by the Sudovians).
First written evidence of Masuria's Old Prussian
residents originates from Rome. Pytheas of Massilia, a merchant and
geographer, learnt of the Old Prussians as a people that was supposed to
live east of the River Vistula by the Baltic Sea, and mentioned them in his
work "Aestuarium Oceani Mentonoman" in the year 320 B.C. In 98
A.D. consul Tacitus reported in his work "Germania" of the
Aestii, who represented the Indo-European ethnic group of the Balts (Old Prussians,
Curonians, Lithuanians, Latvians and Selonians).
Megalithic burial places of the Galindians,
erected at ground level and going back to the 2nd century B.C., were found
in the area of Ortelsburg.
From approx. 100 years B.C. until approx. 350
years A.D. intercultural exchange between the Old Prussians and traversing
Goths and Vandels took place. That's why the Old Prussians turned from urn
burial to body burial.
Cremation graves of the Vandels were found in the
district of Sassia. The "Prince's Grave of Pilgramsdorf" from the
early 4th century is said to be a major scientific find.
Between the years 170 and 180 A.D. the geographer
Ptolemaeus mentioned the Galindians and Sudovians in his description of the
world.
As from the year 700 and particularly from 900 to
1200, the Sudovians had to fight attacks of Slavic tribes. Numerous castle
mounds are evidence of these heavy fights.
Due to an exploring expedition, undertaken by the
Spanish Jew Ibrahim ibn Jacub in 965, the Western world learnt that the
Aestii called themselves Brus.
On 3 September 1009 the missionary Brun of
Querfurt, who had been awarded the title "Archbishop of the
Pagans" by the Pope, was beheaded by Old Prussians, together with 18
fellow missionaries, when they were trying to christianize them. This happened
near Lake Löwentin. Originally, Brun of Querfurt had been canon of
Magdeburg, court chaplain of King Otto III. and
later on a Benedictine monk.
In the 11th century a great many invasions by
Masovians happened. In 1112 allied Pomeranians and Old Prussians invaded
Poland. In response, Casimir Duke of Poland conducted a successful
expedition of revenge against the Sudovians in 1192. After 1210, Konrad I.
Duke of Masovia conducted several unavailing armed campaigns against the
Old Prussians, who now marched successfully towards Masovia and didn't
retreat until their demands of tribute had been fulfilled.
At the beginning of the 13th century Masuria had a
population of 4 to 5 inhabitants per km².
Affiliation to the Order
State
In June 1218 Pope Honorius III. called
upon a crusade against the Old Prussians. Around the year 1225, Konrad I.
Duke of Masovia asked the German Order for help against the Old Prussians
and presented the Order with Culmland in 1226. This gift was acknowledged
with the "Bull of Rimini" by Emperor Friedrich II., who also
guaranteed the ownership of Old Prussian land that was to be conquered. In
1229 Pope Gregor IX. issued a bull to call again
upon a crusade against the Old Prussians. Two years later the Order started
to conquer their land. Through the papal bull of Rieti, issued in 1234, the
Order was given this land for "eternal ownership". Around the
year 1250 the Order had subjugated the West and turned against Galindia in
1252. It was not difficult to conquer this land too, since it had been
heavily depopulated due to fierce battle with its Slavonic neighbours.
In 1260 the Lithuanians stood up against the
Order. The Sudovians supported the rebels and deeply penetrated into the
land of the Order. Only in the years to come it was possible to put down
the rebellion.
In 1277 the Order started a well-organized armed
expedition against the Sudovians living south of Lake Löwentin and near
Mierunsken (northeast of Marggrabowa), which was under the leadership of
Land Master Konrad of Thierberg. At the same time, a few Sudovian chiefs
undertook forays into the land of the Order, which were successful for the
moment.
After defeating the attacking Sudovian army, the
Order continued to conquer the district of Sudovia with all their might in
1281. The main battle was directed against Skomand Duke of Sudovia, who had
proved to be the toughest enemy of the German Order. His area was conquered
and his castle, which was located on the south bank of Lake Skomentnen
(east of Lyck), was destroyed. Skomand and his people swerved to White
Russia, and a short time later he tried unsuccessfully to reconquer his
land. When he capitulated in 1283 and converted to the Christian faith,
even the rest of Masuria became part of the Order state. One part of the
Sudovian residents were expelled by the German Order, another 1,600 of them
were relocated to the "Sudovian Corner"
of Samland. Skomand and his descendants were given land, and from this time
forth they belonged to the higher Prussian nobility.
The land of the Order was divided into
commanderies. Every commandery was administered by a knight commander, who
was supported by a convention (several commanders).
Due to bad infrastructure and the insecure
situation in the borderland (attacks by Lithuanians and Poles; border
dispute), the colonization of Masuria through German colonists was making
only slow progress. In order to protect settlers, the Order built
"stable houses" (wooden buildings surrounded by palisade fences)
or citadels to defend settlements against invaders.
Years
of citadel building:
1266 - 1268 Neidenburg, wooden building, 1376 stone structure
1335 Angerburg, destroyed by Lithuanians in 1365, rebuilt in 1398
1337 - 1340 Leczenburg (Lötzen), destroyed by Lithuanians in 1365
1344 Soldau
1345 Johannisburg, destroyed by Lithuanians in 1361 and 1366
1348 Seehesten, outwork destroyed by Lithuanians in 1371
1360 Ortelsburg, destroyed by Lithuanians in 1370, rebuilt as stone
structure
1360 Eckersberg
1377 Rhein
1398 Lyck, wooden building, 1408 stone structure
At the beginning, real estate was given away
according to "Culm Law", since the Order wanted to facilitate
settlements. The law of inheritance wasn't bound to individuals, but to
land. Property could be left to sons and daughters, brothers and sisters
without any restrictions. With progressing colonization, real estate was
allocated according to "Magdeburg Law". This law wasn't bound to
individuals either. Only direct male descendants were accepted as heirs.
Later on the law of inheritance was extended, so that daughters were
allowed to inherit as well.
The colonization started in the district of
Sassia. The Order conducted frontier negotiations with Polish and
Lithuanian dukes. The frontier between Galindia and Masovia was fixed under
Grand Master Luther of Braunschweig (1331 - 1335). It was again confirmed
under Grand Master Dietrich of Altenburg (1335 - 1341).
After the German Order had declared war on Poland
in 1409, fighting started at Grünfeld (in Polish: Grunwald) and Tannenberg
(Stebark) on 15 July 1410, but the army of the Order was defeated. In the
years to come Masuria was a place of armed robbery carried out by Poles and
Lithuanians, who devastated the region. The situation didn't stabilize
until 1422 when peace was made by Lake Melno.
Meanwhile, Masovian farmers and members of the
lower nobility had settled in that part of the district of Sudovia that
didn't belong to the Order state. They had already taken possession of land
in the southern, deserted part of Masuria. In response to those activities,
the Order began to develop this region according to plan by granting
privileges to "free villages", "free estate" and
villages obliged to pay tax to the Order. Free villages were inhabited by
free farmers. They had acquired their properties mostly under Culm Law, and
that's why they were called "Culmians". Villages and estate that
belonged to the nobility had to pay tax to a member of nobility established
by the Order.
Setting
up of places:
1367 Rudwangen
1371 Langenbrück
1373 Warpuhnen, Sontag
1376 Weissenburg
1379 Sorquitten
1383 Jedwabno, Malschöwen, Burdungen, Braynicken
1387 Lissaken near Neidenburg
1391 Maradtken
1392 Masehnen, Gronau, Nakomniaden
1397 Nawiadt
1399 Salpgick
1401 Seehesten, Peitschendorf
1403 Rehsau
1406 Engelstein, Guja
1411 Faszen
1415 Weidicken
1421 Reussen
1422 Brödienen, Mertinsdorf, Polkawiesz
1428 Bialla, Kumilsko, Lissaken, Sokollen, Kowalewen
1429 Turowen, Rakowken
1431 Chelchen
1434 Quicka
1435 Prinowen, Dlottowen, Kosuchen, Mikutten, Pawlozinnen
1436 Drygallen
1437 Rosengarten, Pilwe, Muntowen
1438 Plotzitznen, Brosowen
1439 Krzywen, Neuendorf
1440 Gollubien
1443 Arys as Neudorf
1445 Jeschen, Lisken
1448 Poseggen
1452 Thiergarten, Bogumillen, Skarzinnen
1453 Adlig Rakowen
1471 Groß Rosinsko, Grusen, Gusken, Jakubben, Kuklen, Bagensken, Zwalinnen,
Proberg
1475 Stradaunen
1476 Skomentnen, Grodzisko, Kossaken
1478 Kehlen, Soldahnen
1480 Widminnen
1482 Statzen, Prostken
1484 Grabnick, Kosken
1491 Lipniken
1495 Dziadowen, Schymken
1496 Doben, Grieslack
1499 Skomatzko, Schaden, Kallinowen
1503 Schimonken
1504 Pissanitzen
1508 Sdorren
1512 Talten
1514 Angerburg as Neuendorf
There are also villages that had already been
inhabited in the early Sudovian time: Lepacken, Moldzien, Judzicken,
Niekrassen, Kopicken, Sarken and Orzechowen. The colonists set up their
farms in existing hamlets and cleared the wood in order to gain new
farmland.
From 1454 to 1466, Masuria was occupied and
cleaned out by the Polish several times. The Order state was unable to act
regarding to foreign affairs - due to conflicts with ranks, the nobility
and the towns of Danzig (in Polish: Gdansk), Thorn (Torun), Elbing
(Elblag), Neidenburg und Rastenburg (Ketrzyn). As the people were unhappy
with the situation, the King of Poland was elected as their patron. The
fortress of Lyck was burnt down.
Due to the second peace treaty of Thorn of 19
October 1466, the territory of the Order came off the association of the
Holy Roman Empire. It got into a dependent relationship with Poland.
More and more settlers from Masovia moved to
Masuria, above all members of the lower nobility, but also unfree people.
As a rule, the Masovian settlers had to buy their properties under
Magdeburg Law and on the basis of equal rights. By 1525, 20,000 to 25,000
Masovians immigrated to Masuria, making up a total population of 30,000 to
40,000. Other ethnic groups (Germans, Old Prussians, Ukranians and
Lithuanians) gradually integrated into the Masovian element. The Masurian
language became predominant.
In 1520, Poles invaded the districts of Rhein,
Lyck, Stradaunen, Lötzen and Sehesten and devastated them.
Affiliation to the Duchy
of Prussia
In 1525, the peace treaty of Cracovia resulted in
the secularization of the Order state. Masuria, together with the other
areas of the Order state, became part of the secular Duchy of Prussia.
The commanderies of the Order period became
principal offices, run by the local nobility, among them also former
knights of the Order. Villages, belonging to those offices, were founded on
former Order ground and were liable to pay taxes and render services to the
bailiff.
Foundation
of settlements:
1526 Rydzewen
1538 Ostrokollen
1542 Klein Stamm 1544 Szeczinowen, Sawadden
1545 Olschewen
1548 Wosnitzen, Borowen
1549 Groß Kosuchen
1550 Lissuhnen
1555 Dopken
1559 Czerwanken
1563 Glodowen
1564 Diebowen
1566 Benkheim
1570 Babienten, Macharren, Czierspienten
1571 Roggen
1572 Gonswen
1573 Giesewen
1584 Siemanowen, Mniodunsken
1588 Grabowen, Doliwen
1602 Isnothen
1615 Dubeningken
1617 Mosdzehnen
1623 Prawdowen
1663 Lubjewen
1699 Wiartel
1700 Wolka
In 1549, the "Bohemian Brotherhood" -
Lutherian brothers in faith who had to flee their country - came to
Masuria. Most refugees in faith, however, moved from Poland to Masuria, e.
g. the "Socians".
On 4 April 1571, Angerburg was awarded the status
of a town.
In the 16th century, the plague spread in Masuria
and Tartars invaded the country.
During the Swedish-Polish war of succession,
Swedish troops invaded Masuria in 1655.
King Johann Kasimir of Poland surprisingly quickly
summoned his troops, which had been defeated in the battle of Warsaw
against the Swedish and Prussians, and formed an alliance with
Crimean-Tartar forces under the leadership of the Polish-Lithuanian general
Vincenty Corvinus Gonsiewski. The Swedish and Prussian troops were inferior
to the allied forces and lost more than half of their soldiers and canons
as well as their baggage train in the battle of Prostken on 8 October 1656.
Masuria was lost to soldiers eager for booty. Tartars invaded the country.
23,000 Mazurs were killed and 34,000 were captured or deported into
slavery. Two thirds of the villages and towns were destroyed, among them
the town of Lötzen, which was completely destroyed, with 1,000 residents
losing their lives. Rhein, Soldau, Bialla, Pissanitzen, Lyssewen, Romotten,
Przepiorken, Roggen and Dubeningken were also destroyed. The townhall, the
church and the provincial school of Lyck were burnt down to the ground by
the Tartars, and so were, among others, the churches of Nikolaiken,
Ostrokollen and Kumilsko. Almost the whole village of Ostrokollen and lots
of houses in Grabnick, Kolleschnicken, Grondzken, Romanowen, Jendreyken,
Borschymmen, Ortelsburg and Arys were destroyed. In Angerburg only the
church remained undestroyed. The town of Goldap was burnt down and their
mayor was burnt at the stake in the marketplace. The town of Marggrabowa
was burnt down to the ground, together with its church and townhall.
Under the treaty of Wehlau (in Russian: Znamensk)
of 16 September 1657 between Poland and Prussia, the Polish suzerainty was
abolished. This was again confirmed by the peace treaty of Oliva on 3 May
1660.
Affiliation to the
Kingdom of Prussia
Foundation
of settlements:
1704 Schiast
1707 Wollisko
1708 Mittel Pogobien
1716 Pasken
1740 Trzianken
1749 Wondollek
1804 Karwik
From 1709 to 1711, the bubonic plague caused havoc and devastated especially the
districts of Sudovia and Galindia. 30 per cent of the population lost their lives.
Only 14 out of the 1,200 residents of Johannisburg survived the plague.
1,111 people died in Angerburg. The plague was probably brought in from Poland as it had
been existing in Warsaw since 1707.
Plague guards along the Masurian-Polish border couldn't prevent it from
advancing. Some villages additionally protected themselves by means of high
fences.
In 1711
swarms of locusts penetrated into the region, reaching a "scriptural
extent".
Repeatedly,
the rinderpest and particularly the horse plague were brought in from
Poland, causing a lack of draught animals. Consequently, work in the fields
came to a standstill. Due to high taxes, the situation of the farmers
became worse and worse, so that a great many of the unfree farmers left
their farms and fled to Poland. Masuria became East Prussia's poorhouse.
After a tax
reform in 1720, immigrating settlers from Poland were given deserted farms. New settlers
also moved in from Rheinland and Nassau.
Bialla (1722), Willenberg (1723) and Arys (1725)
were awarded the town charter.
In 1732 people from the region of Salzburg, who
had to leave their homeland because of their Lutherian faith, settled down.
During the
Seven-Year's War, Russian troops under the leadership of the generals
Sibilski and Liewen occupied Marggrabowa and the rest of eastern Masuria on
2 August 1756. Together with the army, bandits got across the border who robbed, set fire and killed. A large part of the
rural population fled into the woods or unoccupied areas. As the occupants
weren't able to stop the bandits, the residents of some places started
actions of self-defence, primitively armed with forks and scythes.
Despite
winning a battle on 8 August 1756, the Russians withdrew their troops, but
returned under Field Marshal Fermor in 1757. Masuria remained in Russian
hand until 5 August 1762. Prussian laws stayed in force and the
administration under the supervision of Russian officers stayed in office.
From 21 November to 10 December 1806, King
Friedrich Wilhelm III. resided in Ortelsburg, being on
the run from Napoleon's troops. On 31 December 1806, Ortelsburg was
occupied by the Napoleon army and robbed out. From 21 January to 2 February
1807, Napoleon's headquarters were located in Willenberg, afterwards in Passenheim.
After the
Peace of Tilsit of 9 July 1807, Masuria was being occupied by the French
during the time of the Napoleon Wars. High contributions had to be made to
the French and vast damage arose from the obligation to accomodate and cater for the French troops, especially as parts of the
Russian troops had stood out by lack of restraint and taken advantage of
the population before. Communities were forced to issue bonds and got
deeply into debt. The lack of food resulted in a long-lasting epidemic.
Another animal plague and the Continental System had negative effects on
the economy, too.
In 1811,
there was a bad crop failure.
In 1812,
parts of Napoleon's Great Army marched through Masuria on their way to
Russia. French and Bavarian troops were quartered, with the Bavarians
seizing horses, carts and cattle without paying any compensation.
Napoleon
was defeated, and in December the French and the Bavarians streamed back
via Lyck and Johannisburg.
On 15
January 1813, advanced guards of the Russian army under the command of
Marshal Kutusow arrived in Lyck. Four days later, the Russian Tsar
Alexander arrived, bringing with him the Baron vom Stein and the writer
Ernst Moritz Arndt. From 23 to 26 January 1813 Tsar Alexander stayed
in Johannisburg.
The 20th Century
The bad
economic situation around the year 1900 forced residents of Masuria to move
to the Ruhr District, where they found work in the coal mines.
During World War I, Bialla was occupied by the
Russians in early August 1914. Arys was occupied and laid waste by them
from 21 August to 8 September 1914 and again from 10 November 1914 to 12
February 1915. Civilians were displaced. A squad of Russian Cossacks
plundered Neidenburg on 22 August 1914. 225 buildings were destroyed in the
battles, among them the town hall and the Protestant church. Lucknainen was
occupied too. From 26 to 30 August 1914 the Russian army invaded the
district of Willenberg - Ortelsburg. Ortelsburg was partly burnt down. The
same happened to the castle of Sorquitten on 26 August 1914. Even
Rosengarten burnt down, except for few buildings (church, priest's office
and school). Johannisburg was occupied by the Russians from September 1914
to 7 February 1915. The town was badly destroyed, civilians were killed and
a great number of people, among them women and children, were deported to
Siberia. Goldap was occupied and destroyed as well. In the years 1914 and
1915 heavy fights between the invading Russian army under the leadership of
Samsonow and German defence troops took place (battle of Tannenberg: 23 to
31 August 1914, annihilation of the Narew army; battle by the Masurian
Lakes: 5 to 15 September 1914, retreat of the Njemen army; winter battle in
Masuria: 4 to 22 Februar 1915).
The district of Soldau was added to Poland without
vote on 10 January 1920.
During the progroms of the "Crystal
Night" on 9 November 1938, the synagogue of Neidenburg was destroyed,
two Jewish citizens were stabbed and several were injured.
From September 1939 on, the district of Soldau
belonged to Masuria again.
During World War II, Masuria became a place of
refuge for people from western and middle Germany who had been evacuated
because of the bombardments carried out by the allied forces.
As from 11 August 1944, the population of the
villages located east of the railway line Marggrabowa - Lyck - Prostken
were evacuated to places of Masuria located more western.
Since 22 October 1944 Goldap was shelled by 31st
Soviet army and occupied in early November 1944. Temporarily, Goldap was
reconquered by the German army.
When the front came closer and closer at the end
of the year 1944, the majority of the Masurs fled towards the west to
escape the Red Army, which marched into Masuria in January 1945. Many
Masurs were evacuated via East Prussian seaports by the German navy.
Finally, the German army kept only one pocket outside Masuria in East
Prussia (Braunsberg (in Polish: Braniewo), Heiligenbeil (in Russian:
Mamonowo), Königsberg, western Samland). Those Masurs who were being
trapped here, tried to escape across the ice of the "Frisches
Haff" (in Russian: Kaliningradskij zaliv, in Polish: Zalew Wislany),
via the port of Pillau (in Russian: Baltijsk) or through gaps in the
encirclement.
On 19 January 1945, 60 per cent of the town of
Johannisburg were destroyed by the Soviet Air Force, and 70 per cent of
Goldap, 60 per cent of Marggrabowa and 20 per cent of Sensburg were
destroyed by war actions. Angerburg was burnt down to a large extent. Arys
had not been destroyed, but when the Red Army took the town, 40 houses were
set to fire. When the Russians and the Polish took Bialla, entire quarters
of the town were burnt down and 50 civilians were killed.
The Russian Secret Service NKWD established a
collecting point and detention camp in the town of Arys. The Red Army set
up labour camps for civilians who hadn't succeeded in fleeing in Grabnick,
Jucha, Lyck and other places.
At the Potsdam Conference, Masuria was put under
Polish administration up to the time of a final ruling through the Peace
Treaty. The remaining population were partly kept back, partly deported,
partly driven out. Approximately 80,000 Mazurs stayed in Masuria. In order
to cement the Polish claim on the area, all German inscriptions were
removed. When the Red Army retreated from Masuria in August 1945, from the
district of Goldap, however, not until November, their soldiers set fire to
living quarters in Lyck. One storey of the station building burnt down,
too.
In 1950 East Germany recognized the new
German-Polish frontier along the line of the rivers Oder and Neisse and
with that Masuria's affiliation to Poland. The Federal Republic of Germany did the same in 1970.
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