Zelenogradsk

Coordinates: 54°58′N 20°29′E / 54.967°N 20.483°E / 54.967; 20.483

Old postcard of Cranz with the Ladies Bath, East Prussia (now Zelenogradsk)

Zelenogradsk today

Zelenogradsk, (Russian:  Зеленогра́дск​ (help·info); German:  Cranz (help·info); Lithuanian: Krantas) is a town and the administrative center of Zelenogradsky District of Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, Located on the Sambian coastline near the Curonian Spit on the Baltic Sea. Population: 13,015 (2010 Census preliminary results);^[1] 12,509 (2002 Census);^[2] 10,786 (1989 Census).^[3]

The town is a popular weekend resort for vacationers from Kaliningrad, located 30 km to the south.

History

The site of today's Zelenogradsk was originally an Old Prussian fishing village, in the proximity of Kaup, a Prussian town on the coast of the Baltic Sea in the Viking era. The area became controlled by the Teutonic Knights and settled with Germans. The German name Cranz, originally Cranzkuhren, derives from the Old Prussian word krantas, meaning "the coast". For most of its history it remained a small village in East Prussia.

During the 19th century, the village became the primary seaside resort for the Kingdom of Prussia on the East Prussian coastline, especially after the construction of a railway line connecting the village with Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) in 1885. From 1816–1895 it was known as das königliche Bad, or "the royal bath/resort". Despite the increase of tourists, the fishing industry remained strong; smoked flounder was a regional delicacy. Although it had over 6,000 inhabitants before the beginning of World War II, it did not have town privileges.

The area was overrun by the Soviet Red Army during World War II and annexed to Russia, although it suffered minimally through warfare. The German population fled during the evacuation of East Prussia or was subsequently expelled by force. The village, renamed from Cranz to Zelenogradsk or "Green City" in Russian, received a civic charter after 1945.

The tourism industry was neglected during the Cold War and Zelenogradsk's tourism primacy was relinquished to nearby Svetlogorsk (formerly Rauschen). This policy changed in recent years. Zelenogradsk is becoming more popular with Russian vacationers, and many rich Muscovites own private houses in the area.

Notable residents

• Abel Ehrlich (1915–2003), composer
• Volker Lechtenbrink (born 1944), actor
• Carl Steffeck (1818–1890), painter
• Beate Uhse-Rotermund (1919–2001), aviator and entrepreneur
• Adolf Tortilowicz von Batocki-Friebe (1868-1944), politician

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Russia

Twin towns/sister cities

Zelenogradsk is twinned with:

• Braniewo, Poland
• Łeba, Poland
• Borgholm, Sweden

References

1. ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2011). "Предварительные итоги Всероссийской переписи населения 2010 года (Preliminary results of the 2010 All-Russian Population Census)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2010). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis-2010.ru/results_of_the_census/results-inform.php. Retrieved 2011-04-25. 
2. ^ Федеральная служба государственной статистики (Federal State Statistics Service) (2004-05-21). "Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3 тысячи и более человек (Population of Russia, its federal districts, federal subjects, districts, urban localities, rural localities—administrative centers, and rural localities with population of over 3,000)" (in Russian). Всероссийская перепись населения 2002 года (All-Russia Population Census of 2002). Federal State Statistics Service. http://www.perepis2002.ru/ct/doc/1_TOM_01_04.xls. Retrieved 2010-03-23. 
3. ^ "Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров. (All Union Population Census of 1989. Present population of union and autonomous republics, autonomous oblasts and okrugs, krais, oblasts, districts, urban settlements, and villages serving as district administrative centers.)" (in Russian). Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989 года (All-Union Population Census of 1989). Demoscope Weekly (website of the Institute of Demographics of the State University—Higher School of Economics. 1989. http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus89_reg.php. Retrieved 2010-03-23. 

External links

• Wiskiauten Viking-era archaeological site