Brandenburg (castle)

Background

In 1206, Pope Innocent III issued a bull about the Christianization of the Prussians, and in 1217 Pope Honorius III declared a campaign against the Prussian pagans, which became part of the campaigns in East Prussia, known as the Prussian crusade, to which the Teutonic Order joined in 1226. In 1230, the pope gave the Teutonic Order the right to baptize the Prussians. The German crusaders, who had interests in eastern Europe, began to colonize new territories, which soon formed the state of the Teutonic Order . Colonization did not pass peacefully - a considerable part of the Prussian leaders fought an active war with the crusaders, while some of the leaders adopted Christianity. The Teutonic Order gave certain privileges to loyal Prussians, incorporating them into the feudal system of their state. In the main phase of colonization (XIII-XIV centuries), two major Prussian uprisings occurred - the first Prussian uprising (1242–1249) and the second Prussian uprising (1249–1260).

Foundation (1266)

The year of foundation of the castle is considered to be 1266 , since the Chronicle of the Land of Prussia by the chronicler Peter from Dusburg states that “ In the year 1266, Margrave Brandenburg Otto III (great-grandson of Albrecht the Bear ), with many knights, came to the land of Prussia,” on the advice of the master and the brothers built the castle of Brandenburg and wished to call it that for eternal memory in honor of his Margrave . "

Original text (lat.)

Anno domini MCCLXVI marchio Brandenburgensis, ut premissum est, cum multitudine pugnatorum venit ad terram Prussie, et cum aliud agere non posset, de consilio magistri et fratrum edificavit castrum Brandenburgk et a nomine marchionatus sui ad perpetuam memoriam sic voluit.

There were several reasons for the construction of the new castle. So during the first Prussian uprising (1242–1249), it turned out that Balga Castle , which was the main stronghold of the Teutonic Knights in the area, could be easily blocked. The second castle on the bay, the castle of Lenzenburg , like Balga did not have a port. But at the mouth of the Frisching River on the right bank, a favorable area was found for the construction of the castle: here it was possible to build berths to create a port, especially since the river was navigable a full mile upstream. This facilitated the advance of the Order inland. In addition, after the loss of Lenzenburg, the new castle would serve as a link between Balga and Königsberg .

Middle Ages

Throughout the history of the German Order, Brandenburg Castle was considered one of the most important Comturian castles. Since 1322, a relic has been kept in it: a fragment of the Holy Cross on which Jesus was crucified. There is a legend about the Order of the Knight Count von Massov, who trampled upon the Holy Gifts , for which he was imprisoned in the main tower, where he died.

The Brandenburg commander Gunther von Hohenstein ( German: Günther von Hohenstein , 1370 - 1380 ) distinguished himself in the diplomatic field, actively proving himself in negotiations with Lithuania . Emperor Charles IV in 1379 presented him with a relic of St. Katarina exhibited in the chapel of the castle.

Under the cover of the fortress, a settlement soon formed, where innkeepers, artisans, gardeners and fishermen lived. A school in the village already existed in 1408 . In 1422 there were two mills in the settlement, and in 1425 already three.

During the wars, the castle settlement was badly damaged by fires, especially in 1454 , 1456 and 1520 .

New time

In 1525, the great master of the Teutonic Order, Albrecht of Brandenburg (1490-1568) turned the Teutonic Order into the duchy of Prussia .

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, Brandenburg turned into a rather large settlement in which fishermen, gardeners, boatmen, cabmen and small peasants lived. In 1604, there were 7 taverns and 50 yards.

The favorable location on a busy road, by the bay and on the river contributed to the development of the settlement. In addition, fairs were held in it. In 1652, Brandenburg was called the “free place”. King Frederick William I intended to give him the status of a city, but this did not happen, although from 1716 to 1736 parts of the 12th cuirassier regiment were located in Brandenburg.

In the 19th century, Brandenburg was designated as “Magkfeskep” - a village that has the right to establish markets. In 1817, a new road project was developed that runs directly through a swampy meadow. Together with the laying of the road, a new metal bridge was built. Later, a canal was dug directly through an island formed by two branches of the Frishing River. The right sleeve of the river, passing near the walls of the castle, was bombarded, part of the left was used as a small harbor for fishing boats.

Until 1900, only linen, pottery and horse breeding fairs were preserved in Brandenburg. Brandenburg lost its significance after the construction of the Eastern Railway, which ran away from it.

XX century

With the outbreak of World War I in 1914, East Prussia became the scene of hostilities. In August 1914, Russian troops crossed its border and for a short time occupied a significant part of the territory, but Brandenburg was not occupied. The East Prussian operation (1914) ended unsuccessfully for the Russians, after which the Germans gathered strength and forced the Russian troops back.

In 1945, Brandenburg was in a zone of fierce fighting and was partially destroyed.

After World War II

Under the terms of the agreement concluded at the Potsdam Conference , Prussia was liquidated as a state entity. East Prussia was divided between the Soviet Union and Poland . One-third of East Prussia with the capital Königsberg (which was renamed Kaliningrad ), which was organizationally included in the RSFSR as the Kaliningrad Region, went to the Soviet Union .

Brandenburg was renamed in 1946 Ushakovo , received the status of a village. The Phishing River is called Cool .

After 1945, the village was renamed Ushakovo . After a small renovation, several families of immigrants from the USSR lived in the southeastern outhouse of Forburg. The southwestern carvan building, which was damaged during the war, was practically not used (several sheds were built in it). A small metal water tower was installed in the center of the former Forburg courtyard. The premises attached even before the war to the northern defensive wall also served as sheds.

In 1964, a commission of the Central Scientific Restoration Workshops of the USSR Ministry of Culture recommended that the castle be registered with the state as a protected monument, but no such work was carried out.

In the early 1980s, part of the roof of the southeast outbuilding fell into disrepair. People began to resettle, and since the beginning of the 1990s the building was abandoned and the local population began to actively dismantle it into building materials, turning the outbuilding into ruins in just a few years.

In 2007, the ruins of Brandenburg Castle received the status of a cultural heritage site of regional significance ^[2] .

In 2010, the Russian edition of Forbes magazine included Brandenburg Castle in the list of six endangered Russian attractions. The castle, as well as the nearby Brandenburg church , are disassembled by locals for bricks ^[3] .

In 2013, the State Protection Service for Cultural Heritage Objects of the Kaliningrad Region entered into an agreement with the Moscow-based ART Restoration company on the restoration of the Brandenburg Castle ^[4] . The company will develop a restoration project for the castle.

For 2016, the restoration project is frozen.

In 2017, the North-West Directorate of the Ministry of Culture of Russia allocated 15 million rubles for the restoration of the castle. In the same year, the territory was cleared of debris, restoration of the masonry walls of both wings of the castle began.

The castle can be considered as the final stage in the development of the architectural style of “fortified castle” in Natangia . Unlike later castles, its courtyard is still quite large. The gate was in the center of the west wing, opposite the forburg. All four outbuildings had cellars. The first floors of the castle were used for utility rooms. In the northeastern outbuilding was a kitchen, next to which was a well made of carved limestone, which was filled up in 1838 . In the western wing, on the second floor, there was a remter ( refectory ).

• Castles of the Kaliningrad Region
• Ushakovo (Novomoskovsk rural settlement)

• Bakhtin A.P. Castles and fortifications of the German Order in the northern part of East Prussia. Directory. / Ed. V. Yu. Kurpakova . - Kaliningrad : Terra Baltic, 2005. - ISBN 5-98777-004-1

• Brandenburg website about East Prussia
• Virtual 3D tour of Brandenburg Castle