Aranyosiné, A. (2014). The identity of the inhabitants of the Kaliningrad oblast. Modern Geográfia, 9(4), 63–74.
The Kaliningrad Oblast – geopolitically speaking – is one of the most exciting regions of Russia. Indigenous people of the territory were Baltic tribes of Lithuanians and Prussians. Their language, traditions and religion differed from that of the Slavic peoples surrounding them. By the 17th century indigenous Prussian people were partially eradicated or assimilated by their conquerors. However, in a most unique way in history, the winners took the names of the defeated and the new kingdom was named after the Prussians. East Prussia used to be a multinational territory while the ratio of German population always exceeded 90%. At the end of the 1940’s the ethnic composition of the population changed radically by the annexation of northern East Prussia to the Soviet Union, in line with the decision of the Allies following World War II. The whole population of a region was replaced completely in a very short period of time. Soviet settlers had to build a new life based on a foreign culture. This way the Kaliningrad Oblast became a Russian region with a long, German history in Europe. All this obviously has an imprint on the identity of the population.
Keywords: Russia, Kaliningrad oblast, identity of the inhabitants