East Prussia / Ostpreussen

History
The Teutonic Knights were asked to come to this area by Poland to conquer the pagan tribes that were harassing Poland. The knights kept the land they conquered and cut off Poland from the sea. The knights lost the Battle of Tannenberg in 1410 but kept their land. Unable to pay their mercenaries, the knights gave them the fortress at Marienburg and transferred their command to Koenigsberg in 1457. The mercenaries turned around and sold the fortress to Poland. At the second Treaty of Thorn/Torun in 1466 the knights were now subservient to Poland. East Prussia became part of Prussia in 1618 but only independent from Poland in 1657. East Prussia was connected to Germany after the first partitioning of Poland in 1772, and cut off again after WWI, and reunited briefly during WWII. After WWII the southern half was given to Poland, and the northern half including Koenigsberg was claimed by the Soviet Union

More about the history visit the following:
(Groß Kleeberg, Kreis Allenstein)
http://www.heimat-bote.net (Kreis Samland, formerly west of Königsberg)
http://www.jomendorf.de (Jomendorf by Allenstein)
http://www.stadtgemeinschaft-koenigsberg.de
http://www.progenealogists.com/germany/ewpruss/index.html  An East/West Prussian Gazeteer
http://www2.genealogy.net/reg/OPRU/oprus.html

Border Changes
http://www.progenealogists.com/poland/images/PLate.jpg

E-Mail Lists
A genealogy e-mail list is group of people who are researching the same area. The expertise is quite impressive and the beginner and intermediate can frequently find knowledgeable help and answers to their posted questions.
KREIS-NEIDENBURG  A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical, historical, or cultural interest in Kreis Neidenburg, a former German state of East Prussia. To subscribe send "subscribe" to

kreis-neidenburg-l-request@rootsweb.com (Mail Mode)
kreis-neidenburg-d-request@rootsweb.com  (Digest Mode)

Prussia-Roots
A mailing list for anyone with a genealogical interest in Brandenburg, Hannover (or Hanover), Ostpreussen (East Prussia), Pommern (Pomerania), Posen, Provinz Sachsen (Province of Saxony - northern Saxony), Schleswig-Holstein, Schlesien (Silesia), Westpreussen (West Prussia), Lubeck, Hamburg, and Bremen. To subscribe send "subscribe" to prussia-roots-l-request@rootsweb.com(Mail Mode)
prussia-roots-d-request@rootsweb.com (Digest Mode)

Konigsberg
Devoted to the study of Konigsberg. This is a town located on the coast between Present day Germany and Lithuania. Now part of a Russian territory known as Kaliningrad. Once capitol of East Prussia.
OW-PREUSSEN-L. A mailing list for those interested in sharing and exchanging information on genealogy and history which has a connection to the former East and West Prussia. This is an English-German multi-lingual list. To subscribe send to the following address: ow-preussen-l-request@genealogy.net with "subscribe" in the subject line.

Websites for East Prussia

Maps
Hoefer Verlag (Publishing) makes a map with German and Polish town names, as well as current roads. Scale 1:200,000
These maps are useful for traveling into Poland and can tell you at a glance if your village still exists.
http://www.deutsche-kaiserreich.de/
http://www.progenealogists.com/poland/images/PLate.jpg

Archives and Records
http://www.genealogienetz.de/reg/OPRU/archive_fuer_preussenforschungar01.htm
Archives for East Prussia exist at Berlin, Regensburg, and Lübeck. For addresses see:
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp

East Prussian Group
http://www.bund-der-vertriebenen.de/
The Association of expellees from East Prussia

Books 

Flags
http://www.buddel.de/bs/fl_opr.htm
http://www.fahnenversand.de/shop/details.php?id=229&kategorie=16&main_kat=4&start=0&nr