Lithuania Minor and Prussia on the Old Maps (1525–1808)
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GEODESY AND CARTOGRAPHY ISSN 2029-6991 print / ISSN 2029-7009 online 2013 Volume 39(1): 23–39 doi:10.3846/20296991.2013.786872 UDC 528.9 LITHUANIA MINOR AND PRUSSIA ON THE OLD MAPS (1525–1808) Viktoras Lukoševičius Faculty of Technology, Šiauliai University, Vilniaus g. 141, LT-76353 Šiauliai, Lithuania E-mail: [email protected] Received 11 October 2012; accepted 26 February 2013 Abstract. While continuing researches on ancient cartography the publication is aimed at viewing maps of Li- thuania Minor and Prussia in the perspective of historical events, with a special emphasis on most important historical events as well as cartography development moments. The method used is analysis of different maps, by different authors, found in cartographical archives. The article presents the authors and designers 37 maps of Li- thuania Minor and Prussia and discusses map characteristics. It also provides links that are helpful for the readers interested in a more detailed studies of specific maps. Summarizing research results the authors conclude that ancient maps where Lithuania Minor is marked are true historical witnesses helping to understand long and complicated formation process of Lithuania Minor and the state of Lithuania; however the analysis alone is insufficient to fully reveal its historic concept. Keywords: Prussia, Lithuania Minor, lietuvininkai, historical destiny, old maps, language maps, ethnic land, etno- graphic areas. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Lukoševičius, V. 2013. Lithuania Minor and Prussia on the old maps (1525–1808), Geodesy and Cartography 39(1): 23–39. Introduction Prussia (German: Preußen; Latin: Borussia, Prutenia; the smaller German city states were merged with Prus- Lithuanian: Prūsija; Russian: Пруссия) was a German sia, resulting in the creation of the German Empire. In kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy November 1918 the royalty abdicated and the nobility of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For cen- lost most of its political power. turies, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, success- The area known as Prussia was inhabited in ear- fully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-or- ly times by West Slavic tribes, ancestors of the modern ganized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history of Poles, in the West, and Baltic tribes, closely related to Germany, with its capital in Berlin after 1451. By 1871, Lithuanians, in the East (Fig. 2). In 1226, Prussia was conquered by the Teutonic Knights, a military religious order, who converted the Prussians to Christianity. The Teutonic Knights were overthrown by the Prussians with help from Poland and Lithuania in 1454. Prussia was divided into Royal Prus- sia in the west and Ducal Prussia in the east. Royal Prus- sia was incorporated into Poland providing it with a cor- ridor to the Baltic Sea (the “Danzig Corridor”). Ducal Prussia became a Polish territory. At this time, the port city of Danzig (modern day Gdansk) was designated a “free city”. In 1525 Ducal Prussia became a hereditary duchy under Albrecht Hohenzollern, the last grand master of the Teutonic Knights. In 1657, after an invasion by the Swedes, Poland surrendered sovereignty over Du- Fig. 1. Map of Prussia before Teutonics c. 1300 cal Prussia which then became the Kingdom of Prussia Source: http://www.angelwind.com/prussia/maps_historical.html headed by the Hohenzollern line. Prussia’s power grew Copyright © 2013 Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VGTU) Press Technika 23 http://www.tandfonline.com/TGAC 24 V. Lukoševičius. Lithuania Minor and Prussia on the old maps (1525–1808) Fig. 4. Lithuania Minor and the other historical ethnographic regions of Lithuania Source: http://www.truelithuania.com/ Fig. 2. Baltic pribes and provinces c.A.D. 1200 Source: http://www.angelwind.com/prussia/maps_ historical.html Fig. 5. Lithuania Minor at the end of the 18th Century Source: http://www.kleinlitauen.de.vu/ Fig. 3. The German Order of land in the 14th century Source: www.angrapa.ru/component/option,com_datsogallery/ Rosenberg District was at this time contained in East Itemid,85/catid,2/... Prussia (Stikliorius 1980). Lithuania Minor (Lithuanian: Mažoji Lietuva; Ger- and in 1772, under King Friedrich II (Frederick the man: Kleinlitauen;) or Prussian Lithuania (Lithuanian: Great), consisted of the provinces of Brandenburg, Po- Prūsų Lietuva; German: Preußisch-Litauen) is a historical merania, Danzig, West Prussia and East Prussia. ethnographic region of Prussia, later East Prussia in Ger- A major event in German history was the defeat of many, where Prussian Lithuanians or Lietuvininkai lived. France in the Franco-Prussian War in 1871, making Ger- Lithuania Minor enclosed the northern part of this prov- many a world power. It was during this war that, in 1870, ince and got its name due to the territory‘s substantial Prussian Prime Minister Otto von Bismarck orchestrated Lithuanian-speaking population. This entire region was the unification of the German states. conquered and occupied by the Teutonic Order and offi- The German Empire was established under Prus- cially separated from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania after sian leadership with Bismarck as Chancellor. Wilhelm II, the Peace Treaty at Lake Melno in 1422. It became part the last of the Hohenzollern dynasty, became Emperor of of the Teutonic Order until 1525, was part of Prussia un- Germany (Kaiser) in 1888 and ruled until Germany’s de- til 1701, the Kingdom of Prussia until 1871, the German feat in World War I. Empire until 1918 and the German Reich until 1945. After defeat in World War I, Germany was forced to The term Lithuania Minor, applied to the northeast- give up the Danzig Corridor to Poland and Danzig once ern part of the former province of East Prussia, was used again became a free city. This caused the province of East to distinguish it from Lithuania Major, the Grand Prin- Prussia to be separated from the rest of Germany. The cipality of Lithuania. The name was first mentioned as Geodesy and Cartography, 2013, 39(1): 23–39 25 Klein Littaw in the Prussian Chronicle of Simon Grunau new entity “Kaliningrad Oblast” was the Territory of at the beginning of the 16th century (between 1517 and Klaipėda (Memel). It was separated from the German 1526), later repeated by others Prussian chroniclers Lu- Empire (Reich) in 1918, became a mandate of the League cas David and Matas Pretorijus (Simon Granau‘s 1876– of Nations under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles and 1896). was placed temporarily under French administration. In The area of Lithuania Minor embraced the land 1923 it was linked with Lithuania as an autonomous dis- between the lower reachers of the river Danija (Germ. trict and in March 1939, ceded to Nazi Germany, after Dange) to the north and the major headstreams of the World War II returned to Lithuania. river Prieglius (Germ. Pregel) to the south (Fig. 4). The southern boundary of Kaliningrad Oblast, de- Prior to the invasion of the Teutonic Knights in lineated by Stalin at the Potsdam Conference, stretching the 13th century, the main part of the territory Lithua- from the Frisches Haff (Lith. Aismarės, q.v.) to the for- nia Minor was inhabited by the tribes of the Nadravians mer Polish border in the Vižainis Upland, does not com- (Lith. nadrùviai), the Scalavians (Lith. skaĺviai) and Cu- pletely correspond to the area of Lithuania Minor and ronians (Lith. kuřšiai). The land became depopulated to Tvanksta. The river basin of Galdapė, an ancient Lithu- some extent during the warfare between Lithuania and anian and Nadravian section, was not linked to Kalin- the Order. The war ended with the Treaty of Melno and ingrad Oblast. However, it has to be included since it is the land was resettled by Lithuanian newcomers, return- part of Lithuania Minor (Pėteraitis 1992). ing refugees, and the remaining indigenous Baltic peo- Historical items of cartography (maps, atlases, ples. Detailed historiography and bibliographic review globes) like other historical objects, provide significant on this topic accomplished by Arthur Hermann (Her- clues about culture and history of a nation or country. mann 1990). The maps reveal a lot of information about the geograph- In 789 geographer D. F. Sotzmann published the ical environment of one or another territory which re- map “Prospectus Regini Borussiae tam OCCIDENTALIS flect some of the features of agricultural and political life. EMENDATIOR ET AD STATUM pracentem concinatus Each beautiful old map is an actual snapshot of our his- jussu et auspiciis” (Vision of Kingdom of Prussia...). The tory. Any of these, increasingly rare, works of art are also map fragment is in Fig. 5 Lithuania is marked with the some of the most thoughtful (and personal) gifts you can inscription Litauen and its department (Cammer Depar- give. Unlike so many other gifts, antique maps and prints tement gebiet) Litthauschen (Jeger 1982). allow you to present someone a piece of their past. The southwestern line ran from the Curonian La- French general B. Napoleon used to say that he was goon (Lith. Kuršių marės) along the Deimena river to able to trace the characteristics of nations as well as their its south, continued alongthe Prieglius river to the Alna fate in their maps. The fairness of the saying reveals itself river, up to the town of Alna and hence southward along nowadays while researching old maps. the Ašvinė (Swine) river to Lake Ašvinis (Germ. Nor- denburger See) and from there eastward to the border of 1. Maps and wiews Prussian and Lithuania Minor Lithuania Major (Pėteraitis 1992). lands from the Dutcy in Prussia to the Kingdom of At the end of World War II in 1945 the Potsdam Prussia, 1525–1772 Agreement granted the north-eastern part of East Prus- sia to the Soviet Union to be administered temporary The first maps in which the territories of Lithuania until a definite settlement could be attained in a peace and Lithuania Minor are pictured were created by an- conference yet to be convened.