Memele. Lebedev sergey The modern name of the city is memel

Klaipeda Dictionary of Russian synonyms. memel noun, number of synonyms: 1 Klaipeda (3) ASIS synonym dictionary. V.N. Trishin. 2013 ... Synonym dictionary

MEMEL- the official name of the city of Klaipeda (now in Lithuania) until 1923 ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Memel- 1) p. see Neman 2) city see Klaipeda, Memelsburg Geographical names of the world: Toponymic dictionary. M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001 ... Geographical encyclopedia

Memel- MEMEL, okrug. mountains. prus. provinces of Konigsberg to the south. the shore of the Balt. sea, in Vost. Prussia, when leaving the hall. Kurishgaf; commercial port and primor. ukrѣpl. item on the north. gr tsѣ Germanii, въ 10 ver. from rus. gr ts. Connection railway with Tilsit ... ... Military encyclopedia

Memel- the official name of the city of Klaipeda (now in Lithuania) until 1923. * * * MEMEL MEMEL (Memel), the official name of the city of Klaipeda (see KLAIPEDA) (in Lithuania) until 1923. Memel Teutonic knights (see TEUTON ORDER) called the territory in the east ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Memel- (Memel) the former name of the city of Klaipeda in the Lithuanian SSR ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Memel- or Nemanek r. Kovenskaya and Kurlandskaya guberniya., One of the constituent parts of the river. Aa (see). It originates in the Novoaleksandrovsky district, flows to the northwest, forming on a significant part of its current the border between the Kovenskaya and Kurlyandskaya provinces: it connects at the mountains ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary of F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

Memel- geogr. (German name) Neman ... Versatile additional practical explanatory dictionary I. Mostitsky

Memel- 1) p. see Neman 2) city see Klaipeda, Memelsburg ... Toponymic dictionary

Memel- (Memel) Memel, 1) ex. name region of Lithuania (Memel region), on the coast of the Baltic Sea, north of the Neman River. It was part of East Prussia until 1919, when it came under the control of the French administration, funded by the League of Nations. V… … Countries of the world. Dictionary

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• Versailles Peace Treaty, Yu.V. Klyuchnikov. The Versailles Peace Treaty was intended to consolidate the redistribution of the capitalist world in favor of the victorious powers. According to it, Germany returned Alsace-Lorraine to France (within the borders of 1870); ...

On January 28, 1945, Soviet troops stormed the German city of Memel, nowadays better known under the Lithuanian name of Klaipeda. If we look at a modern geographical map, we will find Klaipeda as the third largest (population 200 thousand) city of Lithuania, the main port of the republic. Meanwhile, if anyone has the right to this city, it is Russia as the legal successor of the USSR.

Memel was part of the historical region of East Prussia. The city was founded by German crusaders in 1252 on the land of the Baltic tribe of the Curonians, and the related Prussians. The name comes from the German name for the Neman River. By the middle of the 17th century, the Curonians as ethnic group ceased to exist. They were all assimilated by the Germans. There are only references to them in the form of geographical names - the Curonian Spit and the Curonian Lagoon. Part of the Curonians became part of the Latvians, making up the population of the historical region of Courland (in Latvian - Kurzeme). Thus, from the middle of the 17th century until 1945, Memel and the surrounding areas should be fully regarded as a German ethnic territory.

Memel belonged to the Teutonic Order, then to Prussia. In 1807, Memel was even the temporary capital of the Prussian Kingdom, after the capture of Berlin by Napoleon. In 1757-62, during the Seven Years War, the city was occupied by Russian troops, the population was sworn in on the loyal Russian Empire. But, as you know, Emperor Peter III, who was distinguished by truly Gorbachev's admiration for everything Western, primarily Prussian, gave Memel back to his idol Frederick II. By the way, Frederick was very angry with the East Prussians for the fact that they became Russian subjects without excessive moral remorse, and in principle did not visit East Prussia for all the remaining years of his reign. After the unification of Germany in 1871, Memel became the easternmost city of the German Empire. It is no coincidence that in the words of the famous anthem "Germany Above All!" sounds - "from the Meuse to Memel ..". As you can see, the history of the city of Memel is no different from the history of East Prussia.

Although in the Middle Ages there was a strong state, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, whose borders stretched from the Baltic to the Black Sea, Memel was never part of Lithuania. It is significant that the German authorities themselves, in order to incite national conflicts in Russia at the end of the 19th century, organized in Memel a large-scale publication of literature in the Lithuanian language with the Latin alphabet (in 1865-1904 in Russian Lithuania, Lithuanian books were printed in Cyrillic).

In 1914, 140 thousand inhabitants lived in Memel.

After the defeat of Germany in the First World War, according to the terms of the Versailles Peace Treaty, Germany lost 1/8 of its territory, but Memel in 1919-1923. remained German in fact, and it is very unclear who legally. Article 99 of the Versailles Treaty, Memel and the adjacent territory was under the collective management of the Entente. At the head of the region was a French military commissar and a local government (Directory), consisting of local Germans. There was a small French garrison in the city, the Memel police were also subordinate to the command of the Entente. The Entente planned to make Memel a "free city" like Danzig. Local residents They liked this idea, because the people of Memel were afraid of the economic crisis that reigned in Germany in those years. At the referendum held in December 1922, 90% of Memel residents spoke in favor of the status of a free city. In fact, Memel was already one. Memel in 1919-23 had the right to conclude trade agreements with foreign states, had its own court, flag and customs sovereignty. German citizenship of the inhabitants continued to exist, and in general the old laws remained in force. But the official proclamation of the new free city did not take place - Memel became a victim of aggression from Lithuania.

After the collapse of the Russian Empire, a small, poor, but very ambitious Lithuania was born. The borders of the then Lithuania were not at all the same as in the modern post-Soviet republic. The city of Vilno (today it is called Vilnius) belonged to Poland. However, in 1931, out of 195 thousand inhabitants of the city, there were 1.6 thousand Lithuanians in Vilna, or 0.8% of the population (by the way, the overwhelming majority of modern Vilnius Lithuanians are descendants of post-war Lithuanian-speaking migrants). The Baltic Republic of Lithuania had one sea city - Palanga, a shallow water resort. But the Lithuanian rulers could not miss the chance to seize the port city of Memel, taking advantage of the weakening of Germany.

On January 11, 1923, taking advantage of Germany's refusal to continue paying reparations, the French government sent troops into the Ruhr region of Germany. Lithuanian rulers decided not to miss the chance to seize someone else's property. True, it was somewhat inconvenient to openly invade foreign territory, and the Lithuanian authorities decided to make the invasion of their troops an “uprising” of freedom-loving Memelians, eager to unite with the great free Lithuania. On January 13, 1.5 thousand Lithuanian troops, posing as "rebels", invaded the territory of the Memel region, and five days later occupied the city. Power passed to a certain "committee of Lithuania Minor", which, of course, immediately announced the annexation of the city to Lithuania.

Germany, which did not have an army under the articles of the Versailles Treaty, could only react with notes of protest. On the other hand, the 200 French soldiers stationed in Memel were supposed to resist all attempts to invade the city, but how was it to be done if France itself provoked the invasion of the Lithuanians in order to further weaken Germany? As a result, the "military action" in Memel looked like a modern velvet revolution. For 5 whole days “battles” were going on in the city, in which 2 Frenchmen, 12 Lithuanians and 1 German policeman were killed. The opponents seemed to be shooting endlessly into the air to give the impression of combat.

On January 23, 1923, Memel, renamed Klaipeda (in Lithuanian means “plain”, “wet place”), was officially annexed to Lithuania. So Lithuania, having committed an act of aggression, violated the European borders established by the Treaty of Versailles. Seized by the marauding itch, the rulers of Lithuania could not think that by their actions they created a precedent for revising the Versailles borders. What borders can be changed in the other direction, the little rulers of a small country did not understand... After that, all the complaints from the Lithuanian side that the USSR seized Lithuania in violation of international law, to put it mildly, are not correct.

At the beginning of 1924, the League of Nations recognized the sovereignty of Lithuania over Klaipeda, subject to the wide autonomy of the region, enshrined in a special constitution - the "Memel Statute". On May 8, 1924, the Paris Convention was signed between Lithuania and the allied powers of the Entente (England, France, Italy and Japan), which determined the status of Memel within Lithuania. (Also known as Klaipeda or Memel Convention). The convention transferred the Memel region to the sovereignty of Lithuania. Article 2 of the Convention stated that the Memel region constitutes, under the sovereignty of Lithuania, "an entity with legislative, legal, administrative and financial autonomy." Thus, Lithuania received only limited sovereignty over Memel, and rather strongly limited. The Lithuanian authorities did not even think to comply with the terms of the Convention, and even the Memel Statute, which automatically disavowed the decision of the League of Nations.

However, we must pay tribute to the then Lithuanian leaders - unlike the current Baltic politicians, the “German-speaking” population of Klaipeda received the same rights as the Lithuanians (although under the police dictatorship established in Lithuania in 1926, these rights did not mean anything). In 1926, the Lithuanian authorities dissolved the local parliament and banned German parties. To suppress the indignation of the Germans, martial law was introduced in Klaipeda, which existed for 12 years - until 1938 .. However, under pressure from the countries - guarantors of the Memel Statute, the Lithuanian authorities allowed new elections to be held (under martial law!), Then again the majority of seats, 25 out of 29, were received by the German parties in parliament, aiming to "return to Vaterland". Of course, in a civilized free Lithuania this was answered by the arrest of the elected regional government. The Judicial Chamber of the League of Nations once again toothlessly ascertained the violation of the Memel Statute.

In 1923 -39. thousands of Lithuanian migrants arrived in the Klaipeda region, the Lithuanian language was forcibly introduced in schools and offices, but the city retained a Germanic character, German and culture absolutely dominated it. Klaipeda provided a third of the GNP of Lithuania, although in general industrial production in Lithuania, as well as in all limitrophic states, did not reach the level of 1913. But without Klaipeda, Lithuania was at the level of development of the banana republics of Central America.

Of course, this situation could not last long. In 1938, Lithuania yielded to Polish pressure, officially abandoning claims to Vilno. Lithuanian rulers tried, as a counterbalance to Poland, to establish allied relations with Germany. But, of course, small countries cannot be equal allies. Hitler, who, when necessary, could be a fiery democrat, suddenly reminded the Lithuanian politicians that in Lithuania not everything is safe with human rights, especially the German minority. Of course, one hint from the Fuehrer was enough to start democratization in Lithuania. Martial law was lifted in Memel in November 1938. In the free elections to the Memel Parliament held on December 11 of the same year, 87% of the votes were cast for a single list of German parties. Let's pay attention to the democratic nature of these elections, since all residents of the Klaipeda region participated in them, including the Lithuanian-speaking migrants who arrived after 1923.

On March 22, 1939, Hitler demanded that Lithuania return Memel to Germany, which was immediately done. It is significant that no one in the Lithuanian parliament opposed the treaty. Moreover, the Lithuanian government did not even try to appeal to the countries - guarantors of the Memel Statute, thereby recognizing that the 1924 treaty on Lithuania's sovereignty over Memel was no longer valid.

On May 15, 1939, England, and then other members of the League of Nations, recognized de jure the transfer of Memel to Germany.

During the Great Patriotic War pushing the enemy, Soviet troops occupied East Prussia, including Memel. According to the decisions of the Big Three conferences, East Prussia was divided between Poland and the USSR. The German population of the region was deported. The liberated territory was quickly settled by settlers from all over the Soviet Union. In their part of the former East Prussia, the Soviet leaders created the Kaliningrad Region as part of the RSFSR. But Memel, again renamed Klaipeda, was annexed to the Lithuanian SSR by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on May 20, 1950. This was motivated only by the need to create a republican port, since Palanga was not suitable for this role.

Finally, this territorial acquisition of the USSR was legalized by the Treaty between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Federal Republic of Germany of August 12, 1970 (Moscow Treaty). Germany officially recognized the USSR's right to East Prussia, including Memel (Klaipeda). Note that the entire Soviet Union, and not its republic, was recognized as the owner of the city.

Interestingly, there are no documents that legally substantiate Lithuania's rights to Klaipeda, which was recognized by none other than A. Brazauskas (the former head of the Republican Communist Party, then the Prime Minister of the already post-Soviet Lithuania). The Baltic leaders justified Lithuania's withdrawal from the USSR by the fact that the very annexation of the Baltic republics to the USSR was illegal. Well, in this case, keeping Klaipeda (as well as Vilna) in Lithuania is also illegal. Only the assignee of the USSR, Russia, has historical rights to Klaipeda.

The population of Klaipeda, half Russian, half Lithuanian, is equally composed of post-war settlers and their descendants. As in the rest of the Baltics, business and material production in Klaipeda is in the hands of the Russians. The indigenous Balts were only able to possess European manners and pursue a Hottentot policy. True, Lithuanians are still good at basketball and go in for agriculture... But Russian migrants with their Soviet mentality turned out to be incomparably more capable of doing business than the “European” Baltic natives.

Modern Lithuania as a state has no prospects. In Lithuania, unlike Estonia and Latvia, according to official data, the titular nation has a significant majority - 77% of the republic's residents in 2003 (in 1989 -80%) .. However, tens of thousands of Vilna Poles were recorded by Lithuanians back in the Soviet population censuses. The dominant Catholicism among Lithuanians (which, as you know, opposes birth control), contributed to the emergence of an incomparably more favorable demographic situation in Lithuania. During the 20th century, the number of Lithuanians doubled, despite significant human losses in wars and emigration. After the Great Patriotic War, Lithuanian-speaking migrants managed not only to partially populate Klaipeda, but also make up half of the population of Vilnius, although as early as 1931 in the Polish Vilna Lithuanians accounted for less than 1% of the population. But over the years of "freedom" Lithuania has become the same dying country as the rest of the Baltic republics. Since 1992, Lithuania has also experienced depopulation. The birth rate fell 2.5 times. By 2004, the population of the republic decreased by 200 thousand people (despite the fact that in 1989 the entire population of the republic was 3 695 thousand people). And this process continues. If these demographic trends continue, by 2050 the population of Lithuania will decrease by one million more, that is, the population of the republic, even if the current borders are maintained, will decrease by 20%, and will be the same as in 1960.

The first thing that the Baltic republics have after joining the European Union on May 1, 2004, is a sharp increase in emigration to the western part of Europe. During the first year of EU membership, 250 thousand immigrants from countries - "newcomers" arrived in Great Britain alone, of which Lithuanians alone accounted for 15%. Emigration sentiments cover the broad masses of the Balts. Mass emigration leads to the fact that Lithuania itself is turning into a country of old people. Moreover, Lithuania came out on top in the world in terms of suicide rates.

Klaipeda is also experiencing a comprehensive crisis. The city's population has decreased by more than 10% since 1992. This is especially impressive, because ruined Lithuanian farmers continue to move to Klaipeda. The Klaipeda seaport is the main source of foreign exchange earnings in the republic, but all the profits flow away mainly to the Vilnius bureaucrats, and the city continues to be a depressed region.

What conclusion follows from these historical considerations? It's simple - Klaipeda (or Memel, call it whatever you like) should become a Russian city... Do not be discouraged at the thought that Lithuania is already a member of the European Union and NATO, and that the city will not give up so easily. There is no reason to believe that the European Union is a more viable entity than the League of Nations. The EU is undergoing a process of disintegration of the states that make up it. Autonomous regions such as Wallonia, Padania, Catalonia stand out, devolution took place in Great Britain, which actually divided the United Kingdom into England, Scotland, Wales and Ulster. Russians in Klaipeda should strive to obtain a special status for the city within the EU and to federalize Lithuania. Having become something like a free city, even while still formally part of the Republic of Lithuania, Klaipeda can imperceptibly become part of Russia within the framework of some Kaliningrad-Riga economic association. As soon as the EU collapses under the influence of incompatibility within the framework of one confederation of millennial European nations, moreover diluted by hordes of colored migrants, and NATO disintegrates after armed conflicts between its members (for example, after the war between Greece and Turkey over Cyprus, or Romania and Hungary for Transylvania), then the free Russian city of Memel (Klaipeda) will finally again become a city of the Russian state.

Klaipeda(Russian Klaipeda, lit. Klaipėda, former German Memel, German Memel) is the third largest city in modern Lithuania (formerly also the Lithuanian SSR) after the capital Vilnius and Kaunas. It is located in its western part, where the Baltic Sea passes into the Curonian Lagoon. Administrative center of Klaipeda county. Due to its relatively southern location, Klaipeda is the largest port in Lithuania, as well as the Russian Kaliningrad, it is one of the largest ice-free seaports on the shores of the Baltic Sea and the Curonian Lagoon. The city gained fame as a popular resort back in Soviet times. Klaipeda and the adjacent region have a special history that is different from the rest of Lithuania; it is one of the most ancient cities in the country. Archaeological research indicates that it was inhabited by the ancestors of the Lithuanians - the Balts - back in the first centuries of our era. Until 1525 it belonged to the knights of the Teutonic Order. Until 1923 - Germany, which was reflected in the architectural appearance of this Baltic pearl. Due to its history, the ethnic and linguistic appearance of the city has been and is multi-ethnic in nature. In addition to Lithuanians, a significant number of Russians, Poles, Belarusians and others live in it.

Short story

Middle Ages

The settlements of the Curonians on the present-day territory of the city were known in the first centuries AD. NS. In 1252 the knights of the German (Livonian) order built the Memelburg castle, and then laid the foundation (1252-53) of the city. The first document describes the foundation of the castle on July 29, 1252 by the master of the German (Livonian) order Eberhard von Saine and the bishop of the same order Heinrich von Kurland (Heinrich of Courland), Count von Lutzelburg from Luxembourg. In 1384 Memel annexed the Teutonic Order with its center in Königsberg (Kaliningrad). From 1525 Klaipeda belonged to the Prussian principality, in 1629–35 - to Sweden, from 1701 - to the Prussian kingdom. During the Seven Years War, the city belonged to the Russian Empire (1757–62). In 1762-1871 she again submitted to Prussia. Since 1871 as part of the German Empire.

New time

According to the Versailles Peace Treaty (1919), the Memel region in 1920 was transferred under the collective management of the Entente countries. Under the rule of a French governor, the region was ruled by a directory consisting mainly of Germans. A French garrison was stationed in the city. At a referendum held in 1922, about 90% of the population of the Memel region spoke in favor of declaring Memel a "free city", similar to Danzig.

In January 1923, the Lithuanian authorities staged an uprising by the forces of disguised police officers, soldiers of the regular army and members of the Šaulis paramilitary organization, who arrived from Lithuania, a total of 1,500 fighters. The operation was commanded by Major of Lithuanian counterintelligence Jonas Budris-Polovinskas.

The Lithuanians were opposed by 200 French Alpine riflemen (the German police did not offer resistance), the battles for the city went on for five days, and during the assault 12 Lithuanians, two Frenchmen and one German policeman were killed. The USSR helped to avoid Poland's intervention in the conflict, which demonstratively concentrated its troops on the border with Poland.

France sent a military squadron to Memel. Great Britain also sent the cruiser Caledon to Memel. The negotiations with the Lithuanian rebels, which began on January 25, were unsuccessful. The rebel committee refused to hand over the city to the French, and the disembarked patrols were fired upon and returned to the ships. Then the French command developed a plan for the armed capture of Memel, supported by the British. On February 2, a British cruiser landed an amphibious assault party to interact with the French infantry battalion that garrisoned Memel. At the same time, an ultimatum was put forward to Lithuania demanding the return of the Memel region to the hands of the High Commissioner of the Entente. At the same time, the Entente promised that if the ultimatum is accepted, the Memel region will then be transferred to Lithuania.

Then, after the adoption of the ultimatum by Lithuania, on February 16, the Council of Ambassadors of the Entente decided to transfer the Memel region to Lithuania. This decision was stipulated by the condition for Lithuania to fulfill the following requirements: 1) autonomy of the region; 2) freedom of transit and use of the Memel port by Poland; 3) development of the statute of the region and the conclusion of a special convention; 4) equality in the region of the German and Lithuanian languages; 5) equalization in civil and commercial rights of foreigners and residents of the autonomy. In addition, at an unofficial level, it was emphasized that the transfer of Memel to Lithuania is a kind of compensation for the loss of the Vilna region.

These conditions were enshrined in the Convention signed on January 8, 1924 between Lithuania and the Allied Powers (England, France, Italy and Japan), to which the Memel Statute was attached, which was its integral part. At the same time, in 1924, the actual transfer of Memel to the sovereignty of Lithuania took place (before that, it was governed by the Directory appointed by the Council of Ambassadors).

Lithuania pursued a policy of imposing the Lithuanian language, although, according to the census of January 20, 1925, out of 141,645 residents who had the right to vote, 59315 (41.88%) identified themselves as Germans, 37626 (26.56%) as Lithuanians and 34337 (24.24%) - to memellendors.

After the right-wing coup in Lithuania in December 1926, martial law was introduced in the region, German parties were banned and the local parliament was dissolved, which was a flagrant violation of the Memel Statute. At the request of the League of Nations, the Lithuanian authorities were forced to call new elections in the Memel region, which gave the majority to the German parties (25 out of 29 mandates). However, already in 1932 the elected German authorities of Memel were arrested. The consequence was the appeal of the guarantor powers of the Memel Convention to the International Court of Justice of the League of Nations, which demanded that Lithuania restore the rights of the Memel Parliament.

Martial law was lifted in Memel in November 1938. In the elections to the Memel parliament (seimik) held in December of the same year, 87% of the votes were cast for a single list of German parties. Germany on March 22, 1939 presented Lithuania with an ultimatum demanding the return of the Klaipeda region, which Lithuania was forced to accept. On this occasion, Adolf Hitler arrived in Memel with a squadron of naval vessels, and on March 23 he delivered a speech to the residents from the balcony of the city theater.

1945—1950

On January 28, 1945 Klaipeda was liberated by the Red Army. In 1944-45 the city was badly destroyed. In August 1945, the Berlin (Potsdam) Conference of the Three Great Powers approved the transfer The Soviet Union parts of East Prussia. The Memel region was de facto transferred to the USSR. In April 1948, the law on the administrative-territorial division of the republic was adopted, which for the first time mentioned the Klaipeda region as a part of the Lithuanian SSR. By the decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 28, 1948, all residents of Klaipeda of Lithuanian nationality, who were Lithuanian citizens before March 22, 1939, received Soviet citizenship. Germans from Klaipeda could apply for USSR citizenship on an individual basis.

After 1950

On May 20, 1950, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR issued a decree, according to which a number of regions were formed within the Lithuanian SSR, including the Klaipeda region. The statement that the Klaipeda region "was separated from the Kaliningrad region" is incorrect. The falsity of this statement is shown by the elections held in Königsberg region in 1946, which did not cover the Klaipeda region.

The industry of Klaipeda, especially its port, was restored and reconstructed. In the Soviet years, the city was built up according to standard master plans... Klaipeda University was founded in 1991.

Toponymy

Klaipeda has changed its name several times. The fortress, founded by German knights, was called Memel after the German name for the Nemunas. Near the German castle there was a Curonian village called "Klaipeda". Nowadays, both this village and the castle mound make up the historical center of the city. The Lithuanian state renamed it to Klaipeda, the name the city bore in 1923-39. After the re-annexation by Nazi Germany, the city again turned into Memel in 1939-45. It should be noted that the Lithuanian "Klaipeda", or rather Kaloipeda, was regularly used to designate the surrounding region from the 15th century. (first mentioned in 1413) Local toponymy reflects, first of all, the Curonian names - Melnrage (Melnrage from Latvian - Black Horn / Black Cape), so the ancient name Kaloipeda is more likely to have a Curonian origin. The German compilers of local maps, as a rule, did not usually rename, but Germanized the local names. For example - Pogegen, Pilsaten, Akmonischken, in which, although with difficulty, the ancient Curonian and Lithuanian names are guessed. The ancient Lithuanians used the name Memele to describe the swampy areas of the lower reaches of the river. Neman. An ancient document describing the first campaign of the Teutonic Order in the "pagan lands" indicates that the detachment walked for a long time along the right bank of the Memele River, intending to reach its mouth. Lacking accurate maps, they did not know that the Neman flows into the Curonian Lagoon (see map). Continuing the hike along the right bank of the bay, they came to the place of its confluence with the sea, still thinking that in front of them is the mouth of the Neman. Accordingly, the established fortress was named Memelburg. Later, the name was even mentioned in the national anthem of Germany ("Das Lied der Deutschen") as the easternmost city of the German lands: "Von der Maas bis an die Memel" ("From Meuse to Memel").

Climate

The climate here is mild and maritime. This is due to the proximity of the sea. The climate of Klaipeda is close to the climate of Northern Germany, Southern Scandinavia, Holland, Britain and is characterized by strong variability of weather, rainy, cool summers and rather warm, foggy winters. There is a very strong wind in Klaipeda, which often causes storms, sandstorms and causes considerable damage to the economy.

Residents, as well as visitors to the city, would not hurt to always have an umbrella on hand - you may need it at any moment. The instability of the weather sometimes brings surprising surprises, for example, in February, trees can bloom and the grass can turn green. This, of course, is a rarity, but this fact makes its own adjustments in the formation of ideas about the local climate.

Population

The population of Klaipeda has largely reflected and reflects the turbulent history of this city, in particular, its transition from hand to hand during the European conflicts. Since Memel was founded in places of compact residence of Lithuanians (the Zhmud or Samayty tribe), in the immediate vicinity of the Lithuanian state proper, unlike the related Prussians, the Lithuanians of Memelland were not fully assimilated in the district, although their share was gradually decreasing due to powerful Germanization. According to the German census of 1910, the population of the Lithuanian coast was 149,766 people, of which 67,345 people considered Lithuanian as their native language (45.0%). But Lithuanians prevailed only in the rural districts of the region away from the coast. At the same time, according to the data of the same census, more than 82 thousand people (55%) recognized German as their native language. In Klaipeda itself, the German population was absolutely predominant. The share of Lithuanians was small and steadily declining. Nevertheless, the city itself, with the assistance of the German authorities, turned into a large publishing center in the Lithuanian language in the Latin alphabet, after which the books were smuggled into the neighboring territories of Russian Lithuania, where the Cyrillic alphabet was used and the Latin alphabet was prohibited.

As of 1920, 140,746 inhabitants lived in the Memel region, of which the majority were Germans - 71,156, and Lithuanians - 67,269 people. Really National composition the edge was as follows: 41.9% - Germans; 26.6% are Lithuanians, and 24.2% are the so-called “Memellanders-Klaipeda people,” who are ethnically close to the Germans; 7.3% were representatives of other nationalities. In the city of Memele itself, where the population was more than 21 thousand inhabitants (21.5 thousand in 1910), the German predominance here was overwhelming.

In 1944, it was badly destroyed during the fighting, and after 1945, when the mass deportation of Germans took place after the Second World War, it fell into desolation. In 1946-53. new waves of settlers arrive in the city - initially Russian and Russian-speaking workers from the republics of the USSR, aimed at restoring industry. At first (until the end of the 60s), the Russian-speaking population predominated in the city, including in the authorities, which was facilitated by the proximity of Kaliningrad, an important Russian city The Baltic states. By the beginning of the 70s, during the mass migration of Lithuanian peasants to the cities, the Lithuanians for the first time in the history of the city became the dominant group. However, the city largely retains its multi-ethnic, bilingual character. Klaipeda can rightfully be considered one of the main centers, the Russian-speaking capital of Lithuania, along with Vilnius and Visaginas. According to the last Lithuanian census of 2001, Russians and Russian-speakers made up 33.2% of the city's population.

Still, the overall population dynamics are disappointing. In the post-Soviet period, there is not only a negative natural increase, but also, after the accession of Lithuania to the EU, an intensive migration decline in the population, in contrast to neighboring Kaliningrad.

National composition

Lithuanian and Russian languages ​​are widely spoken in the city. Russian-speaking people have a network of kindergartens, schools and radio stations (Radio station Raduga) in Russian. The local Russian-language newspaper, however, was recently closed. Former deported German residents of Memel and their descendants are called Memelander, live more or less compactly on the territory of modern Germany, support the history of their homeland on the portal memelland-adm.de

sights

The city was badly damaged during the great fire of 1854 (in which 40% of its buildings were destroyed) and the Second World War, after which 60% of the old buildings and all ten temples were lost. The remains of a fort on the Curonian Spit (XIX century), a castle in the Old Town (XV-XIX centuries), several castle bastions have survived to this day. The regular network of streets, formed here in the 13th-15th centuries, has also survived. (resembling a chessboard). Quarters of stone warehouses are characteristic of the city, the oldest of which belong to XVIII century, as well as the building of the magistrate (1770s), the theater (1870s) and the neo-Gothic post office (1904). In Old Klaipeda, there are about 20 half-timbered buildings, many eclectic buildings. The city has 9 professional and amateur theaters (Musical, Drama, Castle, etc.), more than 10 exhibition halls and galleries, there are 9 choirs, 11 orchestras, 47 musical ensembles, a jazz club, a number of cultural centers and studios.

There are museums in Klaipeda that can be called unique - the Sea Museum and Dolphin Show, Clock Museum and Blacksmithing Museum, Art Gallery. The expositions in the History Museum of Lithuania Minor and Klaipeda Castle tell about the twists and turns of history. In numerous restaurants and cafes of the city you can taste traditional dishes Lithuanian and European cuisine, as well as excellent local beers.

Lithuanian Maritime Museum

The Lithuanian Maritime Museum in the old Kopgalis fortress is distinguished by its complex exposition, which presents the marine nature, the history of navigation, ancient and modern fishing, marine sciences, as well as tells about the control of environmental pollution and a wide, multifaceted spectrum of relations between man and the sea. The museum has existed for almost twenty years.

It is precisely this diversity that distinguishes the museum from the majority of specialized maritime museums in Lithuania's neighboring countries. Another hallmark the maritime museum has many exhibits. The first thing that attracts the attention of visitors is the live exhibits: fish, marine mammals, birds. Rich collections of corals and shells, numbering about 20,000 units and of high scientific value, delight the eye in the presented exhibition of marine fauna. For those with an interest in ships, models of ships from different times can be seen, and the outdoor display will acquaint you with real ships and various anchor designs. The museum is surrounded by the sea, beautiful nature. The ethnographic fisherman's house on the shore of the Curonian Lagoon tells about life in a fishing village of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

On the way to the museum, do not forget to see the ship built by the Klaipeda fisherman Gintaras Paulenis (1945–94). Not being a professional sailor, but being a real fanatical lover of the sea, he independently built it based on the ancient blueprints of Newfoundland ships. On June 28, 1994, he set out from Klaipeda, hoping to become the first Lithuanian to cross the Baltic Sea in an ancient ship, and on July 14, he reached the coast of Sweden, after which, proud of his victory, he soon set off back the same way. But on October 5, 1994, the remains of his small boat were thrown onto the bank of Nida. The body of a brave man was found ten days later. It is believed that the storm that killed more than 800 passengers on the Estonia ferry was the cause of his death.

Museum aquarium

Built in an old fort, the aquarium is home to penguins, sea lions and seals. Here you can watch water shows with Black Sea dolphins and sea lions. Guided tours in Lithuanian cost LTL 20, in other languages ​​(Russian, English, German) - LTL 40.

Now in the aquarium you can see not only freshwater fish and fish of the Baltic Sea, but also such rare animals as gray seals. The specialists of the museum-aquarium have been breeding them for many years in order to then release them to their native marine environment. There are exotic penguins from the far south and unprecedented coral reef fish that can be rarely found even in tropical seas. In the summer, on the site behind the museum, there are funny performances of the seals of the North Seas.

The dolphinarium arouses well-deserved interest not only among the inhabitants of Lithuania, but also among the population of the entire Baltic region. Adults and children can learn a lot about the Black Sea dolphins by watching a theatrical performance with them.

The show also features a pair of Californian seals raised in the zoological garden in Duisburg, Germany. Marine science today is of great importance, since only with their help a person can understand the importance of protecting the environment and taking care of it. The Lithuanian Maritime Museum unites its activities along the entire Baltic coast. Another, no less interesting aspect of the museum's activities is dolphin therapy for disabled children.

Clock Museum

Opened in 1984, located in a beautiful 19th century mansion. Here you can get acquainted with a wide variety of devices with the help of which a person tried to measure time in different historical epochs. The museum displays solar, star, fire, water and hourglasses. There is a unique collection of mechanical watches from the 16th-19th centuries. The museum also has modern clocks - electromechanical, electromagnetic, electronic and quartz, as well as a collection of old lunar and lunar-solar calendars. Below all the exhibits there is additional information - engraving, diagram and explanatory texts. The courtyard of the museum is very beautiful, in summer you can see a flower clock in it, it is used for various city events, as well as for listening to concerts of the nearby Klaipeda carillon. Address: st. Liepu, 12.

Picture gallery of Pranas Domsaitis

Opened on June 1, 1973. Located in the historical part of Klaipeda, on one of the most beautiful streets of the city, occupies a complex of buildings of the 19th-20th centuries. The gallery's exposition includes paintings from Western Europe, Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, sculpture, graphics. Since 2001, there has been a permanent exhibition (about 600 works) of the European-scale Lithuanian expressionist artist Pranas Domšaitis (1880-1965) and the cultural center named after him, where various events are regularly organized. Address: st. Liepu, 31-35.

Blacksmithing Museum

It was opened for the anniversary of the city in 1992. The exposition of the museum includes openwork crosses, fences, gates typical for Lithuania Minor, blacksmith's tools, forged household utensils. A significant part of the exposition is made up of grave crosses, fences, gates from Lithuania Minor and from old cemeteries, collected by the Klaipeda metal restorer Dionysas Varkalis, as well as old weather vane typical only for the port city. In the operating restored smithy, you can buy original samples of blacksmithing art. In the 19th century, the smithy of the master Gustav Katske, known throughout the Klaipeda region, was here. Address: Šaltkalvių g-ve. 2 (Shaltkalvyu st., 2).

Museum of the History of Lithuania Minor

Located in the Old Town, in an 18th century building. The exposition acquaints with the life of Lithuanian women, with the history of German-Lithuanian relations, in it you will see archaeological finds, old maps, photographs. Address: Didžioji Vandens g. 6 (Didjoyi Vandyans st., 6).

Klaipeda Castle Museum

Archaeological excavations at the site of Klaipeda Castle began in 1968. During Soviet times, the castle was inaccessible to the general public, since a shipyard was located on its territory. Today the castle is becoming more and more a place of attraction for tourists, which is facilitated by an interesting museum exposition.

Sculpture park

“The Red Terror destroyed not only the living, but also the dead, and it was not stopped at the Klaipeda cemetery ...”. This inscription in Lithuanian reminds visitors that until 1977 there was a cemetery here, where Germans and "Melelenders" were buried. The graves were razed to the ground at the direction of the Lithuanians who served at that time in the structures of power of the USSR. Several graves have survived to this day in the northeastern corner of the cemetery. In those years, the looters managed to remove from the destroyed cemetery and preserve the unique iron crosses, which after the republic gained independence were returned to the state and are now in the Museum of Blacksmithing. Intentions to rebuild the cemetery have been postponed due to lack of funds. Now it is a pleasant place for walking, where among the modern sculptures nothing will remind a tourist who is not familiar with the history of this place of the former cemetery.

Since 1977, a sculpture park has been built on the site of the old city cemetery near the railway and bus stations. Several gravestones remained in the northeastern part of the park.

Local traditions

On the last weekend of July, Klaipeda becomes a very noisy city. Lots of people walk the streets and theatrical performances are held. This is the beginning of the merry sea festival, which has been held annually since 1934 in Klaipeda on the last weekend of July. Sometimes the Sea Festival is celebrated on August 1 and coincides with the city's birthday since 1252. The main hero of the holiday is Neptune, who is sailing on an old ship on the Dana River. These days there are many cultural events, exhibitions, concerts, as well as yacht races and fishermen competitions. The memory of the sailors who died at sea is honored. The holiday brings together about half a million participants. At the same time the sailing regatta "Baltic Sails" is held.
Poezijos pavasaris (Poetic Spring)

Outstanding people

Many people were born and raised in Klaipeda famous people... They glorified not only their hometown, but the whole of Lithuania.

Many famous basketball players have come from Klaipeda. Among them, Arvydas Maciyauskas (born in 1980) is a basketball player who surprises the whole of Europe with his game. Basketball players Valdas Vasilius (1983), Eurelijus ukauskas, Saulius Štombergas (both born in 1973) and Arturas Karnisovas (1971), as well as a cyclist, Olympic champion, world record holder Gintautas Umaras (1963), were also born and raised here.

The famous writer Eva Simonaitytė lived and worked in Klaipeda. She wrote many works dedicated to the history of Lithuania Minor and its people. The name of the writer is borne by the Public Library and one of the streets of the city.

Another famous person is the Klaipeda fisherman Gintaras Paulenis (1945-94). Not being a professional sailor, he built a ship on his own using ancient blueprints for Newfoundland ships. In 1994 he crossed the Baltic Sea on this vessel and reached the coast of Sweden. He was not destined to get back. The reason for his death was a storm, which also claimed the lives of passengers on the Estonia ferry. The remains of his ship were washed ashore, and the body was found ten days later.

Two documents have survived to this day, dated July 29 and August 1, 1252 and signed by the great commander of the Teutonic Order Eberhard von Seine and Bishop Heinrich von Lutzelburg of Courland. According to them, the order founded a fortress in a swampy area on the left bank of the Dane River, which received the name Memelburg (Memel is the German name for the Neman). Around this castle, originally wooden, a settlement very quickly grew, which received the Lubeck right already in 1254 or 1258 (according to other sources). Until 1923 (and in 1939-45) Memel was the northernmost German city, during the interwar period and after the end of World War II this city was known as Klaipeda.
The old town of Klaipeda-Memel is now small, although it continues to remain quite intact. About 60% of its buildings were destroyed during the Great Fire of 1854 and the Second World War, but what remains still retains the atmosphere of old Memel, a city more North German in spirit than Lithuanian.

On the left, on a hill (with the flag of the city), is the place where the Memelburg castle stood ( a small amount of ruins are present), on the right - the already familiar K-Tower and D-Tower.


In its stone form, the castle looked something like this.


Development of the Dane embankment. On the right (next to the kebab house) you can see the box office of the ferry to the Curonian Spit.


The castle hill goes around the bay on three sides, where a lot of boats of varying degrees of fashionableness are moored.




There are several small houses, which now houses hotels and shops serving the owners of yachts and boats.


Among them there are also interesting examples of modern architecture. The Old Port Hotel is a wonderful combination of hi-tech and half-timbered houses. It turns out hi-werk or fah-tech.

The traditional half-timbered building is of course also present.


Klaipeda's theater square is probably the largest in the Old Town. In the center is the building of the Klaipeda Drama Theater (1775), on the left is a modern extension to it. Here tourists usually hang with amber.


Buildings on the south side of the square.




Environs of Teatralnaya Square. She is behind me, on the left you can see the D-Tower, in the house on the right there is a restaurant "Old Hansa". In general, there are many restaurants in Klaipeda, where I really wanted to go only because of the names alone: ​​"Old Hansa", "Livonia", "Memelis". The latter also turned out to be a brewery, which predetermined the choice in his favor.


I repeat, the Old Town in Klaipeda is quite solid, although of course it was not without late re-inclusion. Closer to the Dane embankment, a whole block of modern buildings is growing, but how tactful they look as a whole. No one here is trying to deceive either residents or tourists. The new architecture looks exactly new, and does not try to mimic the Middle Ages with dummies, but at the same time it is high-tech in the historical environment, and it looks right here, making the city relevant.


Typical Stalinists also come across, and with them the situation is worse. Well, at least covered with tiles. Market Street (Turgaus gatve) goes to the distant pipe, a reminder that the Theater Square was once a market place.


Now the Market Square is located on the southern outskirts of the Old Town, and I went there by the streets, the names of which I can’t remember now.


In the building with flags there is a museum of the history of Lithuania Minor.

Remains of old Memel.



Upper Street (Aukstoji gatve). In the building on the left is the old post office, you can send a postcard to your homeland.

For Belarusians only. Zyanon's secret apartment.


On Zamkovaya Street (Pilies gatve), a monumental Stalinist building was discovered, which now belongs to the shipbuilding company "Baltia". On the spire, probably in Soviet times, there was a traditional star in a laurel wreath.



And finally, we go out to the new Market Square, which is certainly not new, but still a market one. It occupies a fairly large area between Zamkovaya Street and Prospect Mira (Taikos prospektas).


The Old Town ends at the Market Square, which is clearly evidenced by this photograph.


Above the dog's inscription "Old Town Watchman" (or something like that).

The tentacles of our distribution network have even reached Klaipeda.

On this square, Mira Avenue ends, leading to the sleeping quarters of the city. In the distance, behind the trees, on the left is the Market Square, in front of the Old Town.


I remember this place for three things. First, the old bookstore sign. There is almost no such thing left in Lithuania.


Secondly, the statue of Neringa, a huge giant aunt who saved ships and sailors and, like, poured the Curonian Spit for this.

Well, the building beyond Neringa is the Svyturis brewery (by the way, it translates into Russian as "lighthouse"), one of the largest in Lithuania, the sister of our "Alivaria". Surprisingly, there was no beer bar at the brewery (which, by the way, I was counting on); some awful Chinese restaurant took its place there.


From here, along Mostovaya Street (Tilto gatve), I moved in the opposite direction, back north towards Dana. Unfortunately, this time it was not possible to see Soviet Klaipeda in the south of the city. I still preferred to go to the Curonian Spit, to the sea instead.

The Germans return to Memel in 1939.

The history of the "free city" (the term "free" is used not in a legal sense, but in an ideological one. Formally, Memel was under the control of the Entente Powers) Memel, which is now mapped under the well-known Lithuanian name Klaipeda, is interesting to read from the point of view of parallels, analogies and, in general, the very idea of ​​a “free city” on the border of the “enlightened West” ™ and all the rest. The topic is relevant in St. Petersburg, as we have supporters of the idea of ​​a "free city". The following text gives an opportunity to look at the prospects of such a situation from the experience of Klaipeda. Let us not forget in parentheses that Klaipeda, unlike St. Petersburg, is an ice-free port.
Let's hit the road!
Without going too deep into the darkness of the centuries, passing by mentioning the crusaders, Swedes and Samogitians related to the city, we see Memel, who by the end of the First World War in 1914-1918. was listed as the northernmost port city of Prussia. The collapse of Kaiser's Germany led to the fact that the victorious powers, remembering what Prussia meant for the Germans, decided to tear the city away from Heimatland, rightly thinking about the weakening of German influence in the Baltic Sea, if not forever, then for a long time.
A young, stubborn Poland appeared, which France saw as a counterweight to Germany, and which also had expansionist plans in the Baltic Sea. Whoa, what are the plans! "Grateful" to those around them for centuries of vegetation, the Poles wanted to squeeze the entire Baltic Fleet from the Russians and rule the seas themselves. Not at all, of course, but to the Danish Straits for sure. There was clearly no place in these plans for the German Memel on the eastern borders. From the other side of the Memel region, the newly formed Lithuania (then without Vilnius yet) jumped out like a pimple, which desperately needed a port in the Baltic in order to have a guarantee of its long and happy independence through free export / import by sea.

WHERE DREAMS LEAVE

What to do if interest in history in the world is not considered applied. Why is he smart person v ordinary life, except that sometimes to shine in the company, remembering little known fact? It does not matter that, in fact, the case will turn out to be a historical anecdote, but it will favorably highlight the narrator in the eyes of the interlocutors. Especially if the eyes are female. Tolley is a physicist's business. You sit on the plane and, using simple calculations, predict the time of arrival. Or, here's geometry. You can draw a room plan and build in a wardrobe. And put all the history books in a closet, which are difficult to find application in the filled life of a city dweller.

Meanwhile, acquaintance with critical moments in the history of your country and your closest neighbors can be of great help in understanding what happened, is happening and will happen around us if the stars converge in one order or another. And at the right time, he can suggest, for example, that it is time to shift the necessary things from the closet into suitcases, grab the children and quickly blame them on the plane from the impending disaster while they are still flying.
Here the Ukrainians lived, did not grieve, and suddenly, bam, war. "Out of the blue," sort of. But in fact - both "from that" and "from this".

But today, not about them, but about the fate of the "free city" as a phenomenon.
Sometime at the beginning of the journey to the East, the Fuhrer was planning something similar for St. Petersburg. But it didn’t grow together, fortunately. Although some here believe that unfortunately. And the movement of the Reich to Peter began exactly there - in Memel 1938-39.
But first things first. So, Memel between the two world wars: a city that everyone needed, and at the same time was nobody's.

WHAT'S HE? HE IS NOTHING!

Germany's territorial losses after WWI. Memelland is the most northeastern part.

The volleys of the world war died down. Europe buried its dead and screwed up its eyes to see the future through the smoke of the conflagrations. The victorious powers set about constructing the world order, picking up the fragments of failed empires and putting them into a new kaleidoscope European home... Among these fragments, Memel turned out to be a city that there was no one to give. It was decided to leave him under the mandate of the League of Nations. In 1920 it was transferred under the collective management of the Entente countries. A small French garrison was present. Self-government was ruled by local Germans, of whom were the majority among the economically active population of Memel itself and the environs called Memelland. Whether the Germans considered all the Lithuanian neighbors "cattle" history is silent. Not without it, I think.

French administration at Memel, 1920

By the will of fate, Memel was to become a "free city" like Danzig, which could not be left German, but the Polish future was also contraindicated for him. Well, not to give it to the Swedes? Why on earth? Soviet Russia was against the idea of ​​a “free city” and demanded that its interests also be taken into account in the fate of the ice-free port. A slave country, what to take from it. Freedom does not endure the spirit. She has interests, you know. Let her interests in the ice of the Gulf of Finland freeze every year from November to May.
Poland hoped that the city would fall into its own hands with the assistance of "their" French, with whom they had almost reached an agreement. France, planning to transfer the Memel region to Poland, was guided, of course, not by love for Mickiewicz or a craving for Polish beauties, but hoped that in the future the port would not get to Germany, which had suddenly risen from its knees. As they looked into the water.

NEW APPLICANT

And then Lithuania appears on the scene. A small but proud country that wants territories that belong to it "in fairness." The Constituent Seimas of Lithuania modestly spoke in favor of joining Klaipeda to Lithuania on the basis of autonomy.
The Memel Germans, who constituted an active majority in the province, quickly figured out which way the wind was blowing, and during the 1921 plebiscite, which was organized by the "Working Group of the Society for a Free State of Memel" ("Arbeitsgemeinschaft für den Freistaat Memel"), 54,429 people (75, 75% of citizens who had the right to vote) voted for a free state and against the union-union with Lithuania. We will never be brothers! ©
To which the Lithuanians presented their polls, which showed that the Lithuanian language should be given the official status of the 2nd language, despite the fact that during a survey in 1922 it was revealed that 93% of people declared themselves as ethnic Germans in the city of Memel and 63% declared itself as Memellander in Memelland territory.

On December 18, 1922, the Supreme Committee for the Salvation of Lithuania Minor (as the Lithuanians called the Memel Region) appeared in Memel, called in Germany "Direktorium der Litauer". The official appointment of this committee was to organize the inhabitants of the Memel region into one whole society, which was to become part of Lithuania. They supported the linguistic, national and cultural activity of Lithuanians in Lithuania Minor. They also wanted to enlist the support of their fellows living in Lithuania and other countries of the world.
Once Yin has cut through, Yang must appear somewhere nearby. The organization "German-Lithuanian Patriotic Union" ("Deutsch-Litauischer Heimatbund") together with the "Working Group of the Society for a Free State of Memel" ("Arbeitsgemeinschaft für den Freistaat Memel") put forward the idea of ​​a "Free State of Memelland", which was later to join of course same to Germany.

TO ARMS, Piliečiai!

Lithuanian "rebels" (disguised as civilian soldiers) during the 1923 Klaipeda uprising

The situation developed in such a way that the Germans between the Poles and the Lithuanians far-sightedly chose the latter. Germany approved the strengthening of the Lithuanian resistance forces directed against Poland. The Memel Riflemen's Union (Memeler Schützenbund) purchased 1,500 rifles, 5 light machine guns and ammunition from Germany, paying with money from secret funds, the main contributors of which were Lithuanian immigrants, mainly living in the United States. Weapons for the Lithuanians were purchased, no less, from the commander-in-chief of the Reichswehr, Hans von Seeckt. On behalf of the army, he assured Lithuania that the Germans would not interfere in the Lithuanian intervention.
The gun, which was hanged at the beginning of the play, did not reach the last act of the drama and fired almost immediately. Time is money!

The coup began on January 9, 1923. The Supreme Committee for the Salvation of Lithuania Minor published a manifesto to the French soldiers who were in the region, in which they asked the soldiers not to interfere. The rebels, on the other hand, had to: be polite (oh!), Do not rob, do not drink alcoholic beverages, do not participate in political conversations, do not have Lithuanian documents with them, do not carry tobacco and matchboxes with Lithuanian identification inscriptions.
On the same day, volunteers from Lithuania crossed the border of the region (they were in civilian clothes, which they changed into on the train, but for identification they put on armbands with the letters "MLS"). Many Lithuanian residents of the region supported the rebels by supplying them with food.

Funeral of French soldiers killed during the 1923 uprising in Memel

Memel itself could not be taken peacefully, since the port was defended by French soldiers. The "polite" rebels launched their attack on January 15 at 01:00. Several French officers and soldiers, a policeman and German volunteers were taken prisoner. By 05:00 Memel was occupied and the French soldiers retreated and surrendered a little later. Obviously, no one wanted to die, it is not clear why. The total casualties were low: 20 rebels and 2 French soldiers were killed.
After these events, the territory of the Memel region was taken completely under the control of the Supreme Committee for the Salvation of Lithuania Minor.

The monument to Kaiser Wilhelm, as it should be in the days of popular uprisings, was knocked down from the pedestal and dragged to the backyard

On January 16, a small Polish warship "Komendant Pilsudski" (formerly Finnish "Karjala", and even earlier former Russian "Lun") entered the port of Klaipeda. One of the passengers on it was Mssr. Trouson, a member of the French mission in Poland. His task was to suppress the coup, but seeing that the Memel region was already occupied, and french troops are actually imprisoned, the ship has left. The Poles were late.

The Polish armed forces could intervene in the situation. However, from behind the gray forests, the ominous profile of Comrade Trotsky appeared and the Soviet units began to concentrate on the Polish border with bayonets. The new Soviet-Polish war did not smile at Warsaw, despite the recent Miracle on the Vistula. Thus, the USSR indirectly helped Lithuania to take Klaipeda.

WELL HERE WE ARE IN LITHUANIA
On January 19, the Klaipeda Region Directory requested to be admitted to Lithuania as an autonomous territory with a separate parliament and government, two official languages, the right to administer taxes and duties, independently conduct cultural and religious affairs, oversee the local legal system, agriculture, forestry and social security system.

Let's stop for a minute in order to feel the moment. Lithuania "put with the device" on democratic procedures, the opinion expressed by the majority of the population, foreign territorial integrity and the decisions of the League of Nations! Not bad for a miniature republic, which is a week without a year. This is how history should be made, and you: "sanctions, sanctions ...".

Is the West the guarantor of the "free city" status?
On January 10, the governments of France and Great Britain, through diplomatic channels, asked Lithuania to "use all their efforts" to make sure that no attacks on people and their property occur there. They also condemned the support of the uprising from Lithuania.

1923. Uprising. Arrival at the port of the British light cruiser HMS "Caledon", killed in the streets of Memel, the arrival of French destroyers.

France soon dispatched a small squadron to Memel. Great Britain also made a mark by sending the cruiser HMS "Caledon". The negotiations with the Lithuanian rebels, which began on January 25, were not successful. The rebel committee refused to hand over the city to the French, and the disembarked patrols were fired upon and returned to the ships. Then the French command developed a plan for the armed capture of Memel, supported by the British. On February 2 (it took a long time to prepare!), A British cruiser landed an amphibious assault party to interact with the French infantry battalion that was garrisoned at Memel. At the same time, an ultimatum was put forward to Lithuania demanding the return of the Memel region to the hands of the High Commissioner of the Entente. At the same time, the Entente promised that if the ultimatum was accepted, the Memel region would then be handed over to Lithuania.
Lithuania accepted the ultimatum, after which on February 16, the Council of Ambassadors of the Entente decided to transfer the Memel region to Lithuania. This decision was stipulated by the condition for Lithuania to fulfill the following requirements:
- autonomy of the region;
- freedom of transit and use of the Memel port by Poland;
- development of the status of the region and the conclusion of a special convention;
- equality in the region of the German and Lithuanian languages;
- equalization in the civil and commercial rights of foreigners and residents of the autonomy.

In addition, at the unofficial level, it was emphasized that the transfer of Memel to Lithuania is a kind of compensation for the loss of the Vilnius region (Vilnius), which Poland had previously torn off for itself. In 1924, the actual transfer of Memel to the sovereignty of Lithuania took place.

Lithuania, having settled down in the region, predictably began to "de-germinate" new territories. A policy of imposing the Lithuanian language was pursued, although, according to the census on January 20, 1925, of the 141,645 residents who had the right to vote, 59,315 (41.88%) identified themselves as Germans, 37,626 (26.56%) as Lithuanians, and 34 337 (24.24%) - to Memellendors.
In 1926, a military coup took place in Lithuania. After the coup in December 1926, martial law was introduced in the Klaipeda region (which lasted until 1938), German parties were banned and the local parliament was dissolved, which was a flagrant violation of the Memel Statute. At the request of the League of Nations, the Lithuanian authorities were forced to call new elections in the Memel region, which gave the majority to the German parties (25 out of 29 mandates). However, already in 1932, the elected German authorities of Memel were arrested. The consequence was the appeal of the guarantor powers of the Memel Convention to the International Court of Justice of the League of Nations, which demanded that Lithuania restore the rights of the Memel Parliament.

On the streets of Klaipeda between the wars. Signs in German

The Lithuanian port of Klaipeda was actively developing. New structures were built, a new railway line was laid, the fairway was deepened twice. Up to 80 percent of Lithuania's foreign trade turnover passed through the former Memel. If in 1924 694 ships visited it, then in 1935 there were already 1225. Soviet Russia, which defended its trade interests, also actively conducted foreign trade through the Klaipeda port.

NOTHING IS ETERNAL

Cover of "Life" magazine with the hero of the return of Germany Memelland, the heavy cruiser "Deutschland"

But the happiness of a small state, under the guise of a world showdown, which cut off its exit to the sea, did not last long. The territories should go to those who really "really need it". Germany recovered from the defeat, built up muscle and spread a map on which "their" lands were marked, which, due to an absurd misunderstanding, were in the possession of those who were not allowed to enter decent houses in Europe before.
And soon on the horizon of Klaipeda there literally appeared the smokes of an impressive squadron, the flagship of which was symbolically built to replace the sunken ships of the old Kaiser's fleet, the heavy cruiser (pocket battleship) "Deutschland". On its bridge, disdaining seasickness, was Adolf Hitler himself, the chancellor of Germany. Personally.

To be continued